Odd

I had to make an advisory to other editors that our Philippines reporter and I will take the day off because idiot president hastily declared a holiday late Thursday afternoon. We could have made better plans for the long weekend.

Despite the declaration of a holiday, the event at the central bank pushed through. Of course, you can’t reset a thing like this without making a mess of bank presidents’, CEOs and conglomerate owners’ schedules.

The good thing here though is that the roads are less congested. Wohoo!

On the way to Makati to pick up another journo. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

I worked for a bit at Starbucks in G5 because of companies (or rather pushy PRs) that insist on their own way, forgetting that there is such thing as editorial independence. Diva execs, pushy PRs, and unreasonable company policies–what a way to end the week.

A bit of a pain to work with MS Outlook on Android because it doesn’t have a search function and html formatting editor but it will do because my Samsung tablet is much lighter than my laptop. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

Upon arriving at the central bank, I noticed there were new paintings at the 3rd floor lobby. One staff member told me they have just acquired the collection of UCPB and that is now scattered all over the main building. Unfortunately, I only had time to see three paintings when there must have been hundreds of them. I had to work my butt off last night.

I will never probably understand or appreciate an HR Ocampo piece. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
1898 by Edwin Wilwayco. I like this take on the Philippine flag. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Jose Joya, an artist that I could not appreciate when I was younger but now I do. It’s not about what you need to see but how an artwork makes you feel. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

One time I will tell my friends at the BSP comms dept I will drop by to see the sculptures and paintings in their collection during one less hectic day. It’s not easy to gain access there and I had been going in and out of their premises regularly for years as a reporter. Might as well take advantage of that.

They gave me this uncut live currency to add to my collection of like items and commemorative coins. I’m still looking for the uncut 20-peso bills where I had former central bank governors sign their names. Two of them sadly passed on. That item is one of the, if not the most precious souvenir I had kept as a banking reporter. The girls’ dad must have it with him, including my analog cameras.

Photo by CallMeCreation.com

My 15th year attending this event

16 years covering the business beat. 15 years attending this event at the central bank and chasing all these CEOs, bankers, company owners, conglomerate owners…

Driving to the central bank this afternoon.

I could feel age catching up with me. I could no longer chase them as I used to. I used to target everybody but this time I only talked to the familar and dear ones.

Every year I also receive collectors’ items from the central bank. Only a few of us are given these. Back in 2006, I had one entire mat of uncut 20-peso bill signed by former central bank governors. Sadly, one of them passed only a few months or a year after he signed it.

Photo by CallMeCreation.com
Photo by CallMeCreation.com
See-through bill. Can’t remember if it was the SGD 100 bill was similar to this. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

They also gave us some prints from the BSP art collection. I can have these framed for my tiny house.

An Arturo Luz print. Photo by CallMeCreation.com
A Juan Senson print. Photo by CallMeCreation.com

I’m tired. I gave four reporters a ride home tonight and dropped them at their doorsteps in different parts of QC.

Day 13 without a car

New bumper.

So my all-around mechanic sent me photos of how my car looks right now. They said the body needs some scuffing before applying primer and buffing.

They evened out the dents and scratches with body fillers. Hopefully in the next few days there would be no thunderstorm so I can have my car ASAP. I’m already dying inside.

Meanwhile, I found myself finishing work earlier than usual that I decided to go to the salon and have a hair treatment. I think I won’t have any time next week before the event at the central bank so better do it now.

Went to the salon I had been going to for the last 10 years. ON foot. Under the rain. Yes, I cannot emphasize this enough that I don’t have a car, just like an alcoholic would go on and on about not having anything else to drink

Mirror selfie.
Yeah, I’m alright.

So this would be my look for next week. I look decent enough for the executives I would be chasing all around either at the Metropolitan Art Museum or at Fort San Antonio Abad.

I figured I’ll just take LRT2 and then LRT1 and disembark at Vito Cruz then take a taxi from there to Hotel Jen and work from there from noon until I need to go to the central bank.

Please don’t rain!!!

I had been going to this event since 2007 so I know what to expect. I once went there wearing high heeled shoes so I ended the night with a lot of blisters. 👠 I will never torture my feet again like that. 👗👛💄

IT’S THAT TIME OF THE YEAR…

…when we had to dress up and run after sources. Stand up for hours. Forget about eating first. Getting a word or string of words out of Lucio Tan is more important than stuffing your face with Via Mare.

Reporters interviewing Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla

Had been going to this Bankers’ Night for 8 years now and it seems like everything is held constant. However, Marianne Go of Philippine Star said the older bankers are disappearing one by one from this annual affair. Another banker said they used to talk about kids, business, etc but now they’re talking about their state of health. Haha.

And in all of those 8 years, this is the first time I had a photo with BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo.