Woke up late. Traffic. Bad hair day. That irritating jeepney or taxi driver. Late at work. Work backlogs. 

These things can make your day like hell but you have a choice if you want to get it to you or see things in a positive way. I just want to share these handy day-to-day values that can either make or break your day. After a long vacation leave by my service head, I got a lot of work backlogs because I assisted our manager in branch operations and that left all of my paperworks not checked, not filed and untouched. I wanted to burn all those papers for callback (double checks transaction slips) and for filing but of course I couldn't do that. I had my tantrum days but I made sure that it didn't spoil my DAY. Sometimes all you need is a deep breath, close your eyes and gather your thoughts. Listing your work backlogs also helps. In my case, it motivates me because I just couldn't wait to put an X mark on all those things on my to-do list. These values that I'm about to blog about are results of my observations and SOME are pointed at me too. Tee Hee!

Now looking at all your work backlogs, the first thing some people would do is COMPLAIN. Complaining really doesn't help. It only worsens the situation and adds to your frustration of not doing things on time. It could also send some NEGATIVE energy to your workmates. Complaining only strengthens things on what you are complaining about. 

In an office environment, it's not like you are the only one who is busy. You're wrong. Be CONSIDERATE to your office mates. If you think your bubble is about to BURST, STOP AND THINK! You just can't throw tantrums just because you want to. Practice self-control because it is really IRRITATING to work if you have negative energy around the work place. The world doesn't revolve around you. If you really have a strong heart and mind that no matter what negative energy that is around you, you can always IGNORE your cranky office mate. 

After all these, the only thing that is most powerful is POSITIVITY. This really works for me. If your thinking "Yes I'm positive that I could finish my work...BUT..." , THEN YOU ARE NOT BEING AN OPTIMIST. You are still being a PESSIMIST. All you gotta do is BE FIRM that you could finish all your task and you won't notice that all the things on your to-do list are almost done. =) 

One more thing, LEAVE YOUR EXCESS BAGGAGE AT HOME!

I hope this little blog entry made an impact. =) Cheers to positivity! Have a great day ahead! =)

-Jen




I started watching basketball when I was in 1st year high school. The very first basketball game that I watched was between the 2002 RP team and a foreign team. I forgot what team was that but I think it was Chinese-Taipei. I could still remember my friends and I would watch live PBA games at the Cebu Coliseum, fangirling and crying at championships (only if San Miguel Beermen was on it). We didn't have a decent TV before so there were times that IBC 13 couldn't catch a signal so I turned to our radio and listen to the games.

My very first FIBA experience was in 2010 where I religiously followed the whole tournament in Basketball TV. You can read my blog entry about the FIBA World Championship 2010. =) In 2011 I also followed EuroBasket which is the European counterpart of the FIBA Asia Championship.  The Asian championships 2013 was held in Manila and it sucks so bad that I wasn't able to witness it! I was so pre-occupied last year that I didn't know about it until early July.

It has been decades that Philippine basketball is struggling putting our mark AGAIN in the international map but that was put to an end last August 10, 2013. Our last FIBA WC appearance was in 1978 and our last medal in the FIBA Asia Champs was in 1985 where we won the gold medal in Malaysia. We qualified for the 1986 FIBA WC but we weren't able to participate because our country was in a revolution that time. Last August 10, 2013 WAS HISTORY IN THE MAKING. We were in the semis against Korea. Philippines and South Korea were formidable rivals in Asian basketball. You can just research 2002 Asian Games and 2011 FIBA Asia Championships (wasn't able to watch this one).

I was so silent watching the whole game coz I don't want to preempt anything. It was a very close game. The crowd just gave me goosebumps all over my body and wished I was in the arena cheering for Gilas. The semis was an important game for the team because it was our ticket to SPAIN where the FIBA WC 2014 will be held. I was more tensed watching the semis than the finals. =D After consecutive field goals by Jimmy Alapag and Jason Castro that sealed our win, the crowd got wild and cheered for our team. While me on the other hand, didn't know what happened in the last minute of the game. It was a blur. What I knew that time was we won and we are going to Spain for the FIBA WC. I cried. I just couldn't believe it but yeah it was real so there. Haha!

You guys might ask what is the big deal about going into the FIBA WC. FIBA World Championships is like the FIFA WORLD CUP in basketball. FIFA World Cup is tagged as the biggest sporting event in the world but this one is for football/soccer while the FIBA World Chanpionship is for basketball. I wish FIBA is as big as FIFA but you know football/soccer is the most played sport in the world so I wouldn't be surprised why FIFA has more attention than FIBA. I was so happy the day after that I watched the game again for the 3rd time in Basketball TV and I still had the same emotion while watching it the first time. I cried again watching the replay. HAHAHAH! It was really a great day for PH basketball and I really hope this will continue in the coming years. Right now I'm missing the tournament already just like how I felt when FIBA WC 2010 ended. I just couldn't imagine our Gilas team banging bodies with my fave European teams, Spain and Lithuania. That would be so AWEESOMMEE! ♥

I really don't want to talk about the finals coz it would bring down the happy atmosphere in the semis. =D Thank you very much for taking the time to read my blog. Expect another blog entry next year in time for the FIBA World Championships 2014 in EspaƱa!!!

Cheers! Go Gilas Pilipinas!!










-Jen
I attended a conference conducted by Bancnet last June 8, 2013 held at Marriot Hotel Cebu. Bancnet is the largest ATM consortium in the Philippines. Bancnet started as a company in 1987 and started ATM operations in 1990. Now, Bancnet has 108 member banks, 10,030 ATMs, 17,915 POS (Point of Sale) & 26.80 M cardholders.

I work in a bank and I handle ATM complaints in our branch. It is not easy facing raging clients who withdrew in our ATM (bank's). What's worse is that I couldn't give the undispensed money back because it's against the bank's policy. They will have to wait 5 banking days for the money to be credited back to their account if the transaction is proven as such. This conference really helped me a lot to understand how the ATM transaction flows at branch level, when data is transmitted thru Bancnet and when the data is transmitted to other banks server's and then vice versa. I was so overwhelmed with the information I got during the conference that I still have to re write my notes all over again as to not confuse myself where to start discussing. So I am going to focus on ATM Complaints, Inter Bank Fund Transfer and POS (Point of Sale).

Ever wonder what happens when you withdraw then cash isn't dispensed? I'm going to give you a sneak peak of an ATM transaction flow. 

Terminologies: [Issuer Bank - is the bank that issues the ATM card], [Acquirer Bank - is the bank that retrieves ATM card info and pass it on to Bancnet because data on your card couldn't be found in their host.] 

Here's an example of an ATM transaction flow.

Allied Bank cardholder --> China Bank Savings ATM (Acquirer Bank) --> CBS Host --> Bancnet --> AB Host (Issuer Bank)

Say you are an AB cardholder and you withdrew in a CBS ATM. Once card is inserted into CBS ATM it'll start transmitting data into the CBS host first. CBS host reads the data and identifies if the cardholder is their client. Since it is not their client, CBS host passes the data to Bancnet and first identifies if it is one of their member banks. Allied Bank is a member of Bancnet so Bancnet forwarded the data to the AB host. Once AB host verifies the data that it is their client, the account is funded and debits the account it'll transmit back the data to Bancnet then to the CBS host. Unfortunately, China Bank Savings' (CBS) system was offline so the connection was cut off. So that's how the complaints are born and me in the branch braces myself for raging clients. =D Here comes the complaint: The account was debited and the cash wasn't dispensed.

What should you do?

> First complain to the Acquirer Bank (CBS) since it is where you withdrew your (un dispensed) money. The bank cannot give the money back because that's not how it goes and is against the bank's policy. 
> Details needed in filling out the complaint form: Your name, Issuer Bank, Acquirer Bank, Account number, Card number, Transaction date & time & your signature. YOU SHOULD OWN THE CARD eg. your NAME should be on the ATM Card & YOUR SIGNATURE! Why emphasize on this? Some clients complain even if "technically" it's not their card. For instance, the one who uses the card is the daughter of the "cardholder". In that case, let the cardholder (the mother) go to the acquirer and issuer bank to file the complain. 
> After filing the complaint in CBS, go to your bank of account (Allied Bank) and file also the complaint. 
The Issuer Bank also couldn't give you the money because again that's not how it goes. The importance of filing the complaint in your bank of account is that they would be aware of the transaction and when the banks' (CBS & AB) ATM Center starts to reconcile your complaint, it'll be faster and easier to pin point the transaction.
> Patiently wait 5 banking days for the amount you withdrew to be credited back to your account if the transaction is proven as such.

What I do at Branch level?

I am the one who faces clients with ATM Complaints and let them sign a complaint form. I also do reconciliation at branch level. I check the reports base on the information on the complaint form and forward it to our ATM Center. Our bank's ATM Center will be the one to contact the other bank's ATM Center for reconciliation which involves crediting back your account. ATM Centers aren't the ones who credit the account okay? They are the ones who coordinate with branches or banks so your complaints will be process and your money will be given back to you.

In cases of CARDS CAPTURED, you should visit the branch (where the ATM is situated or the bank owning the ATM) ASAP if you don't want your ATM card to be perforated! Please don't get mad at us upon visiting the branch if your card was already gone because it is past the retention period. Retention period for Bancnet and Express Net ATM cards would be 2 banking days from the date of capture. If your card was captured on a Monday, your card will be perforated on Wednesday. As for Megalink ATM cards, it'd be 3 banking days from date of capture. 

When you claim a captured card, please make sure IT IS YOUR CARD. Like I said before, your name and signature should be on it. ATM cards captured without name and signature at the back are perforated immediately. Please bring two valid IDs upon claiming because we will be comparing your signature on the ATM card to your IDs. I will apologize first hand that bank's couldn't release the card if it's not "technically" yours. I already sited an example on this. Not releasing your card without name and signature is also for the cardholder's security. 

I really hope this blog entry helped you and change how you view banks if your card or money are not dispensed or released. One more reminder, your money, card and transaction receipt is retracted back into the machine after 5 seconds. So chop! chop! in getting those okay?

Cards from VISA, MC, Diner's Club, Discovery, Union Pay and JCB, Inter Bank Fund Transfer and POS will be in another blog post. Thank you for the conference, Bancnet! =)

Imma sleep now! Cheers! =)






WELCOME!

It's summer and I have my fair share of summer outings and pictures. This year my awesome office mates decided to go to Bantayan Island. It's an island at the tip of Cebu and it's such a shame that I haven't been there after all these years let alone..being a Cebuana! Teehee! Bantayan Island is like a mini Boracay minus the heavy commercialization of the place and I hope it'll stay that way in the upcoming years because it would destroy the serenity and the pristine feel of the place. It's a perfect place to relax, spend time with your friends and loved ones. So the question is how to get there.....

Heaven on earth
It takes 3 hours from North Bus terminal to get to San Remigio ( this is where you will board a ferry going to the Island) so I suggest you guys should meet up early. If you are not from Cebu, you can take a taxi from the airport going to the North Bus terminal (near SM City Cebu; travel time around 20 minutes). 

Travel Time (North Bus to San Remigio) : more or less 3 hours
Bus:             There are lots of buses going to Bantayan but the most common is the Ceres bus liner.
Fare:            Php  150.00

When you arrive at San Remigio, it's time to board a ferry. The ticket costs Php 180.00.  Travel time is more or less 1 hour. While waiting arrival, you can take pictures of the wonderful piercing blue sea.

While boarding the ferry....=)
Arrival!
We stayed at Budyong Beach Resort. Our room costs Php 1,700.00 good for 4 persons plus extra charges of Php 150.00 for additional persons inclusive of a cushion bed. It was great coz our room was at the beach front. Just be careful if you decide to let them cook your food coz they charge a big fat amount! They charged us Php 500.00 just for cooking 1 kg of hotdog, corned beef , bacon, & 9 pcs. of eggs. So yeah...we learned. =D In fairness to Budyong Beach Resort, according to them they are independent with the restaurant who cooked our food. So they have a different management and owners I guess.

chill

Serenity
Pristine








Bantayan Island is heaven on earth. Great beach, awesome food, awesome people...2 days wasn't enough and I want to go back there again and again.

Thank you Bantayan! It was a blast! =)





I miss blogging! I'll start my year by creating a new blog entry after a year! So this was how my 2012 was. 

Late of 2011 I started to look for a job. The saying "Everything happens for a reason" is true. I wasn't really happy with my first job but I had to suck it in since I had no choice because I already accepted the offer. After 2 months, another company called  for an interview and I got accepted. So I resigned from my previous job. This new work just had positive things going on from the beginning. I had to fly to Manila for the orientation and training. It's just so amazing when you can go to other places because of work. I loved it! I also met with my friend who was in a review in Manila. To cut the story short, I AM LOVING IT.

My Lovely Office mates with partners (some)  =)

I couldn't ask for better office mates because they are the best. It is a great feeling when you wake up in the morning and not dread the day because you have to go to work. I always look forward to go to work. That's how happy I am in my current company. 

2012 was a career and love year. =D My heart is happy again after 2 years.

Things to look forward in 2013:

> Being a fully regular employee and enjoy the benefits.
> Our Cagayan trip in August.
> Eurobasket 2013.
> HOPEFULLY a Super Junior concert!!!!
> More time with the people I love.

Happy New Year!