My IO Experience

While waiting for our flight to Japan, I saw on Threads thing trend where people would post their experiences with the immigration officers (IO). This came after some reports of people missing their flights because their immigration officer asked for things that no one could normally prepare for like pay slips for the past few months or copy of diploma or some weird document.

Most of the entries in this trend simply had the IO ask them where they're going and when they'd be back then stamp their passport and let them through. I was quite amused that many of the posts also featured the Cebu airport and how much they love the IOs in the Cebu airport. One guy even mentioned that his IO in Cebu asked him so many questions but it was all borne out of curiosity and it was after he had stamped his passport and returned it to him. It was chitchat, basically.

I love the Cebu airport, it underwent a facelift a few years ago and Megawide-GMR really did a number on it and it's an airport the Cebuanos can be proud of. It's smaller, of course but it gets the job done well! I've often advocated to my friends from abroad that if their destination isn't Manila or Cebu that they should pass through Cebu if they could and avoid Manila at all cost. Some of my friends have said that they do this exactly because the Cebu airport is so nice.

But I don't have much in the way of IO stories except I did have a particularly bad one in 2023. It wasn't with the IO themselves. It was in how they managed their lines. It happened in the Manila airport on our trip to Bali. We saw a sign that said "Priority lane for seniors and those with infants". We were traveling with seniors and infants so we lined up there. The line was so slow as they only assigned one counter for the whole "priority lane" that it would've been faster for us if we lined up in the regular lane. The other counters also didn't think it was a big deal that no other counter accepted the others lining up in the "priority lane".

This time around in Cebu, however, the priority lines worked as intended. However, the reason for this post is when we got back from Cebu - it's a long intro, I know. We had just arrived from Japan and as a little test for the airport, I took note of the time we exited the plane and would stop it when we left the terminal. We had lined up for immigration after everyone went to the bathroom to pee. If we were all just adults, the immigration counter would've been done using that scanner and you do your own "stamping" on the passport. But since we had kids and they can't do all of that, we needed to go to a counter.

So our little group went to the counter and the IO called me out first. I went to the counter and took off my cap. I don't remember if he took my picture but he said everything was done and proceeded to call Joey. I picked him up so he could see him and he was done as well. I told Nikki that we would go to the carousel ahead to get our bags while Nikki, Pia and the yayas finished their immigration stuff.

Nikki was called last and the IO had more questions for her than the rest of us.

"Maam, imung bana ba, artista to?" (Ma'am, is your husband a celebrity?)

"Huh? Dili!" (Huh? No!)

"Ah. Mao ba maam? So negosyante to siya?" (Ah. Really? So he's a businessman?)

"Oo." (Yes.)

"Kay mura gyud siyag naay artista na kaparehag nawng." (He really looks like a celebrity.)

"Ayaw siya ingni ana kay mulupad gyud to iyang atay." (Don't tell him that coz he'll be flattered.)

"Ataya nimu, maam!" (Hahahaha!)

He then stamped her passport and let her through.

Well, Nikki was right. I was flattered and that all the more cemented my love for the Cebu Airport. It was probably a good day for me, looks wise. Or maybe it was because I wore a baseball cap which added to the "artista" look but whatever the case is, our IOs are friendly and I think that really makes the difference. Most IOs keep it short and simple. I think the Cebu IOs add a bit of the Filipino friendliness to the mix and you know what? I'm all for it.

The Smell of Leather

I never really liked the smell of leather. I remember we once had a car with leather seats and I didn't like it at all. The smell was off, the texture was off, the sound was off - it squeaked and hurt my ears. As such, I prefer to keep my distance from anything leather. Leather shoes are the only thing I would consider buying and that's only because it's needed for formal wear or school.

As I grew older I didn't have as strong a negative feeling towards leather as I did as a child. I bought a really nice pair of leather shoes for my wedding, for example and I decided to buy a watch with a really nice leather strap as opposed to a metal bracelet which I had always leaned towards.

During our recently concluded trip to Japan, however, that changed. I had been telling Nikki that I needed a new wallet for quite some time now. My old wallet was falling apart and I was looking for a replacement. I figured it was time for me to invest in a nice wallet that would last a bit longer than the ones I normally buy for myself. Japan did have a lot of leather goods stores and I tried perusing their items but nothing really called out to me. I personally wanted a dark brown colored wallet similar to my old one since I liked how it looked.

I figured shopping for a wallet in Japan was a dud but the search for my wallet would still continue. Little did I know that Nikki, together with Pia, found a nice wallet in a leather goods store in the Sapporo airport. They didn't know what kinds of compartments I was looking for but they decided to buy it for me anyway.

The wallet was black and leather, It could hold 6 cards compared to my older one which could hold more. It had one main compartment instead of the two I was used to. If we were checking boxes on a checklist, it ticked none of them. It was thick and it also had a very strong leather smell - another unchecked box.

If I saw this particular wallet in a store, I would never go for it. Why would I adjust to the limitations of my wallet when I can find one that will fit my needs? But this particular wallet was special. It somehow won me over. It was unassuming. Its simplicity drew me in. And most of all, it was bought by wife with the assistance of my sweet little Pia. I smelled the leathery smell and instantly fell in love. Probably some wiring in my brain associated the smell of leather to my daughter for some odd reason.

The smell is strong too! It could be resting in my pocket and I can just smell it and every single time, it evokes happiness in me. I'm embarrassed to admit but there are times I just grab it and take in one big sniff of the leather just for some happy hormones. I've even caught myself telling people to appreciate the smell of my wallet. I just realized it might not hit them the same way it does me but I didn't care.

As to the functionality of the wallet, I decided to bring along less cards with me and that basically solved everything! The wallet is still very stiff as new wallets are but I just need to break it in and it should feel much better.

That's all to say that I'm enjoying this new wallet very much and it's all really because of the story behind it rather than the actual thing.

My thoughts on CSE

Sometime this month, my mom came up to me saying she heard about this thing we should oppose. "CSE!" she said. I asked her what CSE meant and she just said she heard that it's very dangerous and that they're moving on it quickly. My next question was, "Who's 'they'?" My mom didn't know. So I asked my trusty sidekick, ChatGPT and Google but all they could come up with was "Computer Science Education" or "Civil Service Exam". So our conversation ended there. I assumed I could find something about it in the newspaper - there was none.

It was just last week that I chanced upon an ANC video on Youtube which showed former Chief Justice Sereno. The title had "CSE" in it so I assumed that was it and decided to watch the video. In it, CJ Sereno was describing a bill which would promote Comprehensive Sexuality Education and the harms it posed to the children and to families. The video was an hour long but CJ Sereno's part was just in the first few minutes. What followed was a parallel press conference which featured Riza Hontiveros debunking the claims made by Sereno's group. Both parties were referencing a video put up by a certain Project Dalisay which I decided to watch as well.

Now, my first approach to most political issues is one where I default to the other party having good intentions. That means when I approached this topic, I decided to give both former CJ Sereno and Riza Hontiveros the assumption of good will (i.e., both of them genuinely believe they are advancing the something good). I continue to hold this presumption until a point where I see that the person isn't showing good will anymore.

In this particular case, I've seen that Riza Hontiveros has NOT shown good will in this exchange. CJ Sereno has referenced numerous CSE curriculums abroad and DepEd orders that show that kids are to be exposed to things like masturbation, pornography, contraception, etc. What's tricky with CJ Sereno's case is that the bill in question and the DepEd orders do not mention these topics at all. This is a fact that she recognizes and states in her claims. She does, however, mention that the Senate Bill and the DepEd order reference a UN document which indeed does mention these topics. Riza Hontiveros counters this by repeating that the Senate Bill does not mention these topic at all. This fact has already been acknowledged by Project Dalisay and CJ Sereno so simply repeating the claim shows, in my opinion, a lack of interest to engage and thus a lack of good will on her part.

I did look into the CSE curriculum of UNESCO and I find it to be pushing things that would indeed go against my Catholic faith. Not only that, it promotes things that are contrary to reality! What bothers me as well is the lack of the option to opt out though I believe this was addressed in a replacement bill. Even with the option to opt out, the state should not be able to replace the parents in the duty to educate their children on such delicate matters. In fact, CJ Sereno says as much in her opposition to this bill.

I find it comforting that this bill never made it out of the senate but it does mean we need to really look at all the bills that might come out of congress to see which ones have poisonous elements lurking in their pages.

Election Time Again!

I wasn't heavily invested in this election cycle but for some strange odd reason (Social Media), I got sucked into thinking about who I should be voting for. I'm not a fan of this administration but I'm also not a fan of the opposition. Basically, I would be screwed either way. I'd need to vote for people I don't like. Then it hit me that there is one thing that could still be fought for in the senate - Charter Change.

Reviewing my older posts reignited something in me that made me want to take this election cycle more seriously. So I made my list of those candidates who are for a Federal Parliament form of government. While making this, I noticed many of my Facebook friends sharing who they want to vote for or who they're considering. What I found very odd was that some of them would vote for two different candidates who'd oppose each other. I understand the sentiment. Two politicians who are good people might disagree on a certain point. But voting for both of them would simple defeat your purpose. I quickly realized that I had, on my initial list, people who wouldn't push for Charter Change! I was guilty of the same fault I accused others of.

So I "purged" my list, so to speak and I filled it only with candidates who will push for Charter Change. My minimum requirement was dropped to simply, "does not oppose Federal Parliament". I also added that if I do not like a certain senatorial candidate or if I think they're "too stupid" to hold office, it would not matter to me.

I made a similar declaration to myself back in 2022. I don't care if I like a certain candidate but that candidate must fight for what I believe in, that should be enough. In this election cycle, I can think of several senatorial candidates who I have nothing against. They seem like good people and would be great senators but I will not vote for them because they simply because they might do too good a job in opposing what I believe is the right course of action for the nation.

To test this, I did a little mind experiment which went as follows. Say I have two politicians running. It would be nice to have two highly competent politicians and you'd simply vote for the one who you'd align yourself most to. But say one is highly competent but you highly disagree with their platform and the other one is no so competent but you highly agree with their platform. Where would my vote go? In this scenario, I would go for the latter simply because the highly competent politician might do such a good job at doing what I don't want him to do.

Similarly, I won't be voting for candidates who disagree on charter change as their votes might cancel each other's on the senate floor. They need to be on the same page on this issue. So I came up with a list. My brother-in-law asked me who I'd be voting for. I told him my criteria first as it would be difficult to explain some of my choices without context. As for him, he'll be voting for some of the candidates I removed because they oppose or have opposed moves for charter change.

I'll close by mentioning one other way people online have shared how they'll vote this May 12. With 66 senatorial candidates, this one netizen says he applied certain "filters" and will vote for who passes those filters. His filters includes things like: being from a political dynasty, being an entertainer, no public service experience or number of laws authored or passed. Several of my friends shared this netizen's post and it was very interesting. What it lacked though was policy. He seemed to be fine with voting for people who would disagree with him as long as this "senatoriable" had passed many laws.

We need a change - a charter change. We heard it time and time again. "Bulok ang sistema!" Why not change the system? And to change the system, we need to vote for people who will fight to change the system or at the very least, will not oppose it.

My Watch Collecting Journey

I now have a very well-rounded watch collection. Though I never thought I'd even end up with this many watches.

I used to always think why people would have more than one nice watch. I thought, "One watch and you should be good!" I also thought that watch collecting as just a hobby for some snobs out there. But once I realized that it's quite natural for people to collect things it makes the idea of watch collecting more acceptable. While some people who collect stamps or coins might have a lot of them, people who collect the more expensive items like sneakers, might have less. And when I thought that an even more expensive item to collect like watches or cars, people will be more content with a smaller sized collection. I'm glad to say my 3 watch collection is at the perfect size for this time in my life. Would I get more? Probably not but I'm not closing the book on that one.

What really drew me to watch collecting was that the watches tell a story. They don't just tell time. Whether it's celebrating a new job, or a milestone in one's career, the watch's value comes from the story it tells about how it was acquired by the collector.

For context, I've had the same Fossil watch from 2005 to 2019. That watch is still with me but I haven't worn it in quite some time. Actually, as I'm writing this, I'm realizing that that watch deserves to be part of this collection of mine. It's a nice analog watch with a square face and a metal bracelet. You can say it's as simple as one can get. Time has taken it's toll on this watch which can reflect the trials I've had to go through as well. One little quirk of this watch is I had recently had it engraved with the logo of our family business.

I've stopped wearing this watch since I got my other watches but writing about it now makes me feel a bit more nostalgic about it now and I might wear it more often. This watch seems like it's best for wearing to work.

In 2019, me and Nikki were engaged and one of the usual events for engaged couples was a tinghun or Chinese engagement party. Usually at these things, the bride to be presents the groom with a luxury watch. Now, we didn't have a tinghun but her mom insisted she give me a watch of some sort. I tried to decline the generous offer but her mom was adamant. So me and Nikki went out looking for my "tinghun" watch. It wasn't going to be something super expensive as I don't feel so good wearing a watch on my wrist that screams extravagance. We went for a more modest budget and I asked my friends for some advice in picking this watch. They recommended several different brands to me which are in the "affordable luxury" category.

I ended up really liking this one watch from Tissot - Chemin Des Tourelles. I love its simplicity and elegance. It has a blue face which reflects light very beautifully. The watch itself is very simple. The numbers are designated by a solid line except on the 3, 6, 9 and 12 o'clock positions where it's designated by the roman numeral. This watch is one I can wear in almost any situation. I can wear it to work and to a fancy wedding. This is my everyday watch. This watch has a metal bracelet but I quickly realized I could buy the tools to change out the strap and enjoy it with a leather strap as well. I thought it was a good deal as I'd effectively be getting two watches at the price of one. I just needed to switch out the straps when the mood hits me. See below the same watch looking like two different watches because of the straps!

The next watch was one I got as a father's day gift to myself. I had Joey give it to me and all which was so sweet. I bought it online but finding it was difficult as well. It was when the twins were around 2 years old when I started to want a different look for my watch. I began looking for a timepiece with a lighter face (cream or white) and with a darker strap or bracelet for contrast. I found this one from Orient. It's the Orient Sun and Moon. I chose the one with the cream face and a dark brown leather strap. This one caught my eye especially because I find its am/pm indicator very appealing as it shows a sun and moon (thus the name). When I found this watch being sold in Watch Republic at the airport, I really wanted to snatch it up but I decided against it as it would be an impulse buy. I eventually did end up buying it for Father's day as I was able to think it over and it was something I really wanted - it was no longer an impulse buy.

What I like about this watch it that it has more things going on in its face. It has the am/pm indicator, and the day of the week as well as a date window. This more fun aspect of this watch reflects my more fun side. Several friends of mine have commented that this watch looks really nice. I guess it's a bonus that not a lot of people have this watch though. On this list, this is the only one which I bought.

This last watch came to me as a surprise. My dad has some watches as well. I figure he has more watches than he cares to keep. This particular piece is one he has decided not to wear as often now. Either he wears a simpler watch for his everyday use or he wears a newer watch of his for more formal occasions or for business transactions. He recently told me that he bought a much cheaper watch as he doesn't feel comfortable wearing a Rolex as his everyday watch. It was still pricey but not Rolex pricey.

This was his Rolex Yachtmaster. I remember when he bought it. It was a big thing as he finally felt comfortable to spend a little more on himself since our business was doing pretty good during that time. Now, since getting my Tissot watch in 2019, I've been buying watch tools. So I can adjust the lengths or change out the straps when I want to. I've shown my dad this when I adjust his new watches to the desired length or when I teach him how to adjust the date in the date window (this is a very embarrassing story for him). But somehow, it never occurred to him that I was into watches. I even showed him my new Orient watch and told him how I came to decide on that particular piece. But somehow it simply went over his head how into watches I was. My sister told him plainly and now, he actually knows I'm into watches.

One day, I call him as I was assigned to accompany him to the mall and he calls me to his room. He comes out of his bathroom with the green Rolex box and hands it to me. He then told me it's mine. I was so shocked! This piece already has a lot of history behind it and now, he was giving it to me! I always liked how this watch looked and I was so excited and happy that it was mine now.

Just like my other watches, this one has a simple face on it - a round white face with a date window. It sports a metal bracelet and glow in the dark indicators for the numbers on the face. I haven't had much time with this watch in particular so my attachment to this watch comes mainly from the history I share with it.

So those are the four watches in collection. Upon reflection, I realized that each one came into my possession during different times of my life and it represents a different aspect of my person. One watch to represent me as an individual man, another one as a husband, another one as a father, and the last one as a son.

I see that more than the monetary value that each watch may or may not have, what people who collect watches value even more is the history behind the watch. The story that accompanies the watch is worth more than the monetary value of the watch. That explains why I've kept my Fossil watch for as long as I have.

I'm happy with my four watch collection. It might be some time before I add another watch to this group and to be frank, I'm in no rush. I think this collection can tell you more about me than I would've expected.