Random Thoughts about staying AHEAD in Life: Schools and the Future

I am here at Bacolod - Silay International Airport waiting for my flight. If you are wondering where I am going, I am flying back to Cebu again to spend more time with my family.This is actually my 3rd trip to the Queen of the South within a month and I am very thankful that my current job allows me to travel anytime I want. 

For the past few weeks, Val and I are working on one of our passion projects. Since we have been very blessed, it's about time that we pay it forward. We want to help graduating students find their dream jobs. As we were discussing on how to address the gap that hinders them from having gainful employment, we found out that there are actually several factors affecting their success. 

Based on a study conducted by the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), graduates of the top 3 educational institutions in the Philippines are hired faster and paid more by employers.

Most corporate recruiters and HR professionals will deny this but this is actually the hard truth. According to one of my favorite bloggers, Tina Perez of www.mrswise.tk, "We are living in a third-world country. And whether we like it or not, where our children graduated from matters a lot." (You can read more about her blog post, here.)

Luckily, I studied at Ateneo from kindergarten to college. So, based on my personal experience, finding a job was quite easy. I got invited to more interviews and got hired faster. Though HR professionals or recruiters won't really say it, I believe that my school has something to do with it and it was one of my advantages. I remember too when I applied to one of the biggest consumer brands here in the country, we were filling out an online application form and there was a dropdown of the list of schools. If you can't find your school on the list, you have no way to proceed with your application. We believed that was their discreet way of shortlisting applicants.When I was working as an online recruiter, I have clients who preferred and prioritized the graduates of the "big" schools for an interview. 

I realized that education is a huge investment but worth it. It is the best gift of a parent to his or her children. (So, Papa and Mama - if you are reading this, THANK YOU!) 

However, have you thought about what happens if one fails their college entrance exam? How will it affect a person's life? I had a friend who had the money but unfortunately, did not pass the exam in Ateneo. Thus, he was forced to enroll in another school. This detour has definitely changed the next 4 years or more of his life. 

Not getting in the "big" school does not necessarily mean doomsday. However, this means that at this crucial point of their lives, right before college, we should readily support our child's future by ensuring that they get accepted in a reputable school. Why take the risk when we can give them more? Enrolling them in a review center is one of the things that we can do for them.

Based on my research, one of the leading and most awarded tutorial and review center in the country is AHEAD TUTORIAL AND REVIEW. They are the first to offer Test-Based Reviews for the country’s most competitive admission exams, namely the University of the Philippines College Admission Test (UPCAT), the Ateneo College Entrance Test (ACET), and the De La Salle University College Entrance Test (DLSUCET). They have been in the business since 1995 and have several branches in Metro Manila as well as in Baguio and Tuguegarao. 

AHEAD TUTORIAL AND REVIEW take pride in their learning programs where students not only prepare for academic excellence, they have also come to embrace their role as future leaders of the global community.

Their services include the following: 

• Review Programs - These are designed to help students get into the university of their dreams. Their programs help students focus on their lessons, guide them towards topics to be studied, provide them with the right reference materials, and motivate them to study harder.

• Tutorial Programs - These are one-on-one and small-group tutorial programs where students get undivided attention and care. Students are assigned tutors who match their personality and requirements. With the right support, children become all that they can possibly be.  

• Online Programs - AHEAD Tutorial & Review Center has developed an online learning platform designed to help learners work through their everyday academic concerns. Through AHEAD Online, students can review for their exams, finish their homework, and study their lessons in advance in the comfort of their own home. Students will have one-on-one reviews with expert tutors through video-conferencing platforms in a clear and seamless manner. This is actually my favorite among their offerings. 

What I like about this center is that they have very good feedback from their students plus, their online programs is one of a kind. Making you maximize the sessions without being affected by external factors like traffic which will either get you so tired or lazy.

Anyway, I will be boarding the plane in a bit. Just share your thoughts in the comments section below. If you have more questions, you may email AHEAD directly at info@ahead.edu.ph or call them at (02) 426-0034 to 36 or 0917-89 (AHEAD) 24323. 

HOME RELOCATION: How to transport your things efficiently and safely?

When we moved from Metro Manila to Bacolod in 2015, one of the major concerns that we had was transporting our things. It was during this time that I realized that I have too much stuff. Aside from our clothes, shoes, bags and other personal things, I had my Starbucks tumbler collection as well as my miniatures which I started collecting when I was young. We also had a home complete with furniture and fixtures made of hardwood like narra that we cannot simply discard because these are actually given to us by my parents as "pamana." 

Thus, we had no choice but to transport them all to Bacolod. Based on our experience, here are some tips on how to transport your things efficiently and safely:  

1. Mode of Transportation 

Use the right the mode of transport depending on the items' size, weight and nature. 

Air Cargo is recommended for smaller and not-so-heavy items. It is ideal for important items since it arrives at the destination faster or you can bring it with you as checked-in baggage during your flight. It is a bit expensive thus, it is recommended that you maximize the prepaid baggage allowance. In the Philippines, most domestic flights can allow up to 40 kilos of check-in baggage per passenger.

Sea Cargo, on the other hand, is recommended for bulky and really heavy items like furnitures and fixtures. Though it would be nice to get a full 20-footer container van to put all your stuff, it is also impractical if you cannot really fill the whole container. Thus, you can try to opt for loose cargo and just pay for its actual weight. Just keep in mind, that sea cargo can take a few days to arrive at the destination and may even have delays at the port so, make sure not to include items that you might need immediately in your new home. 

2.  Packaging

It is very important that we package our things properly prior to shipping. Use bubble wraps for breakables and plastics for items that should be kept dry. Make sure not to mix liquids, aerosol sprays with paper or documents since leaks might happen. Furniture, fixtures and appliances must be put into wooden crates. Boxes are also recommended to be cling-wrapped to avoid getting wet. 

3. Insurance

Make sure that you declare the correct value of your belongings and get appropriate insurance. We must accept the fact that despite all the safety precautions, accidents or natural calamities may occur that can pose significant damage or loss to our belongings. Thus, the least that we can do is minimize these risks since our things are exposed during shipping. 

Marine Insurance can protect your items shipped via sea cargo against the possible damage and loss because of bad weather, sinking, fire, typhoon, collision even piracy and jettison. Since most of our stuff is shipped via sea cargo, we got our Marine Insurance from Malayan Insurance. The small payment we made gave me the peace of mind that in case something happens to our things while on the voyage, at least we could afford to get new ones.  

How about you? Are you planning to relocate soon? Feel free to send us a message if you have any questions.