Mosaic Music Festival '07
2007-04-02 18:27:55
Started in 2005, the Mosaic
Music
Festival
here in Singapore is a kaleidoscope of music performed by acclaimed artists headlining today’s jazz, world music, soul, electroclash, hip-hop and more, with international superstars, including acts from the UK, established home-grown and regional artists and up-and-coming musicians presenting ten full days of fantastic music.And guess what? This year's edition features the Philippines' very own Kuh Ledesma and Regine Velasquez. Dubbed as Power Of Two, Singapore will witness two of the region's most celebrated songbirds and Philippines' most important female pop acts today deliver a concert of grit and beauty with their signature powerhouse vocals. Power of Two will be on 14 Mar (Wed) at the Esplande Concert Hall. Ticket prizes at Sing $58, $88, $11, and $148.Last year's edition of the Mosaic Music Festival featured Rivermaya.
Singapore's Hard-hitting Anti-smoking TV Ad
2007-04-02 10:58:41
A sunken-eyed woman with cracked lips and brownish, deformed teeth and ulcerated gums and lips appears under the headline: "Quitting is hard. Not quitting, is harder."Quitting is hard. Not quiting is harder.Singapore
's highly publicized anti-smoking TV ad is working very well that it had to be shown later in the evening. The Singapore Health Promotion Board (HPB) receive numerous complaints that it is too disturbing to some children. It will now be shown only after 8 p.m. and will be preceded by a message warning viewers of the graphic content.As part of the campaign, the HPB also has posted two actors - posing as a doctor and a woman hacking and coughing on her deathbed - in its bustling downtown business district at lunchtime. The city-state is well known for government-led public behavior modification campaigns that have included pushes for courteous driving, showing up on time for weddings, keeping public toilets clean and speaking proper English
Going back
2007-04-02 09:17:21
Today, I visited my good old colleagues at my former workplace. For the past 3 months since I left, I didn't go there. Except for a couple of clandestine visits to see my cat, which drew rants from them, I didn't make any trips. Without going there, I made it through Christmas, New Year, a Christening, and a couple of birthdays, all of which were celebrated with tons of food and the usual booze. The first thing I saw as I entered the gates was my cat, looking a bit leaner after being hospitalized. She still recognized me despite my long absence. When I entered, they, one by one, greeted me and told me they know why I was there. I wasn't surprised and I'm glad they all know. It's because someone I badly despise is not around and this only happens once in a blue moon. It's not that I don't want to visit, I just don't feel like seeing "those who should not be named." This time around, I didn't just visit my cat, I stayed for a while, shared some food, talked about things and help
Read more: Going
Green Green Grass of Home
2007-04-02 09:16:26
It's a Sunday morning. I'm off from work and just at home surfing the internet. I can't help but notice the smell of the fresh grass.... reminded me of home. Yes, my home back in the Philippines. I've been staying in Singapore close to three years now. You won't miss the grasscutter-wielding workers in their traffic orange overalls (reminds me of Willy Wonka's Oompa Loompas) as they dutifully trim the grasses to a visually-pleasing height. The aroma of freshly-cut grass, which for me rivals that of coffee's, is one of the few things here in Singapore that can take my mind off my work and make me think of the Philippine countryside. Then, it rained....
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, Green Green
Painting the town RED
2007-04-02 08:00:48
A few weeks after the lights at Orchard Road were dimmed, another part of Singapore is lighting up, Chinatown. With a population largely dominated by Chinese, it's not surprising that Lunar New Year is celebrated here with much fanfare as with Christmas in the Philippines. Town centers are all glittering with gold and bright red decorations. Loads of food and drinks are out on sale to cash in on the public's buying frenzy to usher in wealth, happiness and good fortune. Red becomes more fashionable this time of the year as it is believed to scare away evil spirits and bad fortune. There's more to come...
Read more: Painting
My First Lunar New Year Dinner
2007-04-02 07:50:58
After being deprived of a decent Lunar
New Year
dinner for my first two years here in Singapore (I had to do the graveyard shift at the animal hospital, FOR TWO YEARS IN A ROW!!!), I finally had the chance to toss the yusheng when I joined my girlfriend's family's New Year's eve dinner. (",)No Chinese New Year feast is complete without the colorful yusheng. Literally means "raw fish," yusheng is a Chinese-style salad usually taken to usher the Lunar New Year as it symbolises abundance, prosperity and vigor. It usually consists of strips of raw fish (most commonly salmon), mixed with shredded vegetables and a variety of sauces and condiments, among other ingredients. It is a custom for families and friends to gather around the table and, on cue, proceeding to toss the shredded ingredients into the air, as high as they can, with chopsticks while saying auspicious words and phrases out loud to mark the start of a prosperous new year.What followed doesn't need much elaboration. Roaste
Read more: First
, Dinner
Chingay : Singapore Mardi Gras
2007-04-02 07:40:03
Part of the celebrations marking the Chinese New Year and the arrival of spring, the annual Chingay Parade of Dreams sees Singapore
’s Orchard Road filled with the music, colour and excitement of this popular family-friendly event. Involving marching bands, dancers, decorated floats, lion and dragon dances and other street performers, the parade is an incredible spectacle which includes performers and groups from all over the world.Chingay has it roots not in Singapore, but in Malaysia, where there are innumerable religious festivals of purely regional interest. The procession in Penang, Malaysia was specifically Chinese and religious: To honour the five deities who serve as guardians or patron saints each for a different dialect group.Firecrackers were banned in Singapore since 1972. To liven up the dampened festive spirit, the government had to think of some other activities to make up for the absence of the traditional firecracker sound. Thus, in the following Lunar New Year, Ching
Read more: Mardi
HDB: Housing in Singapore
2007-04-02 07:29:40
For Filipinos who work here in Singapore
, what comes next to securing a stable job is finding a comfortable place to stay. Most likely, one can "easily" rent a $250-400 room in an HDB.HDB stands for Housing
Development Board, the Singapore government agency tasked to provide affordable housing for Singaporeans. It is responsible for building low-cost high-density public housing flats, thus the term HDB flat or simply HDB.Approximately 80-90% of the Singapore populace dwell in these flats. Most of the residential housing developments in Singapore are publicly built. Thus, public housing in Singapore is not considered a sign of poverty or a lower standard of living; as compared to public housing in other developed countries where land constraint is a non-issue and property pricing is significantly cheaper. Very few people in Singapore live below the poverty line.For those who want to stay in Singapore longer, the following eligibility conditions have to be met for the purchase of a n
What does Singapore Permanent Residency mean to a Filipino?
2007-04-02 07:28:45
One known reason (if it's not the main reason) of why Filipino
workers take Singapore
Permanent Residency
(PR) is security. If an employment pass (EP) holder leaves the company, the EP is canceled and he must leave Singapore unless he finds employment with another company.This was addressed when the Singapore government introduced the Personal Employment Pass (PEP) scheme. The new PEP is not tied to the employer and will be granted on the holder's individual merits. The PEP allows the holder to remain in Singapore for up to six months in between jobs to evaluate new employment opportunities.But for a Filipino who has become as "kiasu" (Singlish, afraid to loose) as a Singaporean, this is not secured enough. Changing jobs in Singapore won't be that easy and there's always the risk of being rejected when you apply for an EP.Permanent Resident status gives more freedom. Your employer will contribute to your Central Provident Fund, Singapore's social security plan (an enforced saving
Seoul Far Seoul Good, Extreme Japan and ...Fantabulous Philippines?!?
2007-04-02 07:23:27
The first two are TV shows, the third one is just me. Singapore's Mediacorp Channel 5 aired Seoul
Far Seoul Good and Extreme
Japan
a few months back. Now people can still catch them while they're on the bus on TVMobile. These shows are for fans of anything Korean and Japanese, be it the traditional culture, scenic sights or colourful pop culture. The two shows are a big hit for holiday-loving Singaporeans. Other Asian countries have also made their presence felt to attract Singaporean tourists. Malaysia Truly Asia is just across the Causeway. Also, there's Amazing Thailand and Incredible India. Nearby Australia is a top destination, no ads required.How about the Philippines
? If not for the small ads one can see on the MRT coaches from Chan Brothers (a travel agency), I won't be able to find any other advertisement promoting the Philippines as a tourist destination. The newspaper section on holiday destinations don't usually mention Manila nor Cebu. I wonder why?I still enjoy w
Smokey
2007-04-02 07:21:58
i used to have a catwho wouldn't ever wanna get fatso she ate a feather pillow, yellow willowa furry furry furry furry furry furry furry little fellowexercising all dayshe never could swim in the beach it seemsinfested with jello like fishes no melotron wishesthe cat and the pillow and the jello like fishesCutterpillow Eraserheads 1996
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Leap of Faith
2007-04-02 07:20:48
Why did I jump? It's because I can....Shocking videos of suicides in Singapore's MRT open-air stations have been circulating lately, some of which have already been removed. The police acted fast and even questioned one blogger who posted the videos. They are believed to be copies from the CCTV surveillance cameras which are all over all MRT stations. Whoever leaked it out is still not known.One suggested putting up platform door to prevent easy access to the train tracks.Please don't try this at home (when I say home, I'm referring to the Philippines).The active videos can be viewed here or here (I hope they're still up).
Read more: Faith
Singapore After Dark: Clubbing Hotspots
2007-04-02 06:11:12
Party animal? Why not try out these night spots when you visit Singapore
? Local nightlife scene is currently dominated by the so-called trinity, Zouk, Ministry of Sound and St. James Power Station. All three now have their own distinct band of regular goers.World-renowned Zouk is the pioneer clubbing institution in Singapore. It's without a doubt number one in Singapore, and perhaps the region. While most clubs whither away in this fickle world of nightlife trends, iconic Zouk has only gone strength to strength in its amazing 16 years in the clubbing business. Zouk also hosts the now annual Zouk Out dance music festival at Sentosa.Zouk die-hards are mostly the young crowd with an appreciation for international acts that fill up the place. Older working adults have no problems shedding their corporate attire to get in on the action either. Besides, they practically grew up here. Cover charge S$20-25. Housepours S$10.The British legendary dance club Ministry of Sound comes next. Locat
Read more: Hotspots
Singlish 101: Say it Lah! and say it proud!
2007-04-02 06:09:53
Singlish is more than a pormanteau of the words "Singapore" and "English." More complex than the Philippines' Taglish (which refers to Tagalog that is infused with English terms), Singlish is a unique blend of English and local (mostly) Hokkien, Malay and Tamil terms. Certain English words or phrases have also acquired local meanings which differ from their original meanings.Much have been said and written about Singlish. Tussles about this peculiar brand of English still abounds. The government (gah-men, suggested Singlish pronunciation *wink*) is not amused. It doesn't like Singlish because it thinks it is bad language and bad for Singapore's sober image as a commercial and financial center. Others think otherwise and strongly believes that Singlish is a language unique to Singapore and it should be celebrated.Singlish is a badge of identity for many Singaporeans. Unless you're a local or a foreigner who has stayed in Singapore long enough, it is difficult to understand Singlish.
Sa Jollibee? Sigurado kang sa Jollibee?
2007-04-02 06:02:33
Nope, there's no Jollibee here in Singapore. Well, they used to have one outlet, but not anymore. The Philippines's no. 1 fast food chain, Jollibee, failed to capture the taste of the Singapore market. Also, the outlet was poorly located (Marine Parade) and there were problems with the local partners.What we have here now is Jollibean, and they don't sell "Langhap-sarap" hamburgers nor "Crispylicious & Juicylicious" Chickenjoy. Jollibean is an ‘All-in-one Drink and Snack’ Concept Store. They sell soya milk drink complimented with pancakes (widely known in Singapore as Mee Chiang Kueh). Incorporated in November 1993, (Jollibee started in the Philippines way back in 1975), Jollibean is based in Singapore and currently have a chain of 35+ outlets. The pancakes comes in a variety of filling, corn, chocolate, green beans paste, green
How safe is Singapore from earthquakes?
2007-04-02 06:00:52
Tuesday last week, while I was enjoying my Penang laksa at Penang Place, the earth moved.Tremors were felt in some parts of Singapore
as reported by CNA. Ask Ogster and he'll say he didn't feel it. How about you Nalen?Here's the bulletin issued by the NEA's Meteorological Services Division (6 Mar 2007 at 2:15 pm):An earthquake was detected at 1:49pm, 6 Mar 2007 in CENTRAL SUMATRA, approximately 420km from Singapore. The magnitude of the earthquake is 6.6 on the Richter scale. The epicentre is located at latitude 0.3 South and longitude 100.4 East.In Sumatra, 70 people were reported to have perished. Dozens of buildings have been destroyed and hundreds others damaged.Is Singapore free from earthquakes
?In known history, Singapore has not experienced an earthquake (see tremor).Singapore is located in an area sandwiched by the Sunda trench in the west and south, and the Philippine plate and trench in the east. Thus Singapore is located in a seismically stable zone, free from earthq
The Straits Times' NATAS 2007 supplement: Where in the world is the Philippines?
2007-03-28 15:48:04
Singapore's leading English-language broadsheet, The Straits
Times
, came out with a 48-page special for the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (NATAS) Travel 2007 Exhibition.Entitled "You are what you wear," it featured the different clothes people don and what it says about their culture, beliefs and traditions. The costumes are from 23 tourist destinations with a short write-up to help the reader decide on where to spend their next holiday. Here's a list of the those that were included:Older than Forbidden City (China)Live it up in Hong KongFell at home in Taiwan Intoxicating MaldivesSeoul's sensuous soul (Korea)Pure bliss in hot bath (Japan)Dayak's jungle escapade (Sarawak, Malaysia)Incredibly magical (India)Gold and goodness (Myanmar)Calm beyond Angkor Wat (Cambodia)Charms of the Mekong (Vietnam)Get high in Gold Coast Fever (Australia)Canberra's delights (Australia)Tassie's treasures (Australia)A slice of history (Alsace, Germany)London callingBrighton your day
Read more: Philippines
Two months and two reviews later.....
2007-03-28 15:46:43
I started this blog 2 months ago today, on a sunny Sunday morning while I was day-dreaming of home... the Philippines!I just want to share with you two reviews
I got from Bloggy Award and Nice4Rice.com."Almost a winner. Just a little tweaking with the look and usability and this blog is bound for a Bloggy. An excellent blog content-wise. I’m pretty sure this blog will get even more readers and rise even further in the Technorati Philippine Top 100.""Despite being a new blog there are plenty of information here about Singapore AND the Philippines. Here you’ll find everything about both country’s culture, food, language, accommodations and even laws and policies. An excellent resource for Filipino overseas workers in Singapore.""Culture Shiok! is still true to his native country, and is quick to point out how little advertising there is in Singapore for the Philippines as a tourist destination. In his post Let’s Travel to the Philippines, he lists some of the wonderful things his
Read more: later
Studying in Singapore
2007-03-18 10:36:31
They'll tell you to keep your feet on the ground. We say aim high and reach for the stars. That's the difference between them N'US.Catchy enough? That's only one of the lines NUS, National University of Singapore
, is using in a series of ads that's been running on newsprint lately. They're offering a scholarship.It's the time of the year here in Singapore when schools of higher learning conduct open houses. The results of the GCE examination are out and students and their parents are into some serious school hunting. Though some already have their eyes on universities abroad (Australia and UK), most will stay to be nurture by local institutions. In the Singapore Education system, at the end of secondary school, students take the GCE 'O' levels examination to determine whether they're are eligible for Junior College (JC), Polytechnics or ITEs. Girls get to continue studying because the guys will have to spent the next 2 years in National Service, NS). Those who need to g
Let's Travel to the Philippines! (Tara na, Biyahe tayo!)
2007-03-10 21:12:24
I'm a bit surprised that Jay Lagat said it was only the first time he saw the "More Than Usual" video when I posted it the other day. I was complaining that there's not much exposure for the Philippines
as a tourist destination here in Singapore.So while I'm at it, I'm featuring another video."Tara na, Biyahe Tayo!" is another not so old promotional video aimed at encouraging us Filipinos to explore our own country, highlighting the beauty, cuisine, culture, and attractions of the Philippines. It features top Filipino artists, (in order of appearance) Freddie Aguilar, Sharon Cuneta, Janno Gibbs, Ogie Alcasid, Jolina Magdangal, John Lesaca, Jong Cuenco, Rey Valera, Joey Ayala, APO Hiking Society's Danny Javier, Jim Paredes and Boboy Garovillo, Francis Magalona, April Boy Regino, Jessa Zaragosa, Rico J. Puno, Nina, Paolo Santos, Rico Blanco, Mike Villegas, and Lea Salonga. They are members of the Artists for Philippine Tourism. The video is a domestic travel advocacy campaign of
Read more: Travel
Mustafa Centre: 24/7
2007-03-10 04:23:59
To avoid the Chinese New Year crowd, we went to Mustafa
Centre
. It's actually my first time to go there, though I've been here in Singapore for 3 and a half years.From the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station, we transfered to the purple (north-east) line to reach Farrer Park MRT station. Just a few minutes walk from the station, we reached Mustafa Centre, which is located at the corner of Syed Alwi Road and Serangoon Road in Little India.Before going in, we had our fill of Indian food in a restaurant just in front of the mall. Mutton biryani, mutton curry, papad, onion chutney, spiced potatoes and mango lassi.The Mustafa Centre is the hub for Indian shopper. Thronged by Indian shoppers at any given time, it provides a unique experience to the non-Indians to roam around the mall. It offers a wide variety of items which includes cheap electronic goods, food, clothing, perfumes and cosmetics, at some of the lowest fixed prices in Singapore. Some imported items you can't find in shops at Orchard R
I came, I saw ....sigh ....Siloso Beach, Sentosa
2007-03-09 17:21:04
I never thought a beach can be so fake, you can feel it while you walk through it. That's what happened when I first set foot on Sentosa Island to see one of its famous beaches. Siloso Beach
, like the rest of the beaches on the island, is man-made. Yes, artificial, reclaimed using sand bought from Indonesia and Malaysia. Across the water lie four man-made islets which has nothing but rocks, small shrubs and towering coconut trees. Siloso Beach lies on the west portion of the southern coast and it is known as the place for beach volleyball and other outdoor activities such as canoeing, mountain biking or rollerblading. There are also dining and shopping outlets along the beach like The Cool Deck, Delifrance Beachfront Café, Sunset Bay, Trapizza and Sakae Sushi. The Shari La-Rasa Sentosa resort is located at the western end of Siloso Beach. The annual ZoukOut beach dance party is also held there. For those who always want to be in action, Siloso Beach provides the opportunity to engage
So Hang Me! ..... I am a Filipino!
2007-03-09 17:19:39
I don't know how to start this...It's a well-known fact that Singapore rely on foreign talents, both in the high and low ends of the spectrum — to overcome the limits of local labor resources. Traditionally, most skilled professionals come from the United States, Britain, France, and Australia, as well as from Japan and South Korea. So those at the lower end are just referred to as "foreign workers."A couple of weeks back, a centerfold article on foreign workers came out in the newspaper. Bangladeshis, Filipino
s and mainland Chinese were in the honor and horror rolls. What do locals like about foreign workers? They're hardworking, honest, and intelligent. What they don't like? They're lazy, dishonest and not so intelligent (in short, dumb).So what do Singaporeans think about foreign workers, specifically Filipinos? Like most foreign workers, Filipinos come to Singapore because of the higher pay and the economic situation in their motherland. Singapore-based employers, on the
bla.st : the free card directory
2007-03-09 17:06:00
A total blast indeed. I learned about bla.st from John Chow's review of the site.bla.st is bla dot st. The dot st domain comes from the small African island country of Sao Tome and Principe.bla.st is a unique way of advertising your website. It let's you display picture cards, which you can use to promote almost anything! It's very flexible and allows anyone to promote a company, business event,sale or promotion, product, website, blog, non-profit organization, etc. Almost anyone can advertise and it's easy to do so. Each bla.st picture card features:Optional main link to a websiteMap link to an address on Google MapsStatistics, including view count, click count, and detail page viewsKeywords and 1 line of detail textAnd you can have all these for FREE! Well, payment is optional, and how much you pay will determine the position of your picture card. bla.st cards can be online from 1 day to 10 years and can be placed into any categories (maximum 30 categories). The picture card shou
Paraaa! Mama sa tabi lang po!
2007-03-09 16:58:46
It's something I haven't heard for a long time. Singapore doesn't have jeepneys. Buses here only stop at designated stops with a press of a button. Bus doors (Yes! doors) are kept close and will not open until the bus has fully stopped. Taxis can easily be booked and you can pay by cash or card, and they can even issue a receipt. Local version of the pedicabs are called trishaw and only ply tourist spots like Chinatown and Raffles Hotel area. I find taking public transport in Singapore very convenient. What do you expect from me? For two years, before coming here, I had to commute from our place in Caloocan to my work in Pasig. I took 2 trips on jeepney, 1 on bus, 1 on MRT and 1 on FX (SUV). And that's only one way, a grueIling one and a half hour ride I had to go through again in the evening when it's more taxing as all are rushing to go back home, and not to mention the bad and mean elements that lurked in the dark corners waiting for a catch. Here in Singapore, any place is nev
Have you been to Vivo City?
2007-04-06 07:20:34
Currently Singapore's largest retail and lifestyle destination, Vivo City is one place you wouldn't want to miss when you visit Singapore.Six months after I first visited it before it was officially opened, Vivo City is now bustling with life. All the retail shops you want, restaurants with all the food you crave for, two giant food courts, Kopitiam at the basement and Food Republic at the top floor, and a big supermarket (hypermart) Vivomart, are now all fully opened.Vivo City also houses Singapore's largest cinema multiplex with 15 screens and 2,293 seats by the cinematic company Golden Village, along with one of the largest cinema screens in Asia.The best thing is it's not located at Orchard Road! Vivo City was built on the site of the former World Trade Centre, now the Harbourfront Centre.Vivo City's unique architecture, which sets it apart from other box-type malls, can be best viewed on board the Sentosa Express. One of the monorail's terminal is at Vivo City. The Sky
Wordless Wednesday # 1
2007-04-06 05:19:33
Read more: Wednesday
My First Easter Sunday Mass.... in Singapore!
2007-04-08 10:41:16
It's a Sunday
. I'm not at Lucky Plaza and yet the place is filled-up with Filipinos.I was at the Novena Church at Thomson Road. It's the 2nd Sunday of the month. It also happens to be Easter
Sunday.I was overwhelmed with what I saw. A church in a foreign land literally overflowing with my fellow countrymen. The scene is too familiar that it made me forget that I am in Singapore
. The priest, the commentator and the choir are all talking and singing in a language that is very familiar and dear to me.Some Catholic churches here have a mass service celebrated in Filipino (Tagalog). In my first two years here in Singapore, I was tied-up by my work schedule that I was not able to attend my usual mass on Sundays.It's only recently that I started going to church again on Sunday mornings. For I while, I was already thinking, and close to being convinced that Filipinos working here have already forgotten their faith or simply just turned their backs from it. I can say it's primarily beca
Read more: First
Singapore Spicy Seafoods
2007-04-14 10:37:12
When you're in Singapore
and craving for seafood, just go to any food center and the hawkers will surely offer you either one of these: Chili Crab, Chili Crayfish and Chili Stingray.The Chili Crab is considered as one of Singapore's natioanal dishes, together with Chicken Rice and Mee Goreng. The thick gravy is made from red chillies, tomato sauce, eggs, spring onion and spices. It is best eaten with you bare hands. Feel free to lick the gravy from your fingers. Usually served with steamed rice but you can also ask for French bread. Price: S$ 14-42 (by weight)Next is the Chili Crayfish. It may be steamed or grilled. You'll just love the juicy crayfish meat. They'll serve it to you already halved, so there's no problem digging the meat. Can be eaten plain or with steamed rice. Make sure it's fresh, and it will be very juicy. Price: starts at S$ 8 (by weight)Usually grilled, the Chili Stingray (also BBQ Stingray), is topped with sambal chili paste and served on banana leaves. It
Read more: Spicy
Overseas Absentee Voting for Filipinos
2007-04-15 10:48:06
It has begun...Voting
for senatorial posts and a party list representatives has started for Filipinos overseas. It will be open until 3 pm of the 14th of May 2007. The Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) Act of 2003 made this possible, thereby giving a chance to qualified citizens of the Philippines abroad to exercise their right to vote.To be able to take part in this exercise, Filipinos abroad must apply to vote in absentia. If approved, applicant will be included in the list of registered overseas absentee voters prepared by the Committee on Absentee Voting (COAV) of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) on a country-by-country basis.Check out MLQ3 and Global Nation for the list of countries where voting will be done either by mail or in person.Singapore is one of the several countries where voting by mail will be implemented. In the 2004 national elelctions where absentee voters were required to personally vote in the embassies and consultes as only three countries - Canada, Japan and
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