BPI Credit Card Customer Service: HELPLESS Helpdesk

Is it just me or the 89100 Customer Service number of BPI credit card really SUCK?! 

I was one of the "lucky" people to be given an automatically approved credit card from BPI.  There was no paper work required.  Just a telephone interview from their call center and the card was delivered to me in no time.  However, I already have a couple of credit cards already so I just shelved it and eventually forgot about it.  Early this year, I used it for a couple of transactions only to find out that it had been more than a year already and I was billed the annual fee.  Not wanting to pay that amount, I tried callling their 89100 Customer Assistance number but I never got a chance to talk to an agent.  That was two months ago and I'm still trying to call this number.  I browsed through their internet site and tried to communicate via electronic mail but I was unable to find any e-mail address I can send my letter to.

Eventually, I got tired trying and just approached a manager to ask for assistance.  According to the manager they have no customer service email address and my request should pass through their customer assistance number.  Apparently, BPI had a system migration which affected both their bank transaction and their telephony.  Unfortunately, even with the assurance from the manager that everything is alright now, I'm still unable to contact this number. 

I say, "BPI SUCKS!"

Chick-Boy Review

I love eating and has this knack for trying out what's new in the fastfood market.  Naturally, the buzz about Chic-Boy caught my attention. 

So far, everyone that I have spoken to who've already had an eating experience in this place gave me good reviews.  So, just this evening, I asked my wife for a dinner date at the newly opened Chic-Boy outlet at Fairview.  It was around 7pm and it was semi-peak.  The ground floor was airconditioned.  I would have chosen to seat there but it was already full so there was no choice but go to the second floor dining al fresco.  Needless to say, all the smokers were there---not good for my asthma!  Oh, well...the craving to taste what all the talk was all about numbed me from the second hand smoke.

I got there first ahead of my wife and was instantly served with free soup.  "Sabaw ng linagang baka," says the service crew.  Plus points for the store.

My wife finally arrives and for Php 338 we got to order Cebu Lechon Liempo and Cebu Lechon Manok with rice, Palabok, Lumpiang Sariwa, and Bottomless Ice Teas.  In other establishments, an order of bottomless ice tea would cost around Php 60 but here it's only Php 25.  Sweet!  They also offer "rice-all-you-can".  After dinner, me and my wife were tanked!  

The VERDICT:

1.  Food - If you eat to savor the food, this is not the place for you.  I found nothing special in terms of taste.  Actually, I have tasted better.  But if you want to get filled up at a minimal cost, you can go here and splurge on the bottomless ice tea and all the rice you want.  If you're particular about the viand, the lechon manok quarter leg looked like that of a spring chicken.  The lechon liempo has more servings though. 

2.  Service - The service crew were friendly.  It took about 10 minutes for our food to arrive but it was not newly cooked---not even a hint of heat when I got my first bite.

3.  Ambiance - The place was barely a month old so it still looked fresh.  Don't expect cushioned seats here.  No back rest too.  They have a 6 car parking with an option to park along the adjacent street if need be.  If you have asthma, stay clear of the al fresco dining area---it's a cacophony of second hand smore and carbon monoxide from the passing vehicles along Regalado Avenue.

4.  Location - You'll know that people love this place if you see those commuting south-bound braving the crossing of Regalado Avenue.  Otherwise, it would be a nice stop over for lunch or dinner when travelling north-bound. 

Ramblings...

I woke up early as usual and went through my regular early morning routine (of cooking breakfast for the kids and multi-tasking in Facebook) when I felt a nagging pain on my rightside chest.  Still, I went on my business and tried to ignore it.  After escorting my mother to her jeepney stop for church, I got into a jeepney on my way to work.  The pain was already bothersome by now.  I already  felt difficulty getting deep breaths.  So I finally decided to go straight to the FEU hospital to get some doctor's advise.  

It was a slow day at the ER that time around 5:30am so I got immediate attention.  The nurse got my pulse, blood pressure, and ECG.  Unfortunately, it was male nurse which ruled out any happy hour during my stay.  Actually, there was a scarcity of any pretty nurses or interns around which made my stay quite boring.  After 30 minutes, the doctor tells me that my vitals were all normal.  He then decides to give me a painkiller.  After an hour, the pain finally subsided.  According to the doctor's report it was COSTOCHRONDITIS.  Unfortunately, I had an allergic reaction to the the painkiller I was given to take and ended up with itchy, swollen eyes as if I got into a round with Pacman.  Now I'm the source of humor by Chesca who says that I look like Majinboo (whoever that is).

I think I had the same episode a couple of years ago.  I also brought myself to the hospital with the same problem.  That time I did not tell my wife until I got home.  You can just imagine the flack that I got for not telling her.  So this time I called her as soon as I got to the ER.  My first words were, "Do not panic."  I guess it was something you don't tell your wife when you're calling from the ER.  Although she did not go to hysterics, she just got in her shirt and jeans and set off without doing her morning hygiene rituals and was by my side in no time.  Sweet, right?  That's why I love my wife very much!

Bus Travelling Tips

I guess with my many years of  travelling the Fairview to Megamall route by bus makes me kind of an expert in the subject matter, so allow me to provide you some tips when going this road and then some.

On a Monday...

-set off early.  If you're from Lagro or beyond, don't let yourself be caught at the juncture of Regalado and Commonwealth Avenue at 6am---if you don't want to get stuck there for a LONG while.

-and you're running late, take the Ayala bus.  It will by-pass the Ortigas intersection and buy you around 10-15 minutes of traffic time.  However, you need to make sure that you sit near the entrance.  It's often times standing room come Mega Mall and it's going to be a real bitch getting off if you're seated at the back.

-everyone seems to be running late.  When this happens and you happen to be one of them idiots who think they can outrun the Monday morning rush---you better make sure you find a front row seat; otherwise, it will be a bitch squeezing your way out of a fully packed bus.

When picking a bus...

-well, if you're a tall, big guy like me, you need more leg room.  In my experience, the Jayross bus fits my size to a T...well, most of them mostly (I do belive they also have different makes of buses where sitting is concened).  There's also Kellen and Taguig Lines but these two are oftentimes already filled up by the time they get to my waiting stations at the Petron station in Fairview (near the SSS Village) and at SM Megamall.

To bring or not to bring...a sweater...

-if you're travelling early morning or evening, I suggest you do.  Super cold these new buses especially during those times.  With the old buses, commuters would complain that it's too hot.  Now, with the new buses it's extremely cold.  I'm not complaining though.  Better cold than hot.  Sweat of different stench plus the heat can be a very nauseating experience.  (Paano ka naman matutulog nun?)

Telenovela, news, or a movie?

-I'm not fond of telenovelas (except those sexy Mexican types where it's more flaunting of cleavages and skin tight outfits); the news would always showcase the bad (not a great way to start your day I tell you); so I guess it's a movie for me.  Which leads to the question---"Why is it that there would be instances when they show imported movies with subtitles?   I absolutely hate this!  How can you concentrate on watching when you're too busy trying to read what the characters are saying?!  Anyway, unless it's a favorite movie of mine, I normally go to sleep throughout the bus ride.

The best seat in the house is...

-the one nearest the window.  This is more an advantage for a big guy like me.  Basically I occupy 1 1/4 of the seating space so it's "sorry" to those seating with me.  The downside is that it's hard to plow through stubborn seatmates when getting out of the bus.  Sorry again if you refuse to budge from your seat when I'm on my way out 'cause---I'm definitely going to pass you whichever which way I can. Crash and burn, baby!

The worst seat in the house is...

-the back seat.  Other than the it's the worst place to be when getting out of a packed bus, if the rear wheel suspension ain't that good---it's sure to be one hell of a bumpy ride!

Is sleeping in the bus safe?

-If you're a woman or a puny little man with a flamboyant attitude, better keep alert.  Pick pockets will zero in on you and strike if you're not alert or will simply bully you to give up your things.  If you're pretty or is dressed to show more skin, expect to be stared on by  the men.  Worse case you get to seat beside a sexual deviant---now that's going to be creepy!

Where's the vacuum?

That was the very first question that I asked my wife when I heard this story.


My son was confined at the FEU hospital for five days. The hospital was fully booked and the only remaining room was the Executive Suite Room which is two levels up versus my health insurance coverage.

We had waited to be admitted for more than an hour and when it was finally our turn I was informed that there is no more regular private room available nor any other room lower than my coverage except the Executive Suite Room. Given the late hour and the need to have my son checked, I agreed to check in to that room in the hope that there would be an available regular private room available the following day. No such luck.

In fairness, the room was spacious and except for the hospital bed, it did not look like a hospital room at all. There was a ref, a leather sofa, a four person dining table, a wash sink, and a personal bath with hot water. Oh, and did I mention that the floor was carpeted? Well it was! Such a nice room it was!

However, I can’t say the same in terms of services.

Having stayed there for 3 days, my wife noticed that no one came to clean up the carpet. So that’s three days worth of food crumbs, dirt, and what not. A tickler for cleanliness, my wife couldn’t resist calling up housekeeping to request that the carpet be cleaned. Expeditious action is definitely an asset of this hospital. Within minutes, here comes the housekeep. He tells my wife and son to cover their noses and then proceeds to sweep the floor. What?! Sweep the floor?! Where’s the vacuum?!

I should have seen this coming. On our first day, my wife would like to take a hot shower and found the heater was not working. Again, their maintenance people got there quick checked on the problem. When they where done, I asked what the problem was. According to the tech, “Mahina ang tubig sir kaya walang nakakarga sa heater.” What?! A suite room with a low water pressure? E manong pang sinisingil ka ng mahal?!

Hmmm…dapat yata e mag demand ako ng discount.

Paul Junior Designs: Gears of War Trike

Man!  This bike blew my mind!  Really freaky!  A further testament to Paul Teutul Jr.'s creative mind.  Although "The Machine" cannot be credited to Junior alone (the steering mechanism was Brendon's idea), he is not bound by convention and has an open ear to out of the box ideas.  This is what custom bike is all about---innovative and one of a kind.

The bike was commissioned by Epic Games to promote their latest Gears of War game and was unveiled at the ComicCon in San Diego, California.

The highlights of this bike are:

1.  Steering - Unlike a normal bike that come with handle bars...who am I kidding---this is not a normal bike!  This bike is fantasy come to life!  Steering was an innovation not done in any other bike or trike for that matter.  Push-pull cables where utilized for control.

2.  Wheels - Simply MASSIVE!  Each wheel weights at a staggering 141 lbs.  Designed to traverse the terrains of the planet Sera.

3.  Nickel Plating - The first time Junior incorporated nickel plating on a bike was during the Liberty Bike build.  It surely went in nicely with the out of this world steering mechanism of "The Machine".

4.  Gatling Gun exhaust - Nothing like two Gatling Guns to mow down those Locust Hordes!

5.  Overall incredible paint job by Nub - It's a Nubby masterpiece!

In my opinion, this creation brought PJD out of the shadows of OCC.

A Depressing ER Experience

A hospital’s emergency room is the most depressing room to be in.  The atmosphere is foreboding, stressful and utterly depressing. 

My three year old son was recommended to be confined after a routine check up.  He was with fever and dehydrated.  So my wife and I took him to the FEU hospital in Fairview.  There was no skirting the ER since this is the first step prior to admission.

The very instant that you breathe in that ER air you are automatically burdened with a heavy heart in the midst of all the drama around.

The FEU ER was packed when we arrived around 5pm.  Four priority cases are being attended to and it was rather depressing to be in the middle of it all.  Relatives of those in critical condition are either teary eyed, crying, or in total breakdown.  One case that struck a nerve was that of a baby who was fighting for his/her life.  A doctor was seemingly giving him/her CPR, another looked like she was trying to wake up the child and was shaking his/her right hand, and another was pumping air into the child’s mouth.  The child had a bloated abdomen and dark in color.  This went on for more than an hour and then the wailing started.  The child did not survive and relatives were crying.  It was really dispiriting.   

It was the longest wait that I had to endure.  Being a parent, I felt the pain.  My heart felt heavy.  I said a silent prayer for that child.  May he/she rest in peace.