After being delayed for 2 months, I have finally sent my balikbayan boxes to the Philippines through Forex. The agent picked up the boxes this morning. I was able to save $10 for each box because of their promotion that ends up tomorrow. Typical price for each box is $85. Because we sent 3 boxes (2 from me and 1 from my friend Cristina), we only paid $75 for every box. Regular or jumbo box, the price is the same. I decided to choose jumbo box because it is so much bigger. However, I paid $8.00 for each box because Forex doesn't have a jumbo box.

Unfortunately, there are 3 items that I weren't able to include in the box. There's not enough space. Perhaps the next time I send balikbayan boxes to Philippines, I'd be able to find a space for what were left behind.

I found out that using Scotch strapping packaging tape is best to secure the opening of the boxes compared to an ordinary packaging tape. Strapping tape is very durable and stickier. The agent was quite impressed of the tape I used (thanks to Cristina for the strapping tip). So, if you send a balikbayan box to your loved ones in the Philippines, better use strapping tape instead of the regular packaging tape.

With Forex I'd be able to track my boxes online. I haven't tried it yet because the agent just picked it up and perhaps not in their system yet. In one week, I'll try to track it and see if it works. I am hoping and praying that the boxes will arrive safe and complete to the recipients. I heard cases where boxes were opened and stuff stolen. Crossing my fingers that this will not happen to me.

I had been starting to scout for couriers to send Balikbayan boxes full of presents to my family in the Philippines. Two of my primary sources are Filipino friends and the Filipino American Journal. So far, I called the UMAC and Forex East Valley Arizona agents and inquired. UMAC's deal sounded better than Forex when it comes to price and box size. UMAC offers $88 (on their ad in the journal it's $85, but when I called, the agent said they added $3/box) for a jumbo box that measures 24x18x20 with free bulilit (means small/tiny) box. On the other hand, Forex price for a 23x17x20 box is $85. But if you send two boxes, you will get a discount of $5/box. However, they charge a pick-up fee of $10.

After making the comparison, I obviously decided to go with UMAC. So, I called the agent again and expressed my desire to get 2 jumbo boxes with the 2 free bulilit boxes. It was in this call that he told me they increased $3 for each box because of the sky-rocketing price of gas and whatsoever—I don't care. The $3 additional charge was fine with me but unfortunately by the time I called he ran out of boxes, but asked me to text my address so he can drop off the boxes in our residence. Six days after the call, I never heard anything from him. No text. No call. No information when I will get the boxes. So, I decided to send a text asking if he already has the balikbayan box. Four hours after, I got a reply informing me that he already got what I needed. He asked me again to send my address, which I did. It's more than a day now and I never heard anything from him. This kind of customer service disappoints and frustrates me. I feel like he doesn't care about me as his new customer. If you're a person who sells a product to consumers, you should always see to it that your customer gets the best service. I would have appreciate it if he at least send a message in my phone or call to inform me whether I will get the boxes or not, or would he prefer me to pick it up from their place instead of making me wait and clueless of what was going on. I haven't tried the actual delivery service yet, but the way I was treated as a customer makes me think that the UMAC agent doesn't care at all. How I wish there is another UMAC agent in the East Valley that I can call. Maybe, he or she will treat me much better.

I made up my mind and cancel my balikbayan box order. This time, I am going to try Forex. Let's see how it goes. One positive point with the Forex agent is that he speaks my dialect—Bisaya. Crossing my fingers that this agent is way much better than UMAC's. Peace to UMAC. I am just venting and I have the right.

Looking for a cheap and reliable pre-paid phone card to call your family and friends in the Philippines? Here's a review of my personal experience with Globe Kababayan Prepaid phone card.

The last time I saw her was March 1991, our high school graduation. After almost 20 years had passed by I was blessed enough to meet my classmate and friend, Lenny. She dropped by to meet me after their visit to her father-in-law who lives in Prescott, AZ. Like me, she also married an American. They live in Alaska and she's been in the U.S. for more than 10 years now.

Nothing much had changed except for the wrinkles on our faces that tell us how many years had gone by. It was a wonderful reunion. I was quite touched for the unexpected "pasalubongs" (presents). There's some for me, my hubby, and of course the little one. We shared a good list of Filipino foods that I cooked. Lenny stuffed her tummy to the max (ha ha). I was glad she liked what I prepared: pancit bihon, homba, steamed sweet potato, steamed peanuts,fried salted shrimps, and of course rice.

Chit-chats seemed endless. There's a lot of things to catch up. However the time was not enough for us to talk all the things that we missed. For only two and a half hours, her visit was quick as a lightning. But, it was full of good memories, good foods, and good laughs. God willing, she will be able to visit me again next year since they visit their father annually. Perhaps by then, we would be able to catch up with things we missed to talk about.

Lenny's pasalubongs

It's frustrating and discouraging that until now, the Philippines Post Office (PhilPost) renders poor delivery service to Filipinos specifically mails/packages from abroad. Come to think of it. I sent a package to my friend on February of this year, and guess what? He just received it today. How awful—almost one year! Another terrible information I got was that, if my friend didn't go to the Mandaue PhilPost branch, most probably, he will never get it. It's been stuck their for so long that the package was chewed on by feasting mice lurking in their storage area. Their alibi why the delay? The person in-charged died so it was forgotten. That poor guy, being blamed for a lousy, rotten system that contributes to the progress of the country as a whole.

I had been a victim of the Philippine Post Office delivery system. Back when I was still in the Philippines, the packages that my husband sent to me took so long for them to deliver. It's saddening to know this, but it's a fact. 

Please Philippines Post Office officials and employees, do something that makes you proud from working in that agency. It's time for a change. Do your part to make the country better and progressive.

Watching Filipino TV shows everyday make me feel closer to my home country. Eversince, I am a solid fan of ABS-CBN's shows. The best thing is, we don't have to pay $20+ a month to subscribe to TFC. Each TV show I watch everyday comes for free. Thanks to Pinoyberkz.com, an online resource that gives Filipino abroad (like me) a great entertainment without paying a single buck. I have been an avid viewer of this website for many months now. I am grateful of the people who run this website, giving their time and energy to upload Filipino TV shows for us to get entertained 7 days a week. Pinoyberkz has help me in many ways to take away the boredom being confined in the house. Most of all, it keeps my heart and mind closer to home everyday. Watching the news programs and even the showbiz ones somehow makes me feel like I am there, so involved with everything that's happening in my country.

There's a lot of online resources where Filipinos abroad can watch Filipino TV shows for free. But right now, I am content with Pinoyberkz.com. So far, they do a great job.