I had high praises when it comes how satisfied I am with my UnionBankPH EON Cyber Account (Visa Electron), not until yesterday when I cannot use it online. Usually, then I encounter the error:

“We are unable to process your request. Please use another card or payment method.”

I simply wait for a few hours, and my online purchase pushes through. But since 48 hours ago, I (and some other EON users) cannot make any payments online through my UnionBankPH EON account. Tried to call their Customer Service Hotline, but I am always on hold for atleast 30-45 minutes. Sent an email to them, but no reply is received up to this writing.

Is EON Visa Electron down? Or is it just me?

Popularity: 8%

October 2007 when I blogged about the US$99 PDA-Phone from Palm called Centro in this post. I was jubilant, looking forward to retire my four-year old Palm Treo.

But I was disappointed when earlier this week, the Palm Philippines website featured the Centro with a price tag of Php17,490.

What? I thought it will just be US$99 or something? But with the current ForEx of Php41 = US$1, that will be somewhere around US$426++

Shall I blame the government for the bureaucratic tax system, making the Centro’s price blow to Php17,000++? Or is it because in the States, Centro is being offered at US$99 that comes with a phone plan locked for two years (thanks to Sprint)?

I wonder when will the local telco’s offer Centro in bundle. Oh, another thing, the unit that is available locally comes in white color only. How I hate gadgets colored in white. I guess my Palm Treo will have to wait for a couple of months more before retiring.

Popularity: 10%

I asked a friend of mine to buy me something at Gilmore yesterday. She had already delivered the item to our place yesterday. This morning, my friend asked me to send the payment thru her Smart Money account. So I immediately went to BDO to make the deposit. I inquired the teller on what form shall I use to make a Smart Money deposit. The teller replied that I should use the Orange form (Bills Payment). After filling-up the form with my friend’s Name and Smart Money Card Number (BTW, the amount is just Php500.00), I fell in the queue line.

Minutes later, it was my turn for service. I handed over the Bills Payment form and money to the teller, and she asked if I have with me the Smart Money card. Of course, I will NOT have the card! She refused to accept my “deposit/payment”, as it is in their policy that the Smart Money card must be physically present when doing a deposit to it. What?! Are you kidding me?!

I asked for the branch manager, whom I know since I maintain my BDO account there. She explained to me that if ever there is an error in the encoding of the Smart Money card in the Bills Payment slip, there is NO way for them to reverse the transaction and to credit the amount to the correct Smart Money card account. I told them that I am very much sure of the Smart Money card number, as it was sent to me by my friend. So she instructed her teller to accept my transaction.

I think it is (sorry for the term) STUPIDITY on the part of BDO to require persons loading, topping-up, depositing, or whatever term you wish to call it, their Smart Money accounts to present their cards when doing such transactions. Some people opted to get a Smart Money card for purposes of Money Transfers and Remittance.

How in the world will it be possible for someone who is sending money (hear and abroad) to someone to get hold of the receipient’s Smart Money card? Does it mean that they are limiting the transaction to the Smart Money card holder themselves only?

Kaya di lumalaganap eCommerce sa Pilipinas e! Better use Globe GCash.

Popularity: 9%

I mean it, big time!

Last Sunday, Easter Sunday, after attending the 9.30am mass, my wife and I headed on to the house of my parents. It was around 10.45am then, and I told my dad not to cook anymore. We’ll just order at KFC. Unfortunately, all of the KFC branches near our house were closed. They’re going to take our orders if we are willing to wait for one and a half hours. What?! So, never mind KFC.

My brother and I thought of Jollibee, as there are atleast three (03) branches near our place. So I placed an order for two (02) buckets of chicken joy (six pieces each), costing around Php700++, with specific instructions that all be in white meat, as both of my parents have medical conditions that restricts them to having white meat only. I made that instruction clear with the call center agent who took my order. He said that it will be done. He will coordinate with branch who will deliver to us.

Less than thirty minutes later, their rider came and I accepted the buckets. My mistake that I didn’t checked on the contents of the bucket. To our surprise, what was inside the buckets were pieces of chicken wings and thin legs. I immediately called 87-000 and inquired why was that given to us, despite the specific instructions. What the call center agent did was to transfer me to their Customer Service. No one answered. I waited until the ring changed to a busy tone. Tried calling 87-000 again. And finally, after the fourth try, I was able to speak with a Customer Service Agent. They apologized, but I didn’t accepted their lame excuse that it was the fault of the branch. So what the CS agent did was to ask the Branch Manager to give me a call. Minutes later, already starving and angry, the Branch Manager gave me a call and apologized. She said that there was no instruction and she even told the Call Center (87-000) that they only had wings and legs (that looks like they were leftovers two days ago). I called 87-000 again, asked for the agent who took my order, and he said that he gave the instructions clearly to the branch who will deliver. Ahhh .. we’re going in circles now. The Call Center blaming the Branch, and the Branch Manager blaming the Call Center. I banged the phone and went online to make a formal complain, carbon copy DTI.

We ended-up having a meal from Max’s

Popularity: 7%

I accompanied my pregnant wife in securing her GSIS eCard Plus this morning in Pasay City. There was this incident wherein these two GSIS employees (I am not naming them yet, as I had already emailed the Ombudsman & Civil Service Commission; I’ll wait for their replies and action first) would not believe that she was indeed three (03) months pregnant. That’s OK! But what made me mad was the comment of this guy, “Ikaw, three months na buntis? E ako nga, five months na e!”

A comment very disrespectful of women! Not fit for a civil servant.

Popularity: 6%