Month: August 2012

Traveling and foreign currencies

Money matters

Going on a vacation means spending money on the currency of the place of your destination. For example, I am currently in Thailand so I am spending Baht where I am now. I wonder… Do you convert your local money into the currency of your destination at your country? Or do you wait until you are at your destination before you exchange your cash?

What I learned in this trip, on the very first few hours that I am here in Thailand, is that it is best to leave your country with your cash converted into the currency of your destination. Most specially if the country of your destination is a non-English country where very few people can speak English fluently. I am not discriminating here, I must say. I am just saying that the language barrier makes it more difficult to transact and understand the rules in banking and foreign exchange here. Plus the fact that conversion rate here is way higher than the conversion rate in my country.

My sister was trying to withdraw money using her international ATM card in several different ATMs here in the Thailand airport but it kept giving back a “transaction is invalid” message. What should have been the money meant to pay for our hotel stay is still in her bank account in our country because she opted to withdraw here thinking the rate would be in our favor and it is easy to transact foreign exchange here.

So that’s a lesson learned for me and my sister. Don’t ever rely solely on the foreign exchange of your destination. As much as possible, prepare everything including the foreign currency of your destination at your own country.

2 comments

Anti-Cybercrime Bill

Internet-Web Devt

The House of Representatives passed the newest version of the Anti-Cybercrime Bill (HB 5808). It is also known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 which includes online threats and online defamation as cybercrime offenses. The Senate had the old version of the bill Anti Cybercrime Bill (Senate Bill 2796). The House of Representatives and the Senate will consolidate both bills into one and will be passed into law after approval of the president.

Now, cybercrime not only includes online intrusion, hacking or illegal use of network resources but online libel as well.

For those found guilty of online defamation, penalty will be a minimum of Php500,000 and a maximum of 1M pesos plus jail time.

I am still vague about this bill because on one hand it will curtail the freedom of speech we bloggers have. But on another hand it will at least give us bloggers and other online people a rule to follow and a leash so as not to abuse the online freedom we are given.

What do you think of this Anti-Cybercrime Bill?

Leave a comment , , , , ,

Monopoly in cable provider industry

Local Companies Customer Service

I read in Yugatech.com a while back that SkyCable, the leading cable TV provider here in the Philippines bought Global Destiny Cable TV and one other cable provider. Truth be told, I don’t care if SkyCable would want to buy every cable provider there is in the country. All others except Destiny. It is our cable provider at home and we were happy with their service before SkyCable bought the company. These days, cable reception is very poor and their customer service has become so-so. Before the buy out, Destiny’s customer service was great. They would act on any complaint as soon as possible. Sometimes in a matter of two to three hours after your call or text message. They used to act that fast! But these days… and I can understand why the company’s gone that way. I do believe the employees left are demoralized by the buy out.

And I have no one to blame but SkyCable. The cable provider who charges way higher than any other cable service in the country. They charge around 700pesos up, I am not sure of the exact amount. But I knew from my aunt that it’s higher than Destiny’s 500 pesos a month. Destiny doesn’t have the Lifestyle Network, AXN, Starworld, Velvel and some other channels. But Destiny has TLC, FOX Channel, Chase, BIO, Warner Channel, 2ndAvenue and TalkTV. I love the channels we have in our cable network. But SkyCable, wanting to monopolize the cable business industry I am sure, just up and messed with our cable provider.

Ugh!

Truth is that we are already anticipating a higher charge with our cable subscription. Now that SkyCable owns Destiny, I am sure there will be new rules and all that. I just wish they won’t take away the channels that we love.

2 comments ,