Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Mindanao tourism sites up for promotion

The government has line up tourism sites up for promotion by a subregional economic group.

In the list is Mt. Apo and 10 other areas in Mindanao and Palawan.

The Mindanao Economic Development Council report showed the other Mindanao sites are Malawi Island and Dapitan in the Zamboanga peninsula, Camiguin Island in Northern Mindanao, Davao Gulf and Samal Island in the Davao Region, Lake Sebu in Central Mindanao, Aguasan Marsh in the Caraga Region and Lake Lanao in the autonomous Muslim region. Identified sites in Palawan are Kayangan and Barracuda lakes in Coron Island.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

For OFWs … here are some useful info for Pag-IBIG membership

MEMBERSHIP

Coverage:

Membership under the Pag-IBIG Overseas Program (POP) shall be open to all Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) with valid visas or employment contracts. Likewise, it shall be open to Filipino immigrants and to Filipinos naturalized in other countries.

Contribution Rate:

The POP member shall contribute monthly an amount equivalent to US $5. Should a POP member decide to apply for a housing loan and which to avail of a higher loanable amount, he would be required to upgrade his membership contribution as follows:

CONTRIBUTION RATE PESO EQUIVALENT LOAN ENTITLEMENT
US $5 Up to P250,000
US$ equivalent at point of availment
P300 Over P250,000-P375,000
400 Over P375,000- P500,000
600 Over P500,000 - P750,000
800 Over P750,000 - P1,000,000
1000 Over P1,000,000- P1,250,000
1,200 Over P1,250,000-P1,500,000
1,400 Over P1,500,000-P1,750,000
1,600 Over P1,750,000-P2,000,000

The upgraded membership contribution shall be incorporated as part of the housing loan monthly amortization

Dividend Rate:

Variable dividends from surplus earnings of the Fund shall be distributed annually to all POP members, to be credited to their Total Accumulated Values (TAV).

Membership Term/Maturity:

The accumulated savings under the program may only be withdrawn at the end of five (5), ten (10), fifteen (15), or twenty (20) years at the option of the member upon membership registration. Withdrawal of contributions shall be in Philippine peso. Contributions in foreign denomination shall be converted to Philippine peso based on the prevailing US dollar exchange rate as of payment date.

LOAN AVAILMENT

POP members may avail themselves of the housing loan benefit, subject to the provisions of the existing Consolidated Guidelines of the Pag-IBIG Housing Loan Program, through their immediate family members with the execution of a Special Power of Attorney (SPA), duly certified by the Philippine embassy or consulate in the country of their workplace. They can also avail of the Multi-Purpose Loan (MPL), subject to the existing guidelines of the MPL Program

WHERE CAN MEMBERS FILE THEIR APPLICATION FOR MEMBERSHIP, WITHDRAWAL OF SAVINGS, REMIT OR PAY THEIR MONTHLY SAVINGS?

Pag-IBIG Overseas Program Office
POP Overseas Offices
Accredited Overseas Marketing Representatives
Metro Manila and Provincial Offices
Accredited Collecting Banks/Remittance Companies

WHAT DOCUMENTS TO SUBMIT TO APPLY FOR REFUND OF SAVINGS?

-Original copy of POP Passbook
-Application for Provident Benefit
-Special Power of Attorney ( if applicable)

HOW LONG IS THE PROCESSING PERIOD?

Three (3) working days


Planning to build your own house in the Philippines ...

Here are some useful information that you might be interested as offered by Pag-IBIG Fund or Home Development Mutual Fund ....

As they say .... owning a house is the most practically thing to do given the affordable rates offered by Pag-IBIG Fund ... pick a choice now !


AFFORDABLE MONTHLY AMORTIZATIONS (comparative from old to new rate)

Loan Package Monthly Payment Savings

P300,000 P1,798.65 (before P2,413.87) P 615.22

P500,000 P3,326.51 (before P4,38.86) P1,061.35

HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF THIS ? - for those of you still renting a house probably your rental is higher than this amortization rate. REMEMBER : RENTING IS NOT OWNING THE HOUSE. HURRY ! You still have enough time before you reach the age of 70, by then you will no longer qualify … Your time is now so grab this !

INTEREST RATES (Comparative from old to new rates)

Amount New Interest Rates

Up to P300,000 6% (before 9 %)

Over P300,000 to P750,000 10% 7% (before 10%)

Over P750,000 to P2 M 10.5% (before 11-12%)

WHEN YOU APPLY FOR A HOUSING LOAN TAKE NOTE OF THIS PLEASE !

Eligibility requirements

  1. A Pag-IBIG member for at least 24 months and has remitted 24 monthly contributions
  2. Not more than 70 years old at loan maturity and must be insurable
  3. Has no outstanding Pag-IBIG housing loan either as principal or as co-borrower
  4. Has legal capacity to acquire and encumber real property
  5. Has passed satisfactory background/credit and employment/business checks
  6. Has no Pag-IBIG multi-purpose loan in arrears at the time of application
  7. Has no Pag-IBIG housing loan that was foreclosed, cancelled, bought back or subjected to dacion en pago

Schedule of Loans

Monthly Member’s Contribution Loan Entitlement

200 Up to P500,000

250 Over P500,000 to P600,000

300 Over P600,000 to P700,000

350 Over P700,000 to P800,000

400 Over P800,000 to P900,000

450 Over P900,000 to P1M

500 Over P1M to P1.1M

550 Over P1.1M to P1.2M

600 Over P1.2M to P1.3M

650 Over P1.3M to P1.4M

700 Over P1.4M to P1.5M

750 Over P1.5M to P1.6M

800 Over P1.6M to P1.7M

850 Over P1.7M to P1.8M

900 Over P1.8M to P1.9M

950 Over P1.9M to P2M

Processing Fee P3,000.00

Pay P1,000.00 upon filing

Pay balance of P2,000.00 upon loan take-out

"Tonyo" didn't break its way here ....

In yesterday's advisory from the country's weather bureau it released storm signal no. 1 in areas that will be mostly affected and two provinces here davao del and davao oriental were included. Later in the afternoon it also indicated in their advisory that davao city will also experience such bad weather.


It was the first time that areas in davao were included in the storm signal advisory.

I was also apprehensive because when our place (in Davao del Norte) will be affected it will damage agri crops including thousands of banana trees that are grown in farms back home. (Thank you Lord for sparing us !)

Although the weather yesterday was a bit gloomy and even til the evening of November 15 with dark clouds hovering on us and rains in between, people continued with their jobs and their schedules.

Everything went on normal and in fact my daughter went malling with her classmates after she hosted an awarding program in school and arrived home almost 10 pm.

However at home I did receive so many text messages and even calls asking me about "Tonyo" because they too were worried but told them it will be on Saturday and the weather most likely would change direction if not develop into a storm and advised them to keep posted on updates through media. And early today my "suki" for weekly supply of fishes told me (because they live by the shore) they were apprehensive and had themselves glued on tv and radio for the latest advisory. Maayo na lang nipahawa dayon si Tonyo (it's good thing that Tonyo left early).

This only shows that people here are aware and already knew where to get the information. It's a good sign after all.

And ‘Tonyo’ moves toward southern Negros oriental. We are thankful that it didn't come and we remain a typhoon free country.


Here's a portion of that GMA online news ....

MANILA, Philippines - At least seven areas were placed under Storm Signal No. 1 as tropical depression "Tonyo" moved towards the southern coast of Negros Oriental Friday night.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said "Tonyo" was in the vicinity of Siquijor Island or 40 km east of Dumaguete City as of 10 p.m. Friday.

It said "Tonyo" packed maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center and was moving west-northwest at 22 kph.

Pagasa said "Tonyo" was expected to be 40 kms northeast of Puerto Princesa City Saturday evening, and 500 km west-northwest of Puerto Princesa City Sunday evening.

Under Storm Signal No. 1 were Southern Negros, Southern Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, and Camiguin Island.

Pagasa warned residents in low-lying areas and near mountain slopes under Signal 1 as well as the provinces of Eastern Visayas against possible flashfloods and lands

In the Philippines (southern mindanao)









Kids and adults enjoyed it and even dressed themselves to complete the merriment and this was how they celebrated Halloween and had fun with Trick or Treat ... sharing you some photos taken during the event.