Avril Lavigne Gets Pushed to #1 [OPC10 Q1 2012]

Avril Lavigne might not have topped the weekly or monthly OPC10 charts from January to March. Yet, after consistently being in the Top 5, she outdoes all others and still finds herself at #1 on the quarterly tally. "Push" is a promotional song from her album Goodbye Lullaby (officially the fourth single in Japan), which also topped some local radio charts earlier this year. Her successful February Black Star Tour concert in Manila also gave her a boost on this blog's rankings. Enjoy this Walmart soundcheck of "Push" and check out which songs made it to the Top 10 for this quarter:

OPC10 Overall Picks
1st Quarter of 2012

1. Avril Lavigne - Push
2. Json - It's Alright (feat. Mikeschair)
3. David DiMuzio - (I'll Do Anything) Para sa 'Yo (feat. Top Suzara)
4. Kelly Clarkson - What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)
5. Jason Mraz - I Won't Give Up
6. Krissy & Ericka - 12:51
7. We Are Leo - Supernova Sunrise
8. Train - Drive By
9. Plumb - Drifting (feat. Dan Haseltine)
10. Taylor Swift - Ours

OPC10 Pinoy Picks
1st Quarter of 2012

1. David DiMuzio - (I'll Do Anything) Para sa 'Yo (feat. Top Suzara)
2. Krissy & Ericka - 12:51
3. Kamikazee - Tagpuan
4. Zia Quizon - Dear Lonely
5. Christian Bautista - In Love with You (with Angeline Quinto)
6. Nina - However Much Love
7. Sponge Cola - Stargazer
8. BBS - Habang Buhay (feat. Kean Cipriano)
9. Hijo - Di Mo na Kaya
10. Amber Davis - Light Years

OPC10 Falls 'In Love with You' [2012.3.25]

Christian Bautista and Angeline Quinto debut at #1 both on the Overall and Pinoy charts! From the former's First Class: Outbound Expanded Edition album, "In Love with You" is a beautiful remake duet (I've heard the version of Regine Velasquez and Jacky Cheung but I'm not sure if it's the original). Check out its music video followed by this week's OPC10 lists:

OPC10 Overall Picks
March 25-31, 2012

1. Christian Bautista - In Love with You (with Angeline Quinto)
2. We Are Leo - Supernova Sunrise
3. Hot Chelle Rae - Honestly
4. Json - It's Alright (feat. Mikeschair)
5. One Direction - One Thing
6. Taylor Swift - Safe & Sound (feat. The Civil Wars)
7. Nina - However Much Love
8. Katy Perry - Part of Me
9. Avril Lavigne - Push
10. The O.C. Supertones - On the Downbeat

OPC10 Pinoy Picks
March 25-31, 2012

1. Christian Bautista - In Love with You (with Angeline Quinto)
2. Nina - However Much Love
3. David DiMuzio - (I'll Do Anything) Para sa 'Yo (feat. Top Suzara)
4. Kamikazee - Tagpuan
5. Krissy & Ericka - 12:51
6. Never the Strangers - Alive
7. Zia Quizon - Dear Lonely
8. Hijo - Di Mo na Kaya
9. Maldita - Selosa
10. Sponge Cola - Stargazer

Wear Your Lotto Costume

No costume, no bet! No bet, no win!

Found at a Lotto outlet in Cebu City. The O in costumers might have been

originally a U, so it looks like they changed the correct letter, making it wrong.

(And nope, I didn't bet. Just snapped this photo when I noticed as I passed by.) 

Eat More Pan in the Philippines

Photo taken at Mang Tinapay Salvador Branch.

The Hunger Games Invade OPC10 [2012.3.18]

There's a a bunch of new entries on this week's OPC10. Nina scores a #1 song on the Pinoy chart and One Direction has the highest debut, but it's The Hunger Games soundtrack getting two of its songs on the Overall chart. While the movie opens in cinemas this week, Taylor Swift also lands "Safe & Sound" featuring The Civil Wars at #4.

OPC10 Overall Picks
March 18-24, 2012

1. We Are Leo - Supernova Sunrise
2. Json - It's Alright (feat. Mikeschair)
3. One Direction - One Thing
4. Taylor Swift - Safe & Sound (feat. The Civil Wars)
5. Nina - However Much Love
6. Avril Lavigne - Push
7. B.Reith - Simple Days
8. David DiMuzio - (I'll Do Anything) Para sa 'Yo (feat. Top Suzara)
9. Krissy & Ericka - 12:51
10. The Decemberists - One Engine

OPC10 Pinoy Picks
March 18-24, 2012

1. Nina - However Much Love
2. David DiMuzio - (I'll Do Anything) Para sa 'Yo (feat. Top Suzara)
3. Krissy & Ericka - 12:51
4. Kamikazee - Tagpuan
5. Zia Quizon - Dear Lonely
6. Hijo - Di Mo na Kaya
7. Maldita - Selosa
8. Sponge Cola - Stargazer
9. Anne Curtis - Total Eclipse of the Heart (feat. Sarah Geronimo)
10. Eevee - Ang Sarap Maging Single

Getting an NBI Clearance - Robinsons Cybergate Cebu

NOTE (August 14, 2013): This is an outdated blog

entry. For the updated 2013 version, click here.

Robinsons Cybergate Cebu has an NBI Clearance Center housed on the mall's 3rd floor. Getting an NBI clearance is fast and easy - the actual processing takes only about 20-30 minutes. But, you may have to endure a very long queue which might take hours!

Queuing Up. In my case, when I arrived at around 9:45am, I had to stand in line outside the mall (through the heat and dust) for about three hours, and around another hour seated at the waiting area inside the mall (air-conditioned and more comfortable). Then, there's a final queue at the clearance center, where you will also be given a form to fill up while waiting for your turn.

Requirements. Just two requirements are needed: the duly-accomplished clearance form you filled up, and a valid ID. School IDs, company IDs, government-issued IDs (SSS, Postal, Voter's, PRC, driver's licenses) and passports are among those which will be accepted. In lieu of a valid ID, you may also present your original NSO birth certificate or police clearance (and I heard that even baptismal certificates will also do).

After your patience is tested will come the easy part. You'll undergo these four steps:

1. Payment - Pay P115 for each purpose that you indicate on your clearance form.
2. Encoding - Watch the monitor, and see to it that the data entered is correct.
3. Biometrics - The NBI will take your picture and fingerprints.
4. Releasing - If you're clear, then you can get your NBI Clearance instantly!

Notes

• NBI Clearance Center is open Mondays thru Fridays, officially from 10am to 5pm. The mall itself opens at 10am, but the security guard told us that they start operations as early as 9am.
• If you are still on the outside queue by noon break, a guard will let you write your names down on a paper. Note your number and come back by 1pm to re-queue according to the order written on paper.
• You will be given priority numbers just before entering the mall.
• Only 100 people will be allowed in the afternoon. If you're 101st, you will be told to come back the next day. (But you might probably want to try to plead your case, maybe, just maybe, they'll reconsider.)
• If your NBI record has a hit, you'll need to come back after three weeks. But the good news is: you won't need to queue again!
• For local purposes, your NBI clearance will be yellow-orange. If your purpose is to travel abroad, it will be green.
• If you're wondering, there's no more new clearance or renewal. Everyone goes through the same process.

It was already almost 4pm when I finished. After what I went through, I felt like the NBI clearance I was holding was some precious reward. I would recommend though, that if you're going to get an NBI clearance, go to the center as early as possible, so you would also finish earlier, as I would, should I need one again next time.

Update (August 14, 2013): For the current entry on how to get an NBI clearance at Robinsons Cybergate Cebu, click here.

Asa Man Si Ronald?

So where is Ronald McDonald? The more specific question is: In which McDonald's branch was this picture taken? Just answer it correctly by leaving a comment and get a chance to win P100 worth of cellphone load!

Well, me and Godsend Debbie, as well as our office mates then, used to eat regularly at this McDonald's branch. Mostly, it's lunch (especially when it's payday, leaving the other food vendor in frustration), and sometimes dinner too (when we have to render overtime). The Godsends were recently able to visit this branch when we were in the area, and it was just really nice to be in a place that makes you feel nostalgic.

So if you know where Ronald is, then drop your answer in on or before March 18, 2012. A winner will then be randomly picked among those who got it right. Don't include your mobile number on your comment, but make sure to visit this blog again to find out if you won. (I'll also be sending a notice to the winner if I can find you on Facebook, Google+ or Twitter.)

Note: Comments will not yet be published to avoid people from copying the answers of others.

We Are Leo Tops OPC10 Anew! [2012.3.04]

It's been a while since my last chart post, but nonetheless, I got a fresh one right here. And we welcome the return of the OPC10 by showering more love for We Are Leo! After topping last year with "Live for Love," they reign at #1 anew with another track off their album Hello, "Supernova Sunrise"! Check out the song and its video below, and head over to their Facebook page for more We Are Leo goodness (giving them a like would be cool, too).

OPC10 Overall Picks
March 4-10, 2012

1. We Are Leo - Supernova Sunrise
2. Json - It's Alright (feat. Mikeschair)
3. Kamikazee - Tagpuan
4. Avril Lavigne - Push
5. David DiMuzio - (I'll Do Anything) Para sa 'Yo (feat. Top Suzara)
6. Gym Class Heroes - Get Yourself Back Home (feat. Neon Hitch)
7. Krissy & Ericka - 12:51
8. Kelly Clarkson - What Doesn't Kill You (Stronger)
9. B.Reith - Simple Days
10. Jason Mraz - I Won't Give Up

OPC10 Pinoy Picks
March 4-10, 2012

1. Kamikazee - Tagpuan
2. David DiMuzio - (I'll Do Anything) Para sa 'Yo (feat. Top Suzara)
3. Krissy & Ericka - 12:51
4. Zia Quizon - Dear Lonely
5. Hijo - Di Mo na Kaya
6. Maldita - Selosa
7. Sponge Cola - Stargazer
8. Anne Curtis - Total Eclipse of the Heart (feat. Sarah Geronimo)
9. Giniling Festival - Burgis
10. Eevee - Ang Sarap Maging Single

Makapakusgan

MAKAPAKUSGAN
Parody of Kelly Clarkson's "Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)"
New lyrics by JP Cabrales
[Download MP3]

Naa koy bag-ong produkto
Nindot kaayo
Porte ka epektibo
Sigurado gyud ko

Affordable kaayo ni
Mora rag ga-Jollibee
Busa dapat gyud nimo testingan
Tangtang imong pamaol
Dili gyud ka magbasol
Sulayi aron mapamatud-an

Baligya ko makapakusgan
Wa ni sa tindahan
Naay discount kung mopalit ka karon
Pwede utang kung wa kay kwarta
Pwede data-data
Yaw lang panumbag kung singilon

Baligya ko makapakusgan, kusgan
Di gyud ka magmahay
Baligya ko makapakusgan
Wa ni sa tindahan
Di ka luya kung imong tumaron

Palit na para pirmi kang lagsik
Palit na para pirmi kang abtik
Palit para di dali kapuyon
Garantisado, ang bug-at kay gaan na lang alsahon
Palit na

Baligya ko makapakusgan
Wa ni sa tindahan
Naay discount kung mopalit ka karon
Pwede utang kung wa kay kwarta
Pwede data-data
Yaw lang panumbag kung singilon

Baligya ko makapakusgan, kusgan
Di gyud ka magmahay
Baligya ko makapakusgan
Wa ni sa tindahan
Di ka luya kung imong tumaron

Baligya ko makapakusgan, kusgan
Di gyud ka magmahay
Baligya ko makapakusgan
Wa ni sa tindahan
Di ka luya kung imong tumaron karon

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