random pictures from my camera and phone...
if I had known I'd get a job before my social visit expires, i wouldn't have applied for a long-term social visit pass... damn! now that's 20 dollars i won't get back. *sigh*
looks like I won't be able to continue my "snippets of info series"... too bad...
on the brighter side, atleast I had the experience of applying for an LTSVP... the high-tech Q machines, the outrageously long wait, and the abysmally unfriendly enquiries officers... all for only 20 dollars!
Today is Day 27!
And there are 2 things i should be screaming about today:
1. I've finally landed a job I really want! (and pays well) - woohoo!!!
2. Today is the start of ComEx Singapore - woooooooohooooooo!!!!
The Job
2 weeks from now, I will be once again part of the IT workforce. We're now waiting for my employment pass to be approved by M.O.M., and after that, it's all systems go! I like LOVE the job, as it entails a lot of business trips and it's a totally new domain for me (and the pay and benefits ain't bad either).
My new title: Research and Development Department Support Engineer. whew! that's an awfully long title! Hindi po yan call center job ah! (defensive! nyaahahaha) It's more on maintenance and deployment, (prang xGSN, pero may BT... hehehe...) that's why there's extensive travel and several training oppurtunities. They told me my first stop after my training is neighboring Malaysia. yeah, I know, so much for "out-of-the-country-experience", when it's a freakin' bus ride away. But hey, there's BT allowance so I don't mind at all... :) Hopefully I can be deployed elsewhere, as long as it's not Iraq or other war-torn country...
My future boss told me they are thinking of expanding (not sure when though)... so if you wanna join the "dark side" of the force... email me: dyingsonnet[at]gmail[dot]com
The Fair
ComEx is dubbed the biggest IT show of the year...
All of us (me, my brother, and his gf) are all working in the IT industry and are quite "IT-centered" (a.k.a. gadget geeks) so you can really smell the excitement in the air when all 3 of us are talking about comex even a few days back...Now, try to imagine us a few hours before the fair... I can bet my lunch money those two aren't working in their respective offices... to damn excited... well, so am I!!!!
WHOOOOOOHOOOO!!! IM SO EXCITED!!!! (on the down side though, I've no money booooooooo!!! :( )
I'm hoping for a lot of freebies though (OMG! i'm running after freebies....i think i'm turning singaporean!!!??!!!)
gtg... got to get dressed for the main event!!! whooooohoooo... suntec city, here we go!!!! :)
yeah, i know, i seem to be more excited about Comex than getting a job.... that's because I am! hehehe...
Disembarkation/Embarkation card
4. a photocopy of your EPEC
This copy will be kept by ICA.
5. a photocopy of your passport
Photocopy the page with your picture and personal details. This copy will be kept by ICA.
A photocopy machine is available on every floor of the ICA building. I forgot to check the price per copy though... sorry... :)
6. 1 passport-size picture
This will be attached to your Form 14. If you don't have one, you can have your picture taken inside the ICA building. Each floor of the building has a "instant photo room". 4 copies for 5SGD.
7. Accomplished Form 14
You can download the document in the ICA website. The form is also available in ICA, near the 4th floor elevators.
8. OPTIONAL: A really good/long book or a PSP or anything that can amuse you for a long period of time. (that is wholesome and legal in singapore.... :) )
Procedures:
1. Go to ICA
The ICA building is near the Lavander MRT Station of the East-West (Green) line. Just follow the directional arrows provided in the station (e.i. : "This way to ICA ->")
once outside of Lavander MRT station, walk a few steps and you'll see the ICA building
2. Proceed to the 4th floor
There are 2 ways to go to the 4th floor, each with it's own advantage/disadvantage:
a. Via Escalator
If you already have your photocopies, picture, and form 14, I suggest you take the escalators since it is closer to the 'Q' machines
b. Via Elevator
The trays for Form 14 is near the elevator. Also a few steps from the elevator are the "instant photo room" and "photocopy room".
3. Get a Form 14 from the trays near the elevator, fill-up the necessary requirements, paste/staple your picture.
4. Go to the 'Q' (as in queue) machines, lane #4 (labelled: Application for Social Visit Pass). Let the machine read the barcode in your embarkation/disembarkation card. The Q machine will give you a number. Obviously, you have to keep this number, as this will be used later.
my Q ticket. This will be cut in half once the documents are submitted
5. Go to the "Social Visit Wing". It's a few steps away from the Q machines. Take a seat as this is a REALLY LONG WAIT. This is where your optional item of amusement will come in handy. I would also suggest you seat near counters 28-38 as these are the counters that serve SVP applications.
6. Wait for your queue number to appear on the board. There is also a board there that tells you the average waiting time for applications. In my case it said 93 minutes. DO NOT BELIEVE that damn board. I waited for almost 3 hours (2hours, 59minutes to be exact). If you don't like to sit there and wait, you can have someone SMS you when your queue number is about to be serviced. So basically, you can walk around the lavander/kallang area... (not much to see though) For that feature do this:
text "VSC
It will immediately reply indicating the current status of your queue number, and later on, SMS you when there are only 20 people ahead of you in the queue.
7. Once you see your number on the board, go to the counter assigned to your q number.
8. Give your q ticket, accomplished Form 14, passport, disembarkation/embarkation card, EPEC, photocopied EPEC and passport particulars page. The person at the counter will give you back your original EPEC and the other half of your Q ticket. You'll be advised to claim your passport the next day.
NOTE: DO NOT THROW your Q ticket. you will use this the following day to get a new Q ticket.
9. Go out of ICA building.
Postconditions:
(what you must have after doing "Procedures")
1. original copy of your EPEC
2. your Q ticket
===END OF DAY 1====
DAY 2
Preconditions:
(what you must have after doing "Procedures")
1. Your Q ticket from DAY 1
You'll need this to get a new Q number.
2. NETS or CashCard or EZ-Link card
You'll need this to pay 20SGD for the visa fee. They DO NOT ACCEPT CASH(they don't like touching money, remember?!), so be sure you have any of these 3(of course, loaded with more than 20SGD)
Procedures:
1. Go to ICA
2. Proceed to the 4th floor
Since your just there to get your documents, use the escalator, it's closer to the Q machines.
3. Go to the Q machines, this time. go to lane #3. Let the machine read the barcode in your Q ticket from DAY 1. The Q machine will give you a number. Obviously, you have to keep this number, as this will be used later.
4. Go to the "Social Visit Wing", a few steps away from the Q machines. This time take a seat near counters 43-48 as these are the counters that are dedicated for releasing documents.
5. Wait for your queue number to appear on the board. There is also a board there that tells you the average waiting time for document collection. In my case it said 10 minutes. Again, DO NOT BELIEVE that damn board. I waited for 22 minutes and 52 seconds.
NOTE: unlike in the "application phase", the Q numbers may not appear in sequential order, so be sure to periodically check the boards.
6. Once you see your number on the board, go to the counter assigned to your Q number.
7. Give your 2 Q tickets, the one from DAY 1 and the one you just got. Say goodbye to your tickets because you won't be seeing them again.
8. Pay 20SGD, using NETS, CashCard, or EZ-Link.
9. The person at the counter will return your passport, stamped with a 2-month extention of your SVP and a 2-page document, indicating that your application for LTSVP is successful, under 3 conditions:
a. you have a valid travel document - checked!
b. you have a valid social visit pass - checked!
c. you have passed a medical exam
Page 2 is the form the doctor will fill-up once you get your medical exam. Any singaporean clinic will do.
10. Go out of ICA building.
Postconditions:
(what you must have after doing "Procedures")
1. your passport stamped with 2-month SVP
2. the 2-page document given to you
===END OF DAY 2====
i never really like rihanna's "umbrella". i'd have to say though, that mandy moore's version is more to my liking. watch for yourself:
after almost 2 weeks here in SG, I've learned a couple of things. Some of them were knowledge passed on to me by my brother and his gf, who have been here for more than 5 years, and some I have learned (both fortunately and unfortunately) first-hand.
1. Ang lakas ng sipa, men!
kala ko nung una, joke lang nung sinabi nila na masusuka ako 'pag naamoy ko sila. Then I got to experience the "aroma" myself... wow p're! di mo na kelangan ng kape... magigising ka sa amoy nila... Most pinoys call them "anaps". Naawa tuloy ako sa isang kong ex-officemate na dun pupunta sa motherland nila... Grabe talaga, di kompleto ang MRT ride pag di mo sila naamoy... Ang bad ko no? pro promise, kung ikaw ang nasa kinalalagyan ko, you'd understand.
2. Kaya nga food store eh, kase "food" lang...
Hiwalay sa kanila ang bilihan ng food, at bilihan ng drinks. I find this really weird. Nung 2nd day ko dito, kumain kame sa isang hawker malapit sa robinson road. nung 4th day ko, nag-lunch ako sa kopitiam sa may mall malapit sa amin. in both of those places (actually, all hawkers, koptiams, etc...) hiwalay ang bilihan ng food at bilihan ng inumin. may separate stall na drinks lang talga ang binibenta, so pupunta ka dun after mo bumili ng food, hiwalay din ang bilihan ng dessert... medyo hassle di ba?
3. Tissue na lang, pahirapan pa...
kung sa Japan, parang umuulan ng tissue dahil sa dami ng mga "giveaways", dito naman, taghirap sa tissue. hindi sya binibigay by default. kung meron mang bibigay syo, say for example, sa isang resto, for sure daw may charge yun. sa kainan lang yan ah, pro sa mga public toilets, meron namang tissue.
4. gentleman? ano yun?
kung ikaw daw ay isang binatang pilipino na nakaupos sa mrt/lrt/bus, wag na wag kang mag-o-offer ng seat sa isang babae, dahil ma-o-offend lang sya. Yung gesture daw kse na yun ay ginagawa lang para sa mga matatanda at disabled. so parang sinasabi mo na din na matanda na sya... (ei, auntie, want to seat?)
5. sungit!
pansin ko lang, karamihan ng mga locals medyo may pagkamasungit by philippine standards. kse tyong mga pinoy, pag may makabangga sa paglalakad accidentally, normal sa atin na mag-sorry or something like that. dito, di yun uso. di rin uso dito ang pag-ngiti, unlike sa atin na nagkatabi lang sa jeep, nagchi-chikahan na bago bumaba. dito... deadma!
6. biglang dadami ang mga kamag-anak mo dito
dito daw, ang usual na tawag sa mga nakatatanda ay "uncle" at "auntie". parang version nila ng "manong" at "manang" natin sa pinas. so pag kelangan mong kausapin si manong taxi driver, call him uncle.
7. ambilis ng escalator!
ibang level ang bilis ng escalators nila sa mga mrt/lrt stations... promise, minsan nakakatakot! unlike sa pinas na minsan may "humps" pa (refer to mrt ayala station, leftside, going down), dito OA sa bilis. ginawa daw ganun kse lagi daw nagmamadali ang mga tao. sa mrt/lrt stations lang naman. yung sa mga malls, so far, wala naman akong nakitang "express escalators"
8. pedestrian lanes do work!!!
i love it! motorists here respect the pedestrian late. ang galing talaga. sa pinas kse sanay tyo na yung tatawid pa yung magbibigay sa motorista. dito sobrang opposite. kahit malayo ka pa sa pedestrian lane, at yung kotse malapit na, hihinto talaga sya at hihintayin ka. kaka-pressure tuloy minsan na tumawid agad... hehehe... consistent ito ah, mapa-bus or kotse, hihinto talaga... so nice!
9. what money? don't you have a card?
for a country that has a lot of money, they sure don't like to touch it. you can use an ez-link card if you want to ride the lrt/mrt/bus. the fare is higher if you're gonna pay in cash. pwede rin ang ez-link sa mcdo. meron ding cards ang mga food courts dito. may 10% discount pag card ang gamit. kung taxi naman, pwede kang gumamit ng credit card or debit card. (wala atang discount) for every thing else, believe it or not, even small and cheap-looking stalls also accept credit / debit cards. Bills, concert tickets, mail stamps, and fund transfers can be done in several kiosks, charging it to you bank account. syempre meron pa ding old fashioned hand-the-cash-over-to-the-lady-in-the-counter, but the government is really making an effort to make transactions cashless.
10. Reload == top-up
Top-up ang term na gamit nila sa "reload". Top-up your ez-link, kopitiam card, and of course, you prepaid phone, via counters, kiosks or atms.
11. Library == video rental shop
di lang books ang pwedeng hiramin sa library, pwede ding audio/movie cds, dvds, pati mga comics at magazine. pro di lahat ng library ay mapalad. the one here in sengkang only has books, magazines and comics... booooo...
12. di ka rin galit sa plastic eh noh?
grabe talga ang mga grocery baggers dito. kulang na lang i-plastic bawat item na binili mo. dapat mag-seminar sila sa pilipinas. galing mga mga baggers natin e, daming items napagkakasya efficiently sa isang bag.
13. di uso ang libre dito...
bumili ako ng sushi nung isang araw, hihingi dapat ako ng wasabi, aba! may bayad?!!! teka, di ba yun included na dapat since bumili naman ako ng sushi??? at itong malupit... may "sushi sauce allocation table" sila. so kung 1-5 sushi ang binili mo, meron ang 1 sachet ng sushi sause, pag 6-10, 2 sachet and so on... huuuuwaaat??? sa pinas hinihingi lang ito sa yoshinoya ah?!!!
14. sale kung sale!
mataas ang bilihin dito... and singaporeans are known to be quite stingy. tipid kung tipid talga, since mahal nga ang bilihin. pro wag ka, pag sinabing sale, aba! bagsak presyo talga. branded sneakers that usually costs around 20SGD, would sell at 10SGD, 42 inch plasma tv, priced regularly at around 5,000SGD would cost around half during a sale. insane diba???
para sa mga taong ang madalas na sagot ay "kahit ano", pag tinatanong kung anong gustong inumin...
ang kulit noh?
"whatever" is non-carbonated drink, while "anything" is carbonated. There are several possible flavors... click here for more info... :)
Rear of Vivo City Mall, near Sentosa
Manila -> Singapore
So you already have your EPEC, plane ticket, and pocket money... next stop, the airport.
As usual, be there 3 hours before your flight. Look decent, smart casual will do. Check-in your bags, and pay the whopping 750-peso terminal fee. At the immigration counter, indicate that you are going to SG on VACATION, not to find work. DO NOT SHOW your EPEC. There are several possible questions like where you work, where you'll stay in SG, what you'll do in SG, etc. just don't look like you've committed a crime and you're good to go. RP to SG flight takes around 3.5 hours. PAL serves their usual crappy food and you get to watch a movie you've already seen... goody!
Once you've reached SG, go straight to immigration, and show them your passport and EPEC. I think EPEC holders are given a 30-day social visit pass by default. After that, go get your luggage and ride the taxi/mrt.
Next topic: getting a Long Term Social Visit Pass(LTSVP) using your EPEC. I was told it would be advisable to apply for an LTSVP few days before your 30-day social visit pass expires. (say a week before) I'll post it here once i've done mine.
this whole business of packing really gets on my nerves.
buti na lang talga at nagawan ko ng listahan few days back, kahit papaano may direkyon ako... kung di, malamang maraming gamit na ang nagsiliparan sa kwarto ko...
haaaay... kakapagod...
There seems to be a flu virus floating around the house. My mom, then my kuya, then my dad caught it, and guess what?! for the first time in my life history, i didn't catch it! since time immemorial, im usually the first or second one to contract a contagious disease in the family.
I have no concrete idea why im suddenly miss iron woman, except for the fact that i've started a vegeterian diet nearly 2 months ago. I've also stopped drinking coffee and substituted green tea for it.
yeah, maybe it's the veggies...
i also noted a noticeable drop in my weight inspite of the fact that i have no tedious physical activity (unless you consider typing as tedious). This could mean that i'm burning stored fat since my usual intake of fat has been lessened OR i could be losing the muscles i have built during the time i was still active in the gym. (muscles weigh more than fat) I'm hoping that it's the former.
opsss... got to go, dinner time...
my dinner: adobong sitaw, their dinner: adobong baboy... tsk..tsk... kaya di gumagaling eh! hehehe... :)
