How Much Did Your Hard Earned Money Grow In 2012?

2013 is coming in a few days and it's time for a year-end review of the things that happened in your life, specially your personal finance.

As an employee, my major source of capital is my active income from salary and allowance. I dedicate a portion of this to my savings as a payment for myself, my long-term investment. An expense that will buy my future.

If you also started saving already, how much did it grow in 2012?

If you put your money in a bank savings account, it grew by 0.75% MINUS 20% withholding tax. With this, it’s lunacy to keep your long-term investments in the bank. Yes, put your short-term money and emergency funds in the bank. But NEVER your long-term investments.

If you invested your money in mutual funds, the highest growth achieved was only 8.18%. But for those who invested in the Stock Market, their money grew 20%, 30%, 40% or even more.

Do you want to achieve the highest possible growth of your money for the years to come? Read the following story shared by Bo Sanchez.

It is about this “Financially Ignorant” young woman, named Rowena, who almost doubled her money in 2 years.

Please read Rowena’s amazing story below…

Two years ago, I started investing P3000 to P5000 in the Stock Market. (It becomes P5000 when my very generous Dad gives me money. Thank you Dad!) 

But I was totally ignorant about the Stock Market. So I just followed Brother Bo’s TrulyRichClub’s instructions each month, buying the stocks he recommended through his Stocks Update eReports. 

And in two years, from October 2010 to October 2012, my Dad and I put in a total of P102,000 only. But it’s shocking for me to know that my Stock Market investment now stands at P193,325. That’s 89.53% increase in two years. Or an amazing 44.77% a year!
-- Rowena Mallari, Video Editor

You can be like Rowena and become a multimillionaire in 20 years.

How?

Like Rowena, join the TrulyRichClub and use the Stocks Update eReports that will guide you how to invest in the Stock Market.

By the way, the TrulyRichClub isn’t just about Stock Market investing. That’s only one part. In the TrulyRichClub, aside from teaching people how to grow in their financial life, Bo also teaches people how to grow in their spiritual life. For what’s the use of growing in your finances if you lose your soul?

Being a member of the Truly Rich Club is a good thing. You will learn and develop skills to manage your earnings. You may not succeed or earn big instantly, but because of constant learning and positive outlook in life, success is inevitable.

If you want to be financially literate, join the TrulyRichClub and start creating your millions, click the link below:

TrulyRichClub.com - Do You Want to Gain Financial Wealth and Spiritual Abundance at the Same Time?

New Year’s Lab-olutions | BenchFly Blog

New Year’s Lab-olutions | BenchFly Blog

by Katie Pratt on January 4th, 2012

1. “In 2012, my bench will have more than a square foot of usable space available at all times.” We all have those weeks when we just don’t have a spare minute to clear up our bench. However, there is a limit to how long you can play the “I’ve been super busy” card when someone expresses concern over the vast quantity of unlabeled conical tubes filled with mystery liquids, especially if you’re making the excuse while cruising Amazon PubMed at your desk. Not only can this propensity to clutter infringe on your labmate’s space but it could seriously tick off that pesky health and safety officer who frequents your building.

2. “I will keep up with my notebook.” That’s not to say a notebook isn’t being kept, but is it organized? Is it correctly dated? Do the pages of it need to be actually contained within a 3-ring binder and not strewn across your desk?

3. “I will not pick my nose while wearing gloves.” Not only should you not be picking your nose, gross, doing so with gloves on could result in a nasty situation. Imagine if you forgot about the hydrochloric acid you splashed on them while pH-ing a batch of Tris? Hmmmm? Seriously nasty. And while we’re at it there are other activities you probably shouldn’t be doing in gloves, like typing a quick email or turning down the volume on the lab stereo. Dancing, however, is fine. In fact, I think gloves add emphasis to certain moves.

4. “I will not put empty solution bottles back in the fridge after finishing the contents.” Exhibit A, an email sent by me to my lab a few months back:

Seriously not cool. Common solutions should always be left in a usable state, i.e. there should be enough left for someone else to complete at least one step of an experiment. Leaving a useless trickle doesn’t count, and it aggravates the trickle-finder.

5. “I will not eat Domino’s pizza no matter how free it is.” I know Domino’s has recently mounted a very strong advertising campaign about how they have improved their pizza, but they may have overstated said improvement. It’s really not good. And no matter how hungry you are you will feel worse after eating it.

6. “I won’t leave my Facebook account open on a common computer.” If you, like me, work in a lab full of pranksters, then this is definitely something to be conscious of. I am currently embroiled in a Spotify war as I generously leave my account open. But it turns out that Spotify posts songs to Facebook. Apparently the other day I listened to a whole playlist of songs whose titles contained my fellow grad student’s name. Sigh.

7. “I will make more lame science puns/jokes than last year.” This is one of those super positive resolutions sure to entertain your colleagues and generally improve your lab life. For example, we have this displayed on our door:

8. “I will no longer be jealous of the two projects in lab that are *actually* working.” It’s tough to be supportive when all your experiments are failing, but just remember, you’ll want a pat on the back when they start giving you publishable data. Try and keep the green-eyed monster in check.

9. “I will not use the fact that I work in a lab to validate my ink-stained pants and mis-matched socks.” Today I am actually wearing a rather fetching sweater dress, but yesterday I was wearing a pair of jeans that had suffered a small pen-in-the-laundry-related incident. Pride in your appearance is a nice self-esteem booster, plus if you haven’t dressed nicely in a while you get A LOT of compliments. But don’t forget to sport your protective lab coat when actually at the bench. Phenol can very quickly destroy a pair of tights.

10. “Graduate. For realz you guyz.”

Source: www.benchfly.com

DOH: KALUSUGAN SA KAPASKUHAN TIPS FOR THE HOLIDAY SEASON

Department of Health, December 9, 2011

Have a safe and healthy holiday season.

Health Secretary Enrique T. Ona today advised the public to watch out for their health during the Christmas and New Year festivities to prevent and control non-communicable diseases (NCDs) or lifestyle-related diseases.

Data from the 2006 Philippine Health Statistics revealed that non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are among the leading causes of death. These include diseases of the heart (ranked # 1), diseases of the vascular systems (ranked # 2), malignant neoplasms (ranked #3), chronic lower respiratory diseases (ranked #7), and diabetes mellitus (ranked #8).

“Cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, and diabetes mellitus, the four major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the country are linked by four most common and preventable risk factors related to lifestyle – tobacco use, unhealthy diet, lack of physical activity and alcohol use,” Secretary Ona elaborated.

A study conducted by the FNRI (Food and Nutrition Research Institute) National Nutrition Surveys revealed that from 2003 to 2008 hypertension and diabetes prevalence have increased; hypertension from 22% to 25% and diabetes from 3.4% and 4.8%. This study also showed an increase in the consumption of foods high in fats and sugars and a low level of physical activity among almost the entire adult population.

The health chief enumerated twelve ways of ensuring a healthy and stress-free holiday season. Ona encouraged everyone to:

1) Prepare early, avoid the Christmas rush to prevent stress (Maghanda nang maaga para sa makahulugan na Kapaskuhan upang ang Stress ay maiwasan.);

2) Make sure to give children toys which are safe and appropriate to their age and abilities (Magregalo sa mga bata ng mga laruan na ligtas at angkop sa kanilang edad at abilidad.);

3) Buy only legitimate and registered products to ensure safety (Bumili lamang ng mga produktong lehitimo at rehistrado upang ligtas na Kapaskuhan ay masigurado.);

4) Prepare healthy food, including vegetables and fruits, for Noche Buena and Media Noche (Noche Buena at Media Noche ay paghandaan,masustansyang pagkain,gulay at prutas ang ihain sa kainan.);

5) Make sure that foods to be served are unspoiled and fresh to avoid food poisoning (Mga pagkain na ihahanda ay tiyaking malinis at sariwa upang ang inyong pamilya’y siguradong ligtas sa food poisoning.);

6) Attend every festivity but make sure to eat moderately (Dumalo sa bawat salo-salo sa Pasko, ngunit sapat lamang na pagkain sa plato ang bantayan mo.);

7) Avoid fatty and salty foods for a healthy heart (Umiwas sa labis na matataba at maaalat na pagkain upang puso at pangangatawan ay manatiling malusog.)

8) Have fun and enjoy the holidays but stay sober and drink moderately. Do not drink and drive.Magsaya at magdiwang kung Kapaskuhan subalit labis na pag-inom ng alak at mga nkalalasing na inumin ay iwasan. Huwag magmaneho ng sasakyan kapag naka-inom ng alak.)

9) Engage in regular exercise like walking, jogging and dancing to keep fit (Maglakad, tumakbo, sumayaw o regular na mag-ehersisyo para sa masigla ang katawan sa Pasko.);

10) Have enough rest and sleep (Pahinga at sapat na oras ng pagtulog ay kailangn sa mahabang panahon nang kasayahan sa Kapaskuhan.);

11) Avoid accidents due to firecrackers/fireworks (Aksyon: Paputok Injury Reduction Umiwas sa disgrasya dulot ng paputok.); and

12) Have a safe Christmas and New Year celebration(Aksyon: Paputok Injury Reduction Magdiwang ng Pasko at Bagong Taon ng ligtas).

“We consider non-communicable diseases (NCDs) a major public health concern that entails lifelong treatment and major lifestyle changes. This is why prevention is the most effective way to deal with these diseases,” Ona concluded, adding that this holiday season is the perfect time to start living healthy.

Source: Republic of the Philippines, Department of Health

A Joyous Holiday Greetings!

May the Yuletide Season bring you and your family more blessings and cheer, As wonderful new beginnings await you in the coming year!

It's the season for dates and parties but make sure to eat and drink in moderation.  Be sure to spend the holidays fruitfully while getting ready for the new year. 

Thanks to all.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

A warm greetings from the CHD3 Laboratory staff.





Photos and Videos: CHD3 - SRLE, FDA, & Laboratory Christmas Party

stomach in para di halata

Guys join #phchurpchurp now! Get rewarded for your social networks! It's really cool!

Guys join #phchurpchurp now! Get rewarded for your social networks! It's really cool!

Facebook use in gov't saps productivity: CSC | ABS-CBN News | Latest Philippine Headlines, Breaking News, Video, Analysis, Features

Facebook use in gov't saps productivity: CSC | ABS-CBN News | Latest Philippine Headlines, Breaking News, Video, Analysis, Features

Computerization and provision of internet connections in every offices of a department was of great help.  The government spent millions of pesos providing almost all employees their own computer with internet connections.  But with all these improvements, the problem remains in some government offices .  Services seems to be slower than before. The most common things that kill employees productivity before includes  “tsismisan” (gossiping) and some computer games like solitaire.  But because of the free access to the internet, employees are now more open to distracting sites in the world wide web during office hours.

    

Based on recent surveys, the top sites that eat up an employee’s time in the office are Facebook, Multiply, Yahoo Messenger, and NBA.com.

In office scenarios where computer works are switched on side by side Facebook and Multiply, the line drawn between official and personal business is growing finer and finer.

The Facebook, though vital for networking in media-related companies, can turn out to be of negative impact to productivity.  Sure, Facebook is good for networking, but there is a thin line between research and dawdling.  It can be tempting and distracting, catching your attention all day and giving less time for official business.  You can e-mail a friend, send an instant message, upload your photos from your beach trip, play scrabble, answer stupid quizzes, feed a virtual pet, and even snoop into your boss’s personal life.

Just how much of this personal stuff at work is really tolerable? Take a look around and you might observe that the culture allows it.  But it does not mean that it is ok.  It turns off clients to see people conducting their personal stuff on office time.  Take a look at the comments below and see how they picture government employees nowadays.

“only in the Philippines  mga katoto. naranasan ko ang makipag-appointment sa mga walang kakwenta-kwentang mga taong gobyernong mga ito, mantakin ninyo, pinaghintay ako sa labas ng opisina ng hayop na superintendent for three hours para sabihin lang sa akin na doon na lang ako makipag-usap sa assistant dahil busy pa raw. pinuntahan ko, aba aba aba, at pinaghintay din ako ng dalawa at kalahating oras. so, out of curiousity, sinilip ko ang mga naturang opisina, nakupo, sarap pala ng buhay sa loob ng mga ganid. naka-youtube, facebook at si sir, hayop talaga, daig pa ang mga teenager sa dota. balik ako kay madam, nyahahahahaha, humahagikgik pa ang ulol na nakaharap sa kanyang laptop. hhmmmmmm? ano kaya ang pinagkaka-abalahang report na nakakapahagikgik sa huklubang superintendant na ito. at, take note, pati ang secretary niya, may ka-cam to cam pa. mga bwisit, talamak na talaga ang sakit sa bayan ni juan”

“mga taong gobyerno.. late papasok.. tapos hindi muna agad magttrabaho, magreretouch muna, makikipagchikahan nang mga 1 oras at magchecheck sa facebook. tapos coffee break na. chikahan ulit syempre. tapos maya maya pupunta na sa canteen (o kung san man) kahit hindi pa lunch time. pagkakain maglalakwatsa muna, babalik late na ulit. tapos magreretouch muna. tapos magchecheck ng facebook ulit tapos maya maya coffee break na. chikahan ulit. tapos maya maya uwian na.. tapos na naman ang isang araw”

The Civil Service Commission said it bans the use of computer games and social networking sites in government offices.  Government employees found playing computer games or going to social networking sites will face a reprimand or warning for the first offence, suspension for the second and dismissal for the third offense.

I just hope that this won’t be another  “ningas kugon.” Actually some offices including where I work, already issued memos about this restriction before.  But there was no strict implementation.  It only remains on paper.

As a government employee, we must know what’s okay and what’s too much.  Discipline is all what we need to solve the problem.  Why are we at work? Why do we need to answer that Facebook comment now? Anything that negatively impacts our productivity is too much.

Health Risks of "Penitensiya"

The holy week is a regular holiday in the Philippines.  A time to reflect and remember the sufferings of Christ for our salvation.  Even major malls are closed on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Many Filipino Catholics often depict the sufferings of Jesus Christ during the Lent by self-flagellation or what we call "penitensiya".

Despite the prohibition of the Catholic Church and other government agencies, still many of our countrymen especially the kapampangan continued doing this.

As I was observing the penitents that are passing by, it is still noticeable how most of the people lack knowledge of the risks that this might cause. Observe the people on the video below.

The Department of Health advises those who would still like to undergo penitensya to consult their rural health physician before and after the activity.  If the health workers are observing the universal precaution in their workplace, penitents must also be aware of the possible infections they might contact. An example is tetanus which is found in the soil where penitents usually lie while taking a rest.

Sharing of blades used to inflict wounds at their back must be avoided especially now that Hepatitis and HIV cases are increasing rapidly.

Aside from these infections, penitents might also suffer heat stroke because they often walk barefoot under the sun for long hours. Signs of a heat stroke include a sudden rise in body temperatures, a feeling of weakness, and when a person suddenly stops perspiring.

Since children are on vacation, they tend to follow the penitents while watching them.  Always remind them to stay far to prevent contamination with splattered blood that might give rise to possible infection.

OFFICIAL DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH (DOH) ACCOUNT ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER

Recent technological developments have allowed the general public real-time and immediate access to information provided on the Internet by way of Social Networking Websites such as Facebook and Twitter.

These mechanisms also allow for feedback from the general public to the Department. Given these features, the Department of Health therefore take advantage of the aforementioned Social Networking Websites, as a supplement to the official DOH website, to disseminate health information and policies/statements.

The official Department accounts in the said Social Networking Websites are as follows:

1.  Facebook Fan Page: Department of Health (Philippines) (URL: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Manila/Department-of- Health-Philippines/156566631021264) shall be the official page of the Department in the Social Networking Website Facebook.com.

2.  Twitter Account: @DOHgovph - (URL: http://twitter.com/DOHgovph) shall be the official account of the Department in the Social Networking Website Twitter.com.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Health, DEPARTMENT MEMORANDUM No. 2010 - 0248

NOKIA C7 CHRISTMAS WISH CONTEST AWARDING

I was finally able to visit the Nuffnang office last February 3rd to get my Nokia C7.  It was a long trip from my hometown, Angeles City to Bonifacio Global City. My excitement continued to build up as I get closer to their office.

From left: Denise, Loren, myself, and Jason

I met Ms. Trixie and she took me to the Nokia agent office, Carat, for the awarding. When we got there, representatives from Carat welcomed us and they immediately handed me the phone afterwards. Thank you Nuffnang, Carat, and Nokia for this awesome Christmas present!





As I expected, it was very easy to fall in love with this smart phone. The slim profile and high resolution screen alone made me realize more that joining the contest was well worth it. I won't just be singing the features of the phone now, I actually get to check them out and enjoy them.






What can be a perfect gift for your loved ones this Valentine's Day? Without a doubt, I highly recommend this smartphone to your special ones. They will fall in love over and over again with all the apps, games, videos and more.

BLOGGING MADE FUN WITH MINUTE MAID

By Jeffrey V. de Guzman

People nowadays are more conscious about their health with the emergence of fast foods including bottled drinks to cope with the fast pace of life. Anything made instantly might be bad for our health because of the chemical preservatives added. As health conscious individuals, we want to make sure that everything we eat and drink is safe and good for our body. The good news though, is that food companies are now creating mouth-watering and refreshing goods that do not damage our health. Take Minute Maid, for instance, with it's  pulpy orange juice drink which now has no preservatives added!

In line with this, Minute Maid is promoting this new line of product through the power of internet. Bloggers are asked to share their pulpy story through a blog post. Quite interesting because prizes await those chosen with the best post. One more thing, best commenter of blog will also get the chance to take home a month’s supply of Minute Maid.  To join you must like Minute Maid Pulpy by clicking the 'Like' button on the Facebook Fan Page.

But before jumping on the bandwagon, I want to know your opinion about this drink after having tried one. Below are some reviews I found on the net:

“I drank the whole bottle and seriously it has no taste at all, not even the taste of a powdered orange juice.” “Perhaps coca cola should release a new batch of this juice, improved taste, or flavor and that is the time I would risk drinking a bottle.”

“I discovered a new product on my favorite grocery store shelf that deserves to be patronized. It is Minute Maid Pulpy Orange by Coca Cola Philippines, Inc. I love it and more importantly, my four year old loves it. It also fits right into my budget at less than PHP 20 for a 330 ml bottle.”

You might have a different view of this drink after the company released new batches of this juice with its improved taste. For the information and welfare of the consumers, please do leave a comment below.

Your participation is very much appreciated.

MY CHRISTMAS WISH THIS YEAR: A NOKIA C7

Nokia C7 Gallery
www.nokia.com.ph

Gone are the days when mobile phones were considered to be a luxury. It became a status symbol in countries including the Philippines where not everybody can afford one. It used to be a simple device that enable you to call other people wherever cellular signal is available. Mobile phones have evolved a lot since then. Literally thousands of different phones have been launched. This piece of technology has become more than its intended purpose.

In the recent years, smart phones emerged and become the new cell phones. They have become very sophisticated and technically advanced. And the demand for smart phones has continually increased because of the convenience it gives in this high-technology dependent age. You can store your contacts, planners and appointments on your phone. You can access your bank accounts and emails through the internet. You can take good quality pictures and even short video clips on some. These are only some of the features that the smart phones can do.

Nokia C7 Features
www.nokia.com.ph

For someone like me with a job that requires travelling a lot, having a reliable phone is a must. At first, I thought a simple mobile phone was enough. I was wrong.

Most of the areas that I visit to conduct training and do medical missions are new places to me. It has become my habit to capture photos of the beautiful scenarios and unique things that I only see in each particular area. Pictures are good reservoirs of memories that is why I keep them as part of my journal, documenting all the places I visit.

Underground River Boat Ride With My Colleagues

Going on several short trips require me to pack light. Thus, bringing several devices like camera, laptops, PDA, and mp3 players is not practical. There was this one time when we had a boat ride to the underground river in Palawan, Philippines. Bedazzled by the beauty of this natural wonder, I scrambled looking for my camera to take pictures of the amazing view. When we got to our hotel that night, I searched for my mp3 player only to find out that it was gone. With all the gadgets that I had in my backpack, I realized that it fell off during the boat ride when I grabbed my camera.

Roy, Hayds, Jen, She and Elaine

That’s the good thing about this beautifully crafted Nokia C7, you have all what you need in one gadget. Fit into the palm of your hand. The 8 megapixel camera with dual-LED flash will suffice your camera need. Photos and videos taken with this smart phone are brilliant with great details and colours and look sharp on the vivid 3.5” high-resolution display.

Nokia C7 Features
www.nokia.com.ph

Even with a tight budget, Nokia C7 is great for your basic smart phone needs. Without spending a fortune, the Nokia C7 provides you with amusing features. I can go out of town while staying connected to the office with all the apps that are available to choose from. I can also get live updates from Facebook and Twitter directly on the home screen. I would not mind spending my Christmas bonus this year to own this smart phone.

Do you have this on your Christmas wish list yet? I certainly have this one on mine.  In fact, I really want this phone that I sometimes sing its features to the tune of The 12 Days of Christmas:

♫ ♪"   On the first day of Christmas, Nokia sent to me

A high-resolution touchscreen.

On the second day of Christmas, Nokia sent to me

Dual-LED flash and

A high-resolution touchscreen.♫ ♪

On the third day of Christmas, Nokia sent to me

Three home screens

Dual-LED flash and

A high-resolution touchscreen.

On the fourth day of Christmas, Nokia sent to me

4-oz phone

Three home screens

Dual-LED flash and

A high-resolution touchscreen.

 ♫ ♪

On the fifth day of Christmas, Nokia sent to me

Apps from Ovi Store

4-oz phone

Three home screens

Dual-LED flash and

A high-resolution touchscreen.

On the sixth day of Christmas, Nokia sent to me

GPS navigation

Apps from Ovi Store

4-oz phone

Three home screens

Dual-LED flash and

A high-resolution touchscreen.

On the seventh day of Christmas, Nokia sent to me

Image geotagging

GPS navigation

Apps from Ovi Store

4-oz phone

Three home screens

Dual-LED flash and

A high-resolution touchscreen.♫ ♪

On the eighth day of Christmas, Nokia sent to me

8 MP camera

Image geotagging

GPS navigation

Apps from Ovi Store

4-oz phone

Three home screens

Dual-LED flash and

A high-resolution touchscreen.

On the ninth day of Christmas, Nokia sent to me

9-hour talk time

8MP camera

Image geotagging

GPS navigation

Apps from Ovi Store

4-oz phone

Three home screens

Dual-LED flash and

A high-resolution touchscreen.

♫ ♪    On the tenth day of Christmas, Nokia sent to me

10 Mbps 3G

9-hour talk time

8 MP camera

Image geotagging

GPS navigation

Apps from Ovi Store

4-oz phone

Three home screens

Dual-LED flash and

A high-resolution touchscreen.

On the eleventh day of Christmas Nokia sent to me

Video recording

10 Mbps 3G

9-hour talk time

8 MP camera

Image geotagging

GPS navigation

Apps from Ovi Store

4 oz-phone

Three home screens

Dual-LED flash and

A high-resolution touchscreen.

On the twelfth day of Christmas Nokia sent to me

Full web browsing

Video recording

10 Mbps 3G

9-hour talk time

8 MP camera

Image geotagging

GPS navigation

Apps from Ovi Store

4-oz phone

Three home screens

Dual-LED flash and

A high-resolution touchscreen." ♫ ♪