Category: Philippines

Newsflash (Serious!) : Fely Viloria Sicam Was Awarded Best Columnist by the “Moonies” Church

 

This is NOT a joke. Ms. Felicitas ‘Fely’ Viloria Sicam of “Are Resident Doctors Really Doctors?” fame really won as Best Columnist in 2015 (in the whole Philippines, no less!) from the Universal Peace Federation, an organization under the Unification Church which some deride as the “Moonies cult”.

Many of my doctor colleagues (the md in thefinancemd stands for an MD degree after all) have already given their opinions about Ms. Felicitas “Fely” Viloria Sicam’s now infamous article (read it here). However, I decided to put myself in her shoes and act as an “investigative journalist”. Here is what I found in my research:

 

Fely Sicam best columnist award 2015 from the Universal Peace Federation
Felicitas ‘Fely’  Viloria Sicam, (center) was awarded Best Columnist in January 2015 by the Universal Peace Federation (UPF). (From left to right): Reverend Julius Malicdem, President – UPF Philippines; Thomas Walsh, President – UPF International;  Chang Sik Yang, Chairman – UPF International and Chong Sik Yong, Regional Chair – UPF Asia. Image from Mindanao Times

 

Why did she win the Best Columnist award from the Universal Peace Federation, an organization under the Unification Church, also widely known as the “Moonies“?  This is where it gets juicy…

Continue reading Newsflash (Serious!) : Fely Viloria Sicam Was Awarded Best Columnist by the “Moonies” Church

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Free Stuff: Philippine Stock Exchange’s (PSE) Stock Market 101 Webinar

Want to learn how to invest in the stock market? This may be your best chance to learn it for free. You’ll also learn from “The Source” – the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) itself without going there personally (parking there during office hours sucks big time).

 

PSE Stock Market 101 Webinar
Is it just me or does the poster have too many icons? If you want to join the PSE Stock Market 101 Webinar, register at www.pseacademy.com.ph.

 

Do I think this webinar is worth joining?

Continue reading Free Stuff: Philippine Stock Exchange’s (PSE) Stock Market 101 Webinar

What’s Your Say on This? – Is Superbrands Philippines Credible?

One of the hospitals I work for proudly displayed the Superbrands seal in its posters when it was awarded one years ago so I assumed then that this award was totally legit and prestigious.

Fast forward to 2015 and here are the awardees:

 

Superbrands 1st certificate awardees 2015
As a Filipino consumer – do I think these brands represent the cream of the crop of Philippine brands? Short answer – NO. Long answer – Not even close. Image from One Lightning Corporation Products Facebook page

 

One of the brands awarded above was the subject of three advisories (cease and desist orders for alleged investment related “modus operandi”) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Philippines.

The three advisories were issued against that brand in February, March and April 2015. Superbrands handed out its awards May 2015 (see image above). Wow! How did that happen?

Continue reading What’s Your Say on This? – Is Superbrands Philippines Credible?

Adventures with Bad Real Estate Agents: Philippine Edition

I mentioned previously that I was looking for a property to buy. I’m not buying to flip. I’m buying something that I’ll use in the foreseeable future (say within 3-5 years). I’m eyeing a property in Nuvali.

Nuvali new beginning
I’m assuming this quote pertains to buyers and sellers of real estate. Image from official Nuvali Facebook page

 

I assumed that the process will be easy for me. Unfortunately bad real estate agents and sellers will come your way. Since I was buying on the secondary market, the agents I dealt with were not officially connected with Ayala (Nuvali’s developer). Here are some of what I encountered:

 

Continue reading Adventures with Bad Real Estate Agents: Philippine Edition

What Were Superheroes Doing in an Investment Conference?

Last May 16, the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Society of the Philippines hosted the Philippine Retail Investment Conference at the SMX Taguig Convention Center. Notice that Superman is in the background in this picture. What were superheroes (there were more of them) doing there? Did this imply that an investor has to have superpowers now to make money in the market? Did this insinuate that the finance industry now operates in an alternate reality?

Philippine Retail Investment Conference 2015 with Superman
What was Superman – his statue, at least – doing in an investment conference?

Continue reading What Were Superheroes Doing in an Investment Conference?

To Celebrate EDSA 2015, Philippine Government “Recreates” Traffic Jam Scene from World War Z

Today is the 29th Anniversary of the People’s Power Revolution (also known as EDSA I locally, there are EDSA II and III revolutions as well) in the Philippines. The government decided to close a significant and centrally located part of EDSA (it is the main and busiest thoroughfare in Metro Manila) to celebrate the anniversary. Being a regular weekday, many people going to work were stuck in traffic for hours. The pile up of cars became similar to the traffic jam scene in World War Z  or that in The Dark Knight, whichever was worse.

EDSA Traffic during the 2015 People Power Celebrations
Are these people fleeing from a Zombie apocalypse, or residents escaping from Gotham after the Joker threatened to blow up the city? Sadly. It’s the effect of someone closing EDSA. Image from @hvacajilog at Instagram

 

To celebrate the anniversary of the EDSA I revolution, somebody had the bright idea of closing up a significant stretch of EDSA – on a busy workday! Continue reading To Celebrate EDSA 2015, Philippine Government “Recreates” Traffic Jam Scene from World War Z

Chinese New Year: Investment and Money Tips for The Year of The Goat

Kung Hei Fat Choi! Today, February 19 is the start of the Year of the Wooden Goat / Sheep / Ram according to the Chinese Lunar Calendar. In this post, I will list some investment and money tips from experts in Feng Shui and Chinese Astrology.

 

2015 Year of the Goat
Goats and sheep are totally different creatures, but that’s not important, right? Image from fengshuiben.blogspot

 

I searched online for feng shui experts, those who are usually hired to advice business executives and financial professionals on money matters. Here they are and what they had to say.  Continue reading Chinese New Year: Investment and Money Tips for The Year of The Goat