With the additional amount we have added to our savings from my Denmark assignment we are finally able to pay off the remainder of our mortgage to the Home Mutual Development Fund (aka PAGIBIG) earlier this year. Upon hand-off of the land title we were told to proceed to the city/municipal hall encompassing our home to have the deed updated.

I have a one and a half hour commute (one-way) so to deal with the local Binangonan government means I have to take a day off. I decided to put it off until September wherein I planned to get a lot of things going. Yesterday morning was the slot I allocated with going to the Binangonan municipal hall but little did I know that the two hour stint I planned would stretch to an almost full-day dealing with an inefficient and bureaucratic process. I was complaining on how the office process is becoming like a government institutions in terms of process red tape but it is refreshing to get a taste of the real thing every once in a while. I don’t believe in stereotyping but what I saw was nothing but very fit for theatrical offerings.

I will summarize the whole process for those who are going to undergo a similar task of having a newly acquired land title. Note that this is only for canceling the hold of the previous title holder as the land title is already named to us. I would assume that the process will be longer if you will have the title transferred to your name. HDMF underwent that process after we fully paid our mortgage and it took no less than two months. The steps might vary for each municipality/city but the general flow would be the same.

How to Cancel and Update the Land Title Registry

1. Before going to the city/municipal hall, make sure you have the following:
   • Valid id with picture with at least two clear photocopies
   • A working pen
   • Land title
   • Notice of deed release. HDMF provided this for us but make sure you have this as the title alone is not enough.
   • Enough money[1] to pay for land tax, various processing fees, and enough for lunch and snacks.
   • Some reading materials, portable music player[2], or portable gaming console to help you pass the time.
2. Go to the government office early. The earliest you can finish your business, the better off you will be.
3. Go straight to the Assessor’s office and request for two copies of the land tax declaration.
4. Go to the cashier and pay the fees for the tax declarations. I paid Php50 for each copy.
5. Go back to the assessor’s office and give back the receipt. I was asked to wait while they were preparing the tax declaration. I was asked to pay Php20 per document for the documentary stamp. Why they didn’t include this in the amount I paid in the cashier is still boggling me.[3]
6. Go to the land tax windows and have your tax liabilities printed and settled. For a 50 sq. meter lot, I paid around Php800.
7. Go to the registry of deed and ask for a form to have the deed registration’s previous owner cancelled and updated to your name. Fill up the form and submit it together with the deed and notice of release. Wait while your deed is being verified.
8. Upon verification, you will be instructed to proceed to the cashier with your papers and pay for the processing fee. Don’t bother asking how much since only the cashier will answer you. I paid about Php700 for the processing fee.
9. Wait. And Wait some more. This is where the device you brought for passing time will be very handy.
10. Once you get a receipt, have the title, stamped notice of release, and receipt photocopied. Submit the photocopies and the originals to the clerk for further processing.
11. Your papers will be handed back to you sans the photocopies and you need to submit this to one of the receiving areas near the releasing.
12. Wait for your updated deed at the releasing area. Again, you will have to wait for quite a while.

Sounds simple. What killed my time was that I didn’t know the process and the people I talked to in the Land Tax area weren’t too versed in the whole process. They sent me to the “other” building where the Deeds Registry is located which turned out to be three building away and outside the hall compound. Upon going to the Deeds Registry I was asked if I have already paid the land tax and said they are the last stop so I had to troop back to the Land Tax and Assessor’s office. I was also hit by the lunch break just as soon as I was waiting for my papers to be released. One thing I can say with the Deeds Registry people is that they are religious in observing their time schedules. 🙂

ciao!

[1] DONT go with only large-denomination bills or else you are asking your stay to be prolonged if they don’t have enough change for your large bills.
[2] If you are going to bring a music player, make sure that you can free up an ear since you need to be alert if your name is being called. If the person processing your paper is in a bad mood, they would be happy to put your papers at the bottom of the processing stack for “wasting” their time.
[3] The fees posted for the document was pegged at Php50.00 so your guess on where the payments for these highly-overpriced stamps are going is as good as mine.

ciao!

Today I have a perfect example of small things that I take for granted: walking on uneven spaces. 🙁

Last Friday I suddenly felt an excruciating pain in my lower back. It was severe enough that I couldn’t walk for five minutes and was hobbling for the next two hours. The doctor in the company clinic prescribed some pain killers and suggested that an X-ray be done on my spinal column to rule out any severe causes such as slipped discs and another medical term that I can’t remember. Good thing that the company’s HMO will cover it.

Since this was already in the afternoon, I finished the pending paperwork requirements and then took a cab to the SM Megamall where the X-ray will be done. I was done with the procedure by 6:15PM but the technician said that the results will only be available the following day. I asked the reception if there is a possibility of getting somebody to read the results over the phone since I live quite far but they say they are not allowed to do that even if I give my written consent then and there.

As I am feeling better today with only a severely sore back, I opted to just go tomorrow since we also have engagements in the Quezon city area. Even if it is a medically related errand, I don’t think it is worth it to spend at least 3 hours for something that may just be normal back sprain.

The wife, with her typical optimistic attitude, is now preparing for either my funeral or the prospect of me being wheel-chair bound. Nice attitude, eh?

Back to the subject, I am still feeling a pain when doing small things that we do automatically. Bending to pickup a dropped object, going too fast from one level to another (even if there jsut an inch of difference), getting out of bed, and what have you. The good thing is that I can still drive but have to rely more on the side and rear-end mirrors since I cannot twist my body fast enough.

[update 2008.08.26] The orthopedic doctor said that there is a curvature in my spine but it is too slight to be considered as scoliosis. I am to undergo one week of (expensive) medication and three preventive PT sessions. Sounds good to me, I’ll take it. 🙂

ciao!

Chris Haravata posted this item in his blog which details a seemingly perfectly fine relationship between father and son that has endured trials but was shattered when the son “loves this woman, he is willing to get married in this woman’s church”.

Which one will you side on? Is it with the father who in his self-righteous narrow-mindedness thinks everything in this world fits perfectly in a black-or-white category. Or are you with the son who has the romanticist love that will forsake all just to please his bride?

I am with neither as both of them aren’t what I would call believers. The father is a lost cause fanatic that has anchored everything in what his religion espouses. He will probably spew out bible verses or quote some pastoral superstar when encroached in debates. Deep inside he is just as good as the “non-believers” that he condemns since he is a hypocritical and rabid hyena in sheep’s clothing.

The son is a spineless coward who thinks converting from one belief to another is like changing clothes (or jobs). Religion is all about beliefs: you either believe or you do not. If you are neither then welcome as you are an agnostic like me but grow some cojones and stand up for what you believe in. Love cannot make you a believe nor does love should force you to change. If it does either then that is called brainwashing. Ever heard of “love conquers all”? It doesn’t say “be conquered by love”. The same goes for the woman, she accepted the son when he wasn’t of the same faith. Why should he convert if she really wanted to be with him? Crafty manipulator.

Oops, long rant. 🙂

ciao!

The diet week is finally over with the last day finding us consuming brown rice and dinengdeng (well our approximation of what dinengdeng would look like). The ampalaya was too bitter for my taste but the kalabasa (squash) was a pleasure to eat. No fruit juice though as I couldn’t find any in the house and going to the grocery to fetch one is a waste of gas.

Final weigh in? I still tipped the scale at 194 lbs so my total weight loss is 6 lbs or somewhere around 3 kilos. Not bad for a week of sacrifice eh? I am pretty sure I would gain it back in a week or two but at least I have somewhat purified my digestive system so it is ready to take on more abuse. 🙂 Kidding, my lunch viand usually comprises of fried fish and a vegetables. Breakfast and dinner are a whole different matter.

Neth is asking if we will go through the diet again the week after. My answer is a hell NO. Try asking me again after six months. 🙂

ciao!

This morning my body fought back to the weight loss and the scale tipped back into 194 lbs. That was three pounds more than yesterday morning weight and I think the potatoes I ate in the beef nilaga has something to do with it. No biggie though since that would still put my loss at around 3kilos.

With two healthy eaters, the 3/4 kilo beef that went into the pot had no real chance. Couple that with a dipping sauce made of patis and some taiwan chilis. Good thing we had no calamansi in the house otherwise the nilaga wouldn’t have made it out of lunch. 🙂

General Motors Diet for Day 7

Today your food intake will consist of brown rice, fruit juices and all the vegetables you care to consume.

How and Why it works

Day Seven finished off the program like a good cigar used to finish off Victorian meals, except much healthier. You have your system under control and it should thank you for the flushing and cleaning you just gave it.

Last day! Huzzaaahhh!!!!

ciao!

The feast day has ended with me licking my fingers to clean up the remaining juices dribbling from the burger I just consumed. 🙂

Fare for breakfast and lunch was the burger patty that Neth prepared the night before, sandwiched between Gardenia whole wheat buns, lettuce and lots of tomatoes. Very delicious and very filling even if the burger preparation is tedious since the buns are a little on the small side. The patties were made to fit but since I have six buns and four patties I had to ration them. There is no shortage on tomatoes though as that is one of the main fare for the day.

For dinner we didn’t push through with ordering burger from Grams because we wouldn’t make it on the showing of the Batman: The Dark Knight movie (yes, we watched it last night and it was great although really dark for kids). We just bought two McDonalds quarter-pounders without cheese and two bottles of mineral water. When we got home I finished the last burger from Neth’s stash and called it a day.

For the weigh-in, I am currently at 191 lbs so the total weight loss is now at 9 lbs. 🙂

General Motors Diet for Day 6

Beef and vegetables. Today you may eat an unlimited amount of beef and vegetables. Eat to your hearts content.

How and Why it works

Day Six is similar to day five, Iron and proteins from beef, Vitamins and fibre from vegetables. By now your system is in a total weight loss inclination. There should be a noticeable difference in the way you look today, compared to day one.

Beef nilaga anyone? 🙂

ciao!

I SURVIVED DAY 4!

I don’t know if its the digestive cleansing but I didn’t experience any looseness of bowel movement. That even worried me up to before I went to sleep because I was expecting that I will wake up in the ungodliest hours of the early morning to go to the bathroom and relieve myself of all those fiber. Thankfully I didn’t although what I excreted has a peculiar color. 😛

Anyway, the previous day was all about bananas and milk. Since my stomach has a strong reaction to milk, I opted to go with yogurt. I bought two kinds of yogurt: banana flavored and creamy. My wife favors the creamy variety but I find the flavored yogurts better.

This morning when I weighed in, the needle was between 191 and 192 pounds. My wife jokes that I was cheating with the weight reading because she only lost 3 pounds. I think I just have more excess fat to lose. I am only keeping track so I can have something to post here. In the previous week I didn’t check until the week was over. 🙂

Post Day 4: Weighing in at 192 pounds, total loss is around 8 pounds.

GM Diet for Day 5

Today is feast day. You will eat beef and tomatoes. Eat two 10 oz. portions of lean beef. Hamburger is OK. Combine this with six whole tomatoes. On day five you must increase your water intake by one quart. This is to cleanse your system of the uric acid you will be producing.

How and Why it works

Beef and tomatoes. The beef is for iron and proteins, the tomatoes are for digestion and fibre. Lots and lots of water purifies your system. You should notice colourless urine today. Your allowance calls for the equivalent of five “quarter ponders”. Do not feel you have to eat all this beef. You must eat the six tomatoes.

I like day 5. 🙂

ciao!

I was too sleepy this morning when I weighed in so I cannot decide if the scale was tipping at 195 or 196 pounds. No skin off my nose as I am just happy that I am already halfway through this diet week. 🙂

Yesterday’s fare was an apple in the morning, two servings of chopsuey for lunch, some grapes for my afternoon snack, and the stir-fry left-overs and another apple for dinner. As I was saying to my wife, I think the thing that makes this second attempt more tolerable is that I have too many things to do that I am too busy to think of my stomach. I was planning to open up a corn kernel can for my snack but it was too tedious and I ended up finishing the grapes that I was supposed to eat during lunch.

General Motors Diet for Day 4

Bananas and milk. Today you will eat as many as eight bananas and drink three glasses of milk. This will be combined with the special soup which may be eaten in limited quantities.

How and Why it works

Bananas, milk and soup sound the strangest and least desirable. You’re in for a surprise. You probably will not eat all the bananas allowed. But they are there for the potassium you have lost and the sodium you may have missed the past three days. You will notice a definite loss of desire for sweets. You will be surprised how easy this day will go.

Day 4 is the scariest part for me because I have a low tolerance for non-processed milk products. Combine that with bananas and I think I will spend some considerable time in the “john”.

ciao!