Month: August 2013

General

A Terrible Globe Experience

By on Saturday, August 31, 2013

I have a Globe Tattoo Superstick plan (plan 1299). It came with amortization for device (Huawei E-5) factored in. The device was the difference between plan 1299 and the cheaper plan 999. I inquired back then if I could change from plan 1299 to plan 999 once the 24-month lock-in period is done. The answer was affirmative. So I signed up.

That lock-in period was finally done a few months back. A few days ago, I called Globe to request the change to plan 999 or whatever is equivalent now. Here’s what happened:

  1. I called the Globe call center and talked to a CSR regarding my request. There were a lot of times I was being put on hold after I ask something. I could almost picture the CSR talking to a colleague and/or frantically paging through a reference. Eventually, I got forwarded to another group.
  2. The new CSR said they don’t handle my account and got forwarded back to the first group. Didn’t the first CSR know who handles my account?
  3. The new CSR said such requests are handled by Globe centers. Nice.
  4. Today, I walk into a Globe center. I asked around and was told to call since such requests are handled by the call center!
  5. I called using the in-house phone. After more of the talk-and-hold routine, I was told such requested are handled by Globe centers. Not again!
  6. I talked to the person who seems to be in charge at the Globe center. After some discussion, I was told such request are really handled by Globe centers. She said something to the effect that CSRs may not be fully knowledgeable and when that happens, I am to get the name and give to her.
  7. I called again using the in-house phone. After more talk-and-hold and being put on hold for the nth time, I put down the phone and stormed off to get lunch.
  8. After lunch and when I got back home, I called the Globe center again. After the more of the usual talk-and-hold routine, I finally simplified my request to “just switch me to plan 999”. That did it pretty quick.

Total time wasted: 2-3 hours. Globe definitely needs to improve their call center CSR training. And what’s with not handling customer requests in person at the Globe center? Is that part of cost-cutting? Not good.

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General

Million People March

By on Tuesday, August 27, 2013

millionpeoplemarch

Paul, Ann, and I (representing also Michelle and Jeanne) joined the Million People March at Rizal Park yesterday. It was a good rally. Despite no single group claiming ownership of the event, it turned out to be well organized. It was not really a rally in the traditional sense. There were political groups in certain allocated areas but generally it’s was apolitical and more a gathering of people with a common goal: the abolition of the pork barrel and the way is is used stolen. not just the PDAF. The atmosphere was relaxed, even festive. There was no fear of a dispersal. Which is good. It means there’s progress in our fledgling (still, after all these years) democracy. Even the weather was kind. There was some rain early on but it quickly stopped while the clouds stayed around providing a cool shade for everyone.

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General

La Migliore Offerta (The Best Offer)

By on Sunday, August 25, 2013

lamiglioreoffertaLa Migliore Offerta (original title) by Italian director Giuseppe Tornatore, is an interesting film to say the least and I definitely wouldn’t want to spoil it for anyone. Set against the streets, cafes, and auction houses of charming-as-always Europe, Geoffrey Rush is an eccentric art auctioneer Virgil Oldman. By eccentric, it means I’m saying he’s rich and not poor. If he were, then he would be a loon :P

Virgil has a nifty sideline going on where he assesses and undervalues works of arts that he covets, and have his conspirator bid for it. He also filches bits and pieces of stuff from his clients. So he is arrogant, prickly, and terribly dishonest. Yet he’s charming and somehow likeable. Maybe it’s those delicious lines he delivers.

One day, Virgil is contacted by a wealthy heiress named Claire who seeks to auction off and dispose of her recently deceased parent’s stuff. Claire suffers from some phobia where she not only doesn’t want to go in the open, but doesn’t want to be with people at all. Thus, they conducted business through a wall. At first, the two didn’t get well along but eventually they got along and into a more than just professional relationship (hint: involves activities with less and less clothes on).

The cynic, like myself, would think that a young woman being interested in an old man like Virgil would be all about the money. And yet, Virgil, maybe because of his inexperience with women, actually believes her. Personally, it was already stretching it when Claire started showing that hint of an interest in Virgil. But hey, maybe it’s her eccentricity, yeah?

It is a good film to watch. Better than good if you are less cynical.

Rating: 4/5.

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General

A Day of Anger

By on Friday, August 23, 2013

Over two decades ago, I heard about “pork barrel”. I heard about congressmen. I heard rumours about them dipping their hands in the barrel. I learned about corruption.

Today, we still hear about it. But it is no longer just rumours. It is out in the open. Exposed by whistleblowers and the media. And it is in staggering numbers: P10 BILLION!!! That’s a lot of money. That’s a lot of roads, highways, and bridges. That’s a lot of classrooms. That’s a whole lot of food.

How can a simple citizen get away with squirrelling off such a huge amount?

The only answer is that there’s a web of collusion within the corridors of power behind her and others like her in their theft, in their robbery in broad daylight. Collusion in the form of active participation. Collusion in the form of accepting “gifts”. Collusion in the form of neglecting responsibility, neglecting due diligence. This is not just about the pork barrel. This is about the need for change.

On Monday August 26, there will be public gatherings to protest, to show indignation, to show anger, yes the people are angry, at those who are putting us down, at those who are grinding us down. Many will not be able to go, many will choose not to go. But wherever you are, show that you are indignant, show that you are angry, show that you want this outrage to stop. Post about it, text about it, shout about it.

If nothing changes and we all go down, we didn’t go down with nary a whimper.

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General

The Great Gatsby

By on Thursday, August 22, 2013

thegreatgatsbyI first encountered Baz Luhrmann a long time ago with Moulin Rouge. Back then I was fascinated by his dazzling visual style. I also remembered feeling like I actually knew, actually understood what love is. Love felt so real so palpable as if I could feel it, touch it. But that’s another movie.

The Great Gatsby is about Nick Carraway, a recent migrant to New York, drawn by the opportunities of the Big Apple and planning to find his fortune as a bond trader in Wall Street. His rich neighbour is a mysterious figure who throws lavish parties in his villa.

Nick is invited into one of these parties where he finally meets his neighbour, a man named Jay Gatsby. It turned out that Jay wanted to meet Nick’s already-married cousin Daisy with whom he previously had an affair and had been running after since. Nick eventually relented. And as expected, after much planning and dreaming, Daisy turned out to be… typical. And nothing good came out of it.

While The Great Gatsby is an interesting film by itself, it’s not Moulin Rouge all over again. I was more than mildly annoyed at his hopeful romanticism. I did feel a crestfallen at all of Gatsby’s efforts to win back Daisy’s affection and felt bad at what happened to him. But not as bad as how I felt when Satine died :P

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