Palaui Island

A Very Sunnnnnny (and cloud-less) Beach

Because I am ending my hiatus from not-traveling, I invited my friends to go to Palaui and avoid the traffic of Valentine's Day (plus it's also Milcah and Espee's birthday) hehe

There are several blogs regarding how to get to Palaui, so we just basically followed them. But here are some lessons and comments on our trip.

1. Transportation:

It may be cheaper to book two-way airline tickets. I have 4 friends who were able to get CebuPac roundtrip tickets to Tuguegarao for PhP 2120, then they took the van going to Sta. Ana (PhP 180). Unfortunately, my schedule will not allow me to take the airplane, so we took the bus going there, and had the airplane going back (PhP 1500). I've read that our bus tickets cost PhP 850 from Sampaloc, Manila straight to Sta. Ana, Tuguegarao for the 3PM departure.

Another unfortunate event was... well, we booked up to Tuguegarao only (miscommunication). So when I returned the next day to upgrade our ticket straight to Sta. Ana, the person behind the counter told me to just pay the additional fee when we're in the bus.

When we were in the bus, we told the conductor that we will go straight to Sta. Ana, so can we just pay the additional so we won't be bothered anymore when we get to Tuguegarao at 3 AM? The conductor told us, that he can only issue the ticket up to Tuguegarao, and from Tuguegarao, we have to get another ticket at PhP 220. (So yes, we were awakened at 3 AM just to get another ticket... Why can't just the conductor issue us a straight ticket to Sta. Ana is beyond me... This is my first time to experience such a thing. But I don't want to dwell on that anymore. Lesson learned: when you buy tickets, make sure I read the final destination.)

My Transportation Expense: PhP 2670
Manila-Tuguegarao by bus - 700
Tuguegarao-Sta Ana by bus - 220 (more expensive than if booked straight to Sta. Ana)
Sta Ana-Tuguegarao by van - 180
Tuguegarao-Manila by plane - 1500


2. Accommodations:
We stayed in Casa Empyreal, which by SMS was PhP 1000 per room, good for 4 people. (But my friend said that it looks very small, can only fit 2 people)

When my friends went there, they upgraded our accommodations to PhP 3500 for 2 nights for a villa with CR, dining room, patio outside with swing, and our room was a cozy, airconditioned, attic-style (meaning sleeping in mattresses in the floor) to fit all 6 of us. The room itself wasn't much of a problem (or maybe the aircon was too cold? Anyway, our fault hehe). Though it needs some cleaning and maybe finish the furnishings?

Left house behind us is the villa. Right house is the main house, where rooms for 2-4 people are priced at 1,000 per night

Sounds cheap enough right? Unfortunately, they had a problem with the water at the time, and we had to get water from a pump (we climb mountains so we are not actually that picky, but... if you compare our accommodations with the others in the area which was water and better furnished, it's not worth it; If I was there, I would have gone for the EF Costales Lodge, which was near the port). And... no hot water for me because they were asleep before I could ask help in boiling water from the stove.

Advantages:
it's beachfront so we can do night swimming or even bonfire at night
use their kitchen for free
we had the place to ourselves, there was a patio, a swing, and a dining area outside

(Actually, we weren't able to go to the main house, but they said it's nice there.)

Expense: PhP 3500 for 6 people for 2 nights


3. Tour

We just asked the owner of the accommodations because their neighbor owns a boat, and could tour us for the same rate that they are asking in the tourist center (which is in the port, a good 10-minute tricycle ride for PhP15 per head). We got the day tour PhP 3500 to tour us to Cape Engano, Anguib Beach, and Crocodile Island (we didn't bother going to Punta Verde anymore and opted to spend more time in Anguib Beach). So we just got that for the convenience of it all.

We left our beach at around 7 to 7:30 AM, arrived on Cape Engano around 8 to 8:30 AM.
Even though it's just a 20-minute walk up the stairs, they still charged us PhP 600 for a guide fee for 6 of us. Published rate is actually PhP 300 per guide up to 4 people (with trails coming from Punta Verde and Sumaguin cave, as PUBLISHED). Since we were 6, we needed two guides. It's the same rate if we will be hiking from Punta Verde, which is 3 hours of hiking time times two-way. We asked for a discount because it's just a 20-minute walk, and the poster did say that the trek will be from Punta Verde and Sumaguin, and yet they still charged us the same.

I just took a deep breath, and told myself, it's like paying PhP 100 for an entrance fee to the light house. Let it go.

Anyway, the view was beautiful, and we were the first group to arrive so we still had the place to ourselves for some photo shoot hehe In fairness, the place was clean. They told us that they collect guide fees to guard the area against vandalism etc to preserve the place. (I agree that this could have been done in Batanes, and other places in the Philippines.)

Cape Engano Field

View of the beach while trekking

The Light House

Feeling Batanes lang

Isa pang feeling nasa Batanes hehe

View of the ruins from the light tower

We left around 10:30 AM and went straight to Anguib beach where we spend our time eating lunch, lounging around, and swimming. It was beautiful and sunny, and there were hardly any other people, so it was a good beach hehe We paid PhP 100 as entrance fee. Cottages were also offered at PhP 500 for the whole day, but we have our own sarongs anyway, and there were trees, so we just opted for the free picnic table.

Anguib Beach

Our Shady Little Nest

Panaroma view of the beach and our shady place in this island

Though it was noontime, the water wasn't that warm. It was actually cold after getting up from the beach (we think that maybe it's because of the cool wind). The water was also very clear, and the water was fine and white (though may no reach the powdery sand of Boracay or Dimaculangan beach in Bohol).

We left at around 3:30 PM. We dropped by quickly at the Crocodile Island for some quick photo op before resuming our trip back to our place.

Crocodile Island (we are in the eye of Lacoste)

And that's when the problem started. Apparently, our boat wasn't legitimate, and one of the other boatmen called up the tourist center. So instead of going home, the police met us halfway and escorted us to the tourist center.

I'm going to admit, I was stressed though I know we didn't really do anything wrong. Apparently, we didn't pay the day pass because we didn't go through the tourist center though they know that it's not our fault. They reprimanded the boat, Casa Empyreal, and called up the Kagawad to clear things up. Anyway... still, it was stressful.

The tourist center told us that their boat is secure with life vests, proper seating, and a proper roof. We only had the life vests, but yeah, I was wondering why we don't have proper seats and a roof on our boat (I used my malong as a cover instead.)

Here is the official price list:


I also asked if there are any land transportation available going to Anguib Beach, they told us it could be reached by tricycle, of about 20-30 minutes. Since we are 6, they estimated that we need two tricycles, with one trike costs PhP 300.

If I had known that, maybe we should have just took the boat to Cape Engano, had lunch back at our place, then took the land trip to Anguib Beach. It would have cost cheaper, right?

Or even if we took the boat, we could have just gone to Cape Engano and Anguib Beach for PhP 3,000. We didn't really think the Crocodile Island was worth stopping for. Though... that trip is only good for 6 hours.

Anyway, so I'm posting this information to let anyone who might be interested.
Simply get the boat from the Tourist Center, and not from your accommodations.

Expenses: PhP 848.33
Boat - 3500/grp or 583.33
Guide fee (Cape Engano) - 600/grp or 100/pax
Anguib beach entrance fee - 100
Day pass - 50
Trike from port to Casa Empyreal - 15

4. Food
Well, I let my friends took over and just buy food from the market.
Our common fund indicates around PhP 350 per head.


So there!
It was one heck of a misadventure after another (I didn't even include that we almost missed our bus going to Sta. Ana, because I forgot the bus tickets haha), but it's actually these experiences and misadventures that actually make a trip worthwhile.

The people of Sta. Ana are nice and friendly, and I don't think there are much tourist traps in the area (hopefully), but because of the miscommunication and the problems that we encountered, we didn't tip anymore. But at least we didn't haggle the price, especially for the boat and for the accommodations (I didn't know if my friends knew that there was a problem with the water when they agreed?)

Certification for Visa Requirements

I know I said I'm not going to travel this year. It's a year supposedly to rest. And yet, after attending the travel expo, I suddenly want to go out and visit my friends in different countries. That's why I want to go to US, Canada, and New Zealand. Then there's the family Japan trip next March. So, as early as now, I want to start my visa applications. I hope to go to Canada or US this year, maybe October or November and see falling leaves :)

Anyway, I applied for US interview, then plan to submit my documents online for Canadian visa. I don't know what to do with the hard copies of my requirements though. If I am going to apply for a Japan or New Zealand visa, as early as now, or maybe just use them for my reference hehe

So... there is the usual requirements like the application forms, certificate of employment, and ITR. What I want to disclose is the information I've gained with regards to certifications for investments and bank deposits.

Bank Products:

1. BPI Savings account - request it at your branch of choice, claim it on the same afternoon. Fee PhP 100.
2. BPI Direct Savings account - call BPI direct at 89-100, claim it at your branch of choice after one week. Fee PhP 100.
3. BDO Savings account - request it at your branch, claim at the next day (or get yesterday's balance if you want to claim on the same day). Fee PhP 100. Includes current available balance as of a certain date.
4. BDO IUTF - request it at branch where you opened it, claim it the next day. Fee PhP 100.

Investments

1. COL Financial - fill up form, and email to stockcerts@colfinancial.com. 2-3 days (you can choose by email, pick up or mail). Fee PhP 100. Includes date when we opened the account, Cash Position, Stock positions, and Total Equity Value as of date requested.
2. Metrosec - fill up form, email to metrosec. 2-3 days. Fee PhP 50.
3. ALFM - call ALFM, claim it at BPI branch of convenience after 2-3 days. (My ALFM account is tied up with my BPI RSP.)  Free. 
4. FAMI - email/call FAMI, mail to you within 2-3 days. Free. Includes number of shares and balance of account as of requested date.
5. Philequity - I emailed them, but no reply. (Anyway, service here is really slow for the last couple of weeks while I was doing my regular transactions, so I didn't even expect much.)
6. Sunlife Maxilink Prime - requested in via email, still don't know when it will arrive in the mail. (Apparently) Free.

So... because of these things, I am thinking if I should just really maintain most of my money in Mutual Funds. At least, I can request certification from them for free. Most convenient is ALFM, but I guess FAMI should be convenient if the mail gets to me in 2-3 days time.

I have also used BPI's ABF Bond fund, and transferring money from my Bond Fund to my Savings Account, while I was abroad was also easy. Though it took 2-3 working days, I think. Definitely needs some time allowance.

It's rather hard looking at several portfolios and investments. I am thinking after 5 years' time, I should just take my money out, and transfer it to my other stocks... But then, what would happen to my compound interests, right?

Travel Tips

I have traveled so many times since I was a kid. I thought that a summer wasn't complete when there's no vacation. And when I got older, and able to earn my own money, I didn't realize until later that I traveled every month for 1 year haha

So what did I learn from all these traveling? Let me share this with you:

1. Don't forget your valid documents and money
Tickets - double check the time, date and even the terminal number (I know someone who got lost because of the terminal number)

Passport - make sure that your passport is valid for 6 months from the date the trip ends. If renewing it takes too long (usually a month), ask for an extension instead from DFA, which is processed much faster (I learned this the hard way, and wasn't allowed to board! I was left while my family was in KL.) Also for security purposes, photocopy the first 2 pages of your passport (or in my case, I just take a picture and upload it to my Dropbox online), in case anything happens, you have a copy of your passport.

Visa - make sure that you give appropriate time for your visa application, a friend told me a month is usually enough. (Besides if the application took more than 1 month, then they'll probably deny you.) Ask around how fast the processing takes, because sometimes if you applied to early (usually if you brought the tickets 6 months in advance due to promo fares), the visa will already expire by the time your ticket is already valid (my friend learned this the hard way, when she was so excited and applied too early for a Korean visa)

Money - personally, I just bring a couple of hundred USD. This is because I just use my BPI and Metrobank ATM internationally. (Make sure to call ahead of time to tell them that you plan to use them abroad.) From experience, Metrobank charges a smaller fee (actually, they didn't charge me using this certain ATM in Bangkok) compared to BPI back here at home. The exchange rate is generally fair with banks, and this is more convenient and secure for me as well, because I don't want to carry too much cash. International ATM may or may not charge you (they usually ask before the transaction), as well as local fees apply (usually 1-2 USD), so make sure to make as few withdrawals as possible for the whole trip. (When we were in Europe for 3 weeks, I only withdrew 2x.)

Credit Cards - I usually have 1 or 2 international credit cards, for emergencies. When I was in Turkey for a stop-over, I just charged my meal to my credit card instead of withdrawing money. For me, my favorite is HSBC Platinum which accumulates more points when used internationally as compared to my Citibank Rewards.

2. Travel lite
A lot of people takes hours to pack. Okay, I was one of those people, but eventually I learned how to pack efficiently.

Clothes - the bulk of it usually contains clothes. Know the itinerary so you can plan ahead. Generally, number of days = number of underwear = number of shirts. I just repeat some of my pants or shorts especially when the trip is too long. Or if it's really long, like 3 weeks, generally number of days = 1/2 number of underwear = 1/2 number of shirts and I will just do laundry while traveling. I also have those flanella-like Towelite that dries quickly and not bulky, which can also double as a blanket if needed. I always bring a jacket because sometimes it's the airplane that's very cold. If you have versatile clothes, that has many styles or uses or with reversible designs, I usually bring those. (For example, rashguards can be used during water activities as well as climbing during rainy weather. Or this loose top would look great with my bathing suit as well as with my shorts. You get the idea.)

Also, while packing, read up on the temperature and the weather of the country you're visiting. Every country has a different season for summer, and pack appropriately.

Take note of the culture and practices of the country you're visiting, as countries in the Middle East and attending temples in India, Thailand, and Cambodia generally have a dress code that we should respect as travelers.

Shoes - generally, I wear my bulkiest shoes (usually rubber shoes but this depends on the itinerary; my sister wore her heels), then pack my rubber slippers. If you want to bring another shoe, that's fine if you're sure you're going to use it. (Remember, you're bringing it yourself.) I still try to bring my versatile footwear, like my waterproof sandals for walking, trekking, river-rafting, etc.

Toiletries - if you're staying at a hotel, then good for you, because you have the option of not bringing much. Otherwise, remember sachets! There's shampoo, conditioners, deodorant, toothpaste, lotions, foundations, etc. They are light and neat, and you can throw them away after use.
Okay, not so good for the environment; if you want a more environmental plan, just transfer them into travel-size toiletry bottles available in Watson's.
Also, make sure to put them in a plastic vacuum-sealed bag, so in case they spill, it won't go to your clothes and other items. While the clothes are the bulk, toiletries can also weight a lot if not packed right. (I know of someone who packed too heavy, because of the toiletries!)

Electronics - if you're not going to use your laptop, why are you going to bring it? For me, my smartphone already works as a phone, computer, camera, music player, etc. Generally, I just bring my charger, and that's about it. But if you're a photographer, make sure to just bring the necessities. (When I was in Korea for 10 days, I made sure to use all the lenses I brought.)

And yes, when you go to a different country, take note of the voltage. Or just bring a universal travel adaptor.

When you're sharing your room with others, it's also better to bring an octopus-like adaptor because sometimes a lot of you needs to charge something and the outlets are only few. There are adaptors that are very slim and lightweight, bring those. (Please, don't bring an actual octopus because they are bulky.)


To be continued...

Money Habits

When you'd asked my sisters, who is the cheapest of us all, I'm pretty sure they'd point me out haha
I'm just a simple girl! Haha But I spend my money on investments and travel, usually. I'm not into gadgets much, and I don't believe I'm also into clothes or shoe shopping. If ever, I can be addicted to online shopping instead haha

Anyway, how does one really become rich?

1. Living below your means
This is the problem with most Filipinos. Once they get their salary, it's time to celebrate and tada, the money flies! Or just because you get promoted, it doesn't mean that you have higher budget for spending too. If you can live simply before getting promoted, why do you have to change your lifestyle?

2. Keep a cash flow
When I was in grade 6, I started working for summer jobs for my parents. And they were real jobs, desk jobs like accounting and secretarial work (I had always been good with computers, typing and numbers) and physical jobs like being a gasoline girl (Okay, I was a bit older, like maybe 16? Haha). That's when I started listing down my salary, and where they go. After that summer, I continued to list my expenses and my allowances. (I had a cute organizer back then so I remembered using it a lot. After that, well, I kind of drifted off for a while and went back to being a kid.)

But when I started working again, I had to make a cash flow of my salary and expenses and where my income is going. I had to make sure I have a positive balance every month. This will enable you to figure out your budget.

3. Be disciplined and stick to your budget!
From your cash flow, you can see your needs and wants. It's better this way to figure out your budget every month. There are so many ways to budget. My budget when I was in high school up to med school were more of a cash flow and just generally living within my means. I learned to be more organized as I grew and learn.

There is the 10/10/80, which was taught by Bo Sanchez. It means once you get your net salary, you can allot 10% in tithes, 10% investments, and 80% daily living. Why do you need tithes? Because it was God who put you here, give you your talents and your job, and a measly 10% would only be small to repay for God, right? Besides, whatever comes around, goes around; good karma, etc. The other 10% is like paying for your future self, invest in yourself by putting your money in a mutual fund or IUTF or the stock market. The rest of your salary, you can spend on yourself.

Of course, you can always do better than that and just do 10/40/50 if you're single, not supporting anyone, living with parents, and doesn't have much needs for expenses.

For me, I currently use the JARS system. I have the following categories, and divide them accordingly:
10% Tithe - include donations to church and charity organizations
25% Investment - includes IUTF, Mutual Funds, Stocks
10% Work - includes transportation, food
10% Social - includes dating, meeting up with friends, sports/activity/movie
10% Personal - includes my cellphone, spa, medical and dental needs
10% Education - includes tuition, food
10% Shopping - includes grocery shopping, clothes, shoes, electrical needs
10% Travel - because everyone needs a break once in a while
5% Misc - because there are just somethings that don't fit in the other categories like unaccounted loss/gain, back charges

Up until recently, when I became a part-time student did I realize I need that category, because tuition would eat up a huge part of my budget, if I didn't prepare for it well.

Of course, budgeting is very flexible and it of course depends on you. Though the 10/10/80 might be simpler. Just remember to have a budget and stick to it.

4. Time is your friend
Some people don't realize that time is also money. That when you're wasting time, you're also wasting money. Invest and make time your ally.

Investing doesn't have to cost much. You just need to deposit even PhP 500 every month and eventually, it will increase through the power of compound interest. Watch about it in YouTube Pesos and Sense when they compared investing early and small, as compared to investing later, but bigger. You'll see that the earlier investor actually gained more!

Also, I'm not a big fan of the television (except the news), or idle time in the computer (okay, I'm guilty of Facebook). As much as possible, read and learn! Improve yourself. Do you want to fix your finances? Learn about finance, read up on the different IUTF and mutual funds. Learn about the stock market and forex. Read about the risks in properties. Look into more passive investments!

I learned another time-saving technique. When traveling, instead of listening to music, try listening to an audiobook instead. It will grow your mind, inspire you, and educate you.

5. Don't spend money you don't have. Avoid loans.
Try not to get into the habit of borrowing money from people, telling them that you'll pay them on payday. Sometimes, it will all compile and by the time that it's payday, you're already broke! Have the discipline not to spend on your wants. Aim yourself to maintain a positive balance every month.

6. Pay your credit cards on time and in full.
Credit cards make money by the charges that you incur with penalties, which increase and multiply because of compound interest. So make sure that before you swipe that card, make sure that you have enough money in your account to pay for it. Don't even wait for the deadline to pay, you can pay earlier just to make sure you don't incur any late charges. (I set my alarm 5 days before the actual due date.) Don't also use the Cash Advance or Loans because the charge is also higher.

If you know how to use your credit cards wisely, you can actually use them to get freebies and discounts to some restaurants. (My mother is a big fan of these because she uses her credit card for the business and gets freebies in many restaurants.) You can also exchange points accumulated for gift certificates and rewards. (Maybe next time, I will write on my credit cards.)

7. Keep yourself secure.
Of course, this all sounds so good on paper when you don't have people to help, medical bills, or already in debt. Hence, before investing, make sure that you have an emergency fund, and a personal insurance for yourself.

In your budget, instead of invest, replace it with Loans so you can finish paying your loan first. Once that is replaced, save for your emergency fund of at least 3-6 months worth of living expenses (in case you ran out of work).

Once you have an emergency fund, it's also better to have a personal health and life insurance for yourself, so in case anything happens to you, you don't have to dig into your investment accounts. The insurance will take care of it for you. (Personally, I have Kaiser, which has a health and life insurance with investment component. In case that I don't become sick or die, I can still claim my money at 65 years old... Though by that time, I think I just want to continue my health and life insurance, right? I think it's a good buy. Currently, it's accredited in World Citi (which is near our house), St. Luke's and Makati Med.

8. Stop those impulse spending. 
If you can still use your old phone, why would you buy something new. If your laptop is still working, do you really need a tablet? In this world of technology, it's so important to live simply and let go of those materialistic impulses.

If you really want to be frugal, when going inside a restaurant, think about the food that you will order. If a meal costs PhP 300, when you know that it's only going to satisfy your hunger for 3-4 hours then it will just disappear, is it worth it? (Well, that's really cheap-thinking hehe Because I know that there is quality food, but would you want to spend PhP 300 every time when you know that in some other restaurant, it can also keep you satisfied for less than PhP 100?) When my sister and I were out shopping, she told me that she would buy clothes/shoes/whatever instead of lunch because the value of her clothes will last longer than a few hours in her stomach.

Hmm... that's it for now. I'm getting hungry. I still have to cook my dinner.
Remember, read and educate yourself; time and discipline are keys to getting rich!

How I Got into Investment

I have been working for 5 years, and yes I am a millionaire by the time I reached 30! Yey! (Though this is in paper assets, regardless, I am happy hehe)

I am lucky that I have been exposed to finance and wealth while I was starting out. When I got my first job, I was already looking into investments on where to put my money. (Initially, I was going to put my savings there, give time for it to grow while I go into residency, so by the time I graduated, it would increase!) I subscribed to Truly Rich Club initially, opened an account with Citisec (currently renamed COL Financial), and took me 6 months before I really had the nerve to start investing.

At first I started small, 1,000 to 2,000 per company per month until I realized that I am losing more money by not investing because my money in the stock market was already growing faster than the one in my back. So then, I invested regularly in bigger amounts, invested in one to two stocks per month for 6 months, then just watch it grow. I would invest in other stocks, until I have a variety of stocks. (Now, I just want to focus on a few, but I don't want to let go of my stocks, so I just let them grow.)

Since I also had a Metrobank account, I tried another stock broker, FirstMetrosec. For me, COL Financial is still better for beginners because they have monthly and more easy-to-read reports than Metrosec. But in Metrosec, I get my stock certificates by mail. Also, in Metrosec, my money is easily transfers from my Metrobank online account which is great. (In Citisec, if you want to get your money out, you have to pass by PSE bldg to get your check.)

Then I started looking for other investment options, like mutual funds. There are three kinds of mutual funds: bond, balance, and equity. I chose equity fund, which is mostly invested in stocks, chosen by a fund manager who watches the stocks for me. I invested here regularly during my 2nd year. (Well, I was able to invest in FAMI regularly because I had a Metrobank account then. Philequity actually had a bigger return, but it's harder for me because their process is more tedious and I didn't have a BDO account then.)

So, FAMI VS Philequity, which one is better? In terms of return, Philequity is better. Though investing in FAMI is more convenient especially when you have a Metrobank Account, and they also sent quarterly SOA. (I think my sister receives monthly SOA accounts from them.) Philequity also has monthly SOA, though they send it by email. (It doesn't look very official when I need to show it to the embassy for visa purposes.) If you have a BDO account, you can also do electronic fund transfer to Philequity, but you also have to fill out this form every time you make an investment (so it is definitely less convenient).

So there I was, growing my money for 2-3 years, regularly investing in Mutual Funds when I became too busy to watch the stocks. And investing in MF for me is better because I don't have to watch the market, scared of it crashing down due to my choices. At least in MF, there is a fund manager whom I have more faith on than my financial analytical skills (I don't have time to study the charts so I just regularly invest). It doesn't guarantee returns also, but I think that there is less votality in MF.

On my 4th year, I chose to work with IUTF which is similar to mutual funds, but these are more affiliated with banks, they don't charge an opening fee, but they do have an annual maintainance fee. Anyway, since I had BPI and BDO, I invested in both using automatic debit to regularly make my investment. So, which is better?

In terms of returns, they are not far from each other, about 1-2% change only in difference. In terms of convenience, they are both convenient as they are debited directly from your deposit accounts. But if you want to make an additional investment, BPI is definitely better because I haven't found a way to do electronic fund transfer to fund by BDO Equity account, except through my EIP (easy investment plan). In terms of statement of account, I think BDO is better because it shows the date, the amount invested, even the profits already gained from that first investment. BPI just clumps them all together in average. BDO also has Certificate of Participation, which unfortunately you have to pick-up from a BDO branch because you have to sign it. BPI on the other hand, mails you the receipt and transaction.

Currently, I'm on my 5th year of investing. Concentrating on BDO IUTF and Philequity mutual fund instead of worrying about the stock market myself. I am not currently, thinking on going into properties... But I think I still don't have enough budget for that kind of investment. Not if I want to get my other investments out hehe And I promised myself to hold these investments for atleast 5 years! Hehe