Philippines is always a great place to visit for the beautiful places, wonderful people. And it is always great to go home to Philippines; there is no place like home.

For travelers, Manila is the only international air gateway to the Philippines, and geographically, the country is not too close to any other Southeast Asian capital. For short-time visitors, flying is the only practical way to get around to all the islands, but most routes are out of Manila with few inter-connections. It is good if you can arrange your accommodation requirements in Manila in advance.

Besides your itinerary, pay focus on medication, for emergency reasons. Medications can be found at drug stores in major cities. In the event that you are confronted with problems when finding the things that you need, the ever-helpful staff at any tourist information center will advise you as to where you can acquire them.

Medical care is good in the major cities and not much expensive, however it is limited in the remoter areas. Comprehensive medical insurance is advised. Medical costs in the Philippines may be less than a foreign national is used to, however if you are paying these expenses out of pocket they can place a high amount of burden on your personal finances. The only way to truly protect yourself from the high medical costs experienced around the world is with a comprehensive international health insurance plan.

Enjoy your travel with the Philippines. Keep in mind that having an itinerary is great, but have an open mind because Philippines like the Filipino people have full of wonderful surprises.

So, learn more about the Philippines and the Filipino people, certainly you will have a wonderful time in the lustrous and beautiful Philippine Islands.

Its vacation time and its time to discover a new paradise. Whether your perfect holiday dream involves a secluded villa, exotic meals in great restaurants, marveling at sea turtles, a multicultural bar culture or simply dozing amid tropical bliss, the Philippines is your nearby stretch of heaven.

Tourist facilities are available within population centers and the main tourist areas. English is widely spoken in the Philippines, and most signs are in English.

Philippines travel is relatively cheap, but the flights can get expensive. The best time to secure cheap flights to the Philippines is during the off-season, which runs from June to September for most of the country. Traveling to Philippines is as much about meeting the hospitable people as it is about seeing all the beautiful tropical islands.

Major credit cards are widely accepted in the cities and tourist destinations. Banks do not always accept traveler’s cheques, so make sure that you have always Philippine peso at hand.

Apart from some beautiful, remote tropical islands and legendary scuba diving spots, the archipelago’s best resource is the friendliness and the laid-back attitude of the Filipino people. Their hospitable and embracing attitude is enough to put a smile on any visitor’s face, this is even more the case in the rural areas.

Filipinos are fun-loving people. Throughout the islands, there are fiestas celebrated everyday and foreign guests are always welcome to their homes.

Before traveling, make a research about the Philippines, list down the places that you like to visit, and the things that you like to buy to maximize your time, double check your itinerary. It is great if you have someone to guide you.

Philippines is a great place, the Filipino people are great. Enjoy your stay.

A Must For All The Business-minded Persons:
The Fundamentals Of The Different Form Of Businesses

Many people are aspiring to run their own business without exactly understanding its basic concepts. If you are not a graduate of any business related course and if you were frequently not around during your Economy class, you might surely be wondering what the difference between a corporation and partnership is.

Business is actually an all-inclusive term that is used to pertain to a group of people who work together to generate a profit. But business has several forms. If you are also planning to make business in the future, it will be advantageous if you will know first all these forms.

The succeeding discussions list and elaborate the different form of businesses that you might have just heard before:

•    Sole Proprietorship

This business is owned by one person only. It does not need any charter and has a few expenses as well. So, if you will have this form of business, you can keep all the profit to yourself. Certainly, that sounds great.

However, this form has several disadvantages too. For instance, you will need to work very hard to keep your business running well, you might not also be able to generate so much profit like the large businesses, and if your business losses money, all  of the  losses will be translated only to  you.

•    Partnership

This business works like a proprietorship, but this one is headed by more than just one person. Similarly, this form has lesser regulations and expenses.

As well, raising money is still quite difficult as compared to the larger businesses. Just like proprietorship, the owners of this form of business have unlimited liability and if the company obtained debts, the owners need to pay them even if it means using their own properties.

•    Limited Partnership

This form of business is also made up of one or more partners. However, some associates in this business have limited liability, which is to lose the amount of funds they have invested in the business.

Also, those associates that have limited liability will not  be involved in the daily business of the company.

•    Corporation

A corporation can be viewed as a separate “legal entity,” which means that the personal property of an owner is never at risk just like in unlimited liability.

So, once you invest in a corporation, you have nothing else to fear than to lose the money you have invested. Typically, corporations have several owners.

Once a person is stockowners, then he is a part of the corporation. In addition, corporations has the capability to raise a very large amount of money as compared  to partnerships. But this form of business also has some downsides, of course. Like for instance, these are very hard to be set up and are always subject to more taxes.

•    Subchapter S Corporation

A “subcpater S” corporation is a form of business wherein stockholders pay dues as if they were partners.

Profits are directly distributed to shareholders, so the company does not need to pay corporate income tax. As well, a   subcpater S corporation works like just the others.

To form a subcpater S corporation though, there must be at least 35 shareholders with only one type of stock. Like for instance, ‘common” and “preferred.”

So now, you can already cite the differences between partnership and corporation. Apart from that, you also gained bonus knowledge about the other forms of businesses. Hence, you can now easily decide as to which particular form of business you will also adopt to further ensure the success of your business venture.

Make A Successful Business In Philippines: Do It By Knowing More The Filipinos

When you are planning to have a business in Philippines, you are advised to study first the nature of Filipinos when it comes to trade including some of their practices. If you truly want to ensure success, you vitally need to know how they communicate, the meaning of their simple gestures, and what turns them on and off.

Dealing with the Filipinos is not really tough at all since they are naturally hospitable people. However, you need to know how to relate with them rightly to help you win their full support. This way, you business in Philippines can surely run smoothly and successfully. So, whether you are planning to make a small or big business, Philippines will certainly be a winning location for your trade once you learned the nature of the people here including their customs.

The Filipinos

Generally, Filipinos are hospitable, casual, sensitive, and fun loving. They greatly value personal and family honor as well as pride and dignity. Education here is highly valued so many individuals in this country are well educated. Shame is infused to Filipinos at an early age so to be ashamed is viewed as the greatest form disgrace to Filipinos.

Filipino Greeting When Meeting

Men and women alike shake hands with every person present at a business meeting or even social occasion. Same gesture is showed when saying “good-bye”. Just always remember that when you do your handshakes, it should be friendly and casual, but limp. It is also more proper for men to wait for women to extend their hand.

Filipinos Corporate Culture

The following lists some corporate cultures of Filipinos to help you adjust yourself when facing them during business meetings:

• Filipinos are most often relaxed about time. So meetings and gatherings tend to start late as well. But then, foreigners are expected to be on time.
• A personal introduction by a business associate or mutual friend makes business appointments a lot smoother.
• Establishing a persona relationship is very vital to ensure the success of a business relationship. Loyalty and trust are also very essential to develop relationships. Filipinos are sensitive to insincerity and this can greatly damage the relationship.
• Most often, Filipinos display a “take it or leave it” attitude particularly when it comes to selling prices. They may place less emphasis on the absolute selling price but they can place more of it on unit cost, rounded figures, or percentages.
• Casual conversations may come first before business discussions during meetings.
• Communication is normally indirect, manner is gentle, truth is tactfully presented, and the view of the recipient is constantly being considered. All communication should be maintained courteous despite of its content.
• Most Filipinos find it hard to say “no.” reject, or disagree, especially when someone who is superior is involved. You can know that they disagree when they provide an indirect or ambiguous answer. The purpose of this is not to deceive though; instead, they do it to avoid confrontation.
• Personal meetings are preferred. Written communications might not be immediately answered.
• There are some instances wherein small bribes are used to cut through official procedures. Of course, this is illegal so when this situation arises the decision to participate is yours.

As you will see, it is not really difficult to negotiate with Filipinos. Just be careful to observe their nature and customs and your plan to have a business in Philippines can really run smoothly.

Mga Kababayan ko. DO NOT PANIC!

Prudential Life Is Sound and In Business.

The president- Mr. Jose Alberto T. Alba (JATA) is assuring all plan holders of Prudential Life not to panic because Prudential Life has trust fund to cover all plan holders benefits.

The company will continue to operate and market their services and will continue to operate as servicing and pay plan benefits as warranted.

This is only a sort of reform at SEC Security and Exchange Commission.

It is a common scene that has been played over and over again at any store: once a customer comes in the door, a salesperson approaches him or her. The salesperson then lets out a canned “how may I help you Sir/Ma’am?”, or the less flattering “Buy Now!”
Or the salesperson might go over a sales pitch that would be as long and as complicated as an algebra equation. And in the same way that most people wince at mathematical formulas, the customers are more likely to be annoyed than piqued in interest on such behavior.

Unless of course that they need assistance or have a question, a customer would prefer to do without the age-old sales routines of sales pitches and that annoying habit of salesperson trailing them around the store. And this tendency carries over to different businesses, ranging from car insurance to clothing and apparel. And therefore, it is imperative for a business owner and the sales staff to know how to clinch a sale and convince a customer to purchase from the store.

So what should you do to upgrade your old, obsolete sales routine into something more effective? Here are a few suggestions that you can incorporate to ensure a customer’s comfort, interest, and guarantee of a purchase.

The clothes make the man. It is a must in practically every kind of occupation to have good grooming. And this is ever more important in the sales business, as the salespersons are store’s primary indicator to the customer on what kind of business they have. Always dress appropriately and look your best, for who knows? Your next customer might just show up the door at any time.

Have faith in your product or service. If you yourself are not convinced of your product or service, how can you convince other people about it? Credibility is crucial in a business, so refrain from making statements or promises that you and your store will not be able to make as this will only make you lose money as well as your face.

Show a good offer. A customer can have a lot of things in his mind when considering a purchase, but they can be grouped into four questions, namely:

• What are you trying to sell me?
• How much is it going to cost?
• Why should I trust you?
• What good will it do for me?

By answering these questions correctly and effectively, there’s a 99.9% chance that the customer will buy from you. Therefore, the importance of the product that you are selling must be stressed out as something that is both attractive and useful. If you can’t then the customer has other ways to spend their hard-earned money.

Always take note of their time. One big mistake that salespersons do is that they go on long complicated sales pitches in order to make a sale. However, people don’t have all day just to listen; they have their own agendas and interests for the day. In addition, most customers are more interested about the cost rather than the company’s background and other products, so you really don’t have to go through that long-winded spiel of your company’s colorful history. Be short, yet effective on your sales pitches.

Display honesty. We all know that one of the main purposes of a business is to earn money, but it’s not good for your sales people to flash dollar signs all over their faces when facing customers. A customer can easily spot if a salesperson is just after their money, so it never hurts to add a personal touch to the equation. For example, if the customer is a family man, then you should make him see the benefits that your product will bring to his family.

If we, as businessmen, had it our way, we would always have lots of time and energy to check our balance sheets and analyze our expenses regularly, pruning out unneeded spending along the way. But back here on earth, the reality is that the average business can only concentrate on expenses, especially when struggling to get their business profitable again when the economy becomes sour. However, cramming for sustainable profitability is not efficient-wise, and can only result to costly mistakes. And while cutting down is necessary in today’s economic woes, experts agree that entrepreneurs should tread carefully so that they do not cut so deep that they get their businesses in a compromising position for a rebound.

So what should we save and what should we pare off in this time of economic turmoil? Here are three pointers that you must incorporate in your decisions.

When it comes to costly customers, think twice. It is tempting, especially for a fledgling start-up company, to automatically bid low in a high-profile deal with a large and well-known company. But if the work is going to cost your business rather than make money, then you have to pass. Striking a deal with a big company does not immediately equal to success and profits.

Furthermore, you company must always engage through a thorough and transparent process when estimating the cost of projects for clients. This would ensure their agreement to the stated price, and make your business run a lot easier.

Check your tech expenditures. The future is here, but it doesn’t mean that we should invest on it that much. Small businesses tend to overspend on a technology that is not really that beneficial in terms of productivity and efficiency. As a business owner one should learn to separate technology which is necessary to the company’s operations and technology that the company can live without. And when it comes to spending on software licenses, don’t hesitate to renegotiate maintenance fees and haggle, as these software companies are also affected by the recent economic slump and are willing to cut corners in order for customers to stay.

Say goodbye to underperformers. Nothing is as expensive an asset as that of people, so it’s probably of no surprise that personnel decisions gets a lot of the limelight when it comes down to cutting costs. And when the inevitable happens, it is best to identify the bottom 10% performers and then giving out the pink slips. Although it is hard to lay off an employee, but poorly performing ones can only cost you and your business in the long run.

However, this does not mean that you can cut employees indiscriminately. Some businesses have the tendency to unknowingly lay off key performers just because they are well compensated, and this usually results in lowering the overall morale of the company, which in turn results to even poorer productivity. Furthermore, replacing your older, senior employees with more and younger people can also become counterproductive. Although they might not be as energetic as their younger counterparts, the senior staff has more knowledge and expertise in the business and thus makes a lot less mistakes.

This is a dangerous time for business, as production costs are rising while customers are disappearing. However, one should not give in to the general knee-jerk reaction of cutting down whatever the cost. Like a surgeon, a good entrepreneur and business owner must know what to do away with and what to keep.

Are looking for a way to boost your sagging sales? Having poor sales is a chronic problem that many entrepreneurs and businessmen face, and all of them have tried different methods, from pricey consulting firms to high-end marketing software, to boost their sagging sales.

However, what most people don’t know is that the most effective way of improving sales is through a sound marketing plan. There is simply no better strategy to improve your sales other than making a marketing plan. And aside from being highly effective in raising sales, unlike software or consultants a marketing plan doesn’t cost a single penny. That is, of course, if you do it yourself.

The key to successfully evening out all of the marketing tactics that you have through out is to have a written plan on it along with an agreeable timeline. Through this method, you can make your marketing campaigns and materials ahead of the designated deadline and have them prepared before they are even needed. And let forget the fact that you can also save lots of money by creating the marketing tools, from the ads, brochures to websites, simultaneously and thus do away with costly design and copyright fees. You even cut down on printing costs by simply printing all of the marketing materials at the same time.

Although it sounds intimidating at first, creating a marketing plan is relatively easy. However, a marketing plan must contain the following five parts in order to succeed:

1. Analysis of the Situation. Usually just one page in length, the situation analysis section of a marketing plan shows a quick overview of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of your company. This can be quite beneficial in creating a benchmark, as with it you will be able to notice the various changes that have occurred once you review your plan in the future.

2. Target Audience. When marketing to consumers, generate a target audience profile based on relevant factors such as age, gender, and annual household income. But if other businesses are your target audience, adding a one paragraph description of the businesses is a must. Having a target audience description in your marketing plan is a definite necessity when doing an evaluation, even if you are assisted by a publication or media opportunity in reaching your objectives.

3. Goals. Always include a short, bulleted list of the company marketing goals in your marketing plan. Also, ensure that they are definite, like writing “increase productivity by 10% before the end of April” instead of just writing “improve productivity” in order for you to evaluate and review the overall performance of your initiative.

4. Strategies and Tactics. Draw around the overall marketing strategy of your company and list all of the tactics that you need to use in order to reach your prospects as you move into your sales cycle. Use a timeline or software with a calendar program to manage important deadlines on production.

5. Budget. With every plan, there must always be a budget to back it up. Canvas a price list of the execution of the various marketing activities that you have chosen. But if they appear to be over the budget, do not get disheartened as there will always be a tactic for every kind of budget. Do not hesitate to rethink your plan of action until you have a mix of tactics that your budget can afford and that will motivate your prospects for the whole year.

If you have been in the entrepreneurship business for a long time, then you have probably seen your share of trade fairs. But if you’re a first time entrepreneur who’s still trying to learn the ropes, then the concept of a Trade Fair may still be new to you.

Just like its predecessors a hundred years ago, a trade fair is an organized exposition of various products and services for a specific industry. Because of this, trade fairs are often associated with meeting of minds and a place where people can exchange not only their wares but also their ideas. And it is because of this setting that entrepreneurs flourish and thrive.

However, trade fairs can be a double edged sword to entrepreneurs: although there are a lot of business opportunities available during such events, they can also attract a lot of competitors. However, the advantages of joining trade fairs often offset its disadvantages.

And what are those advantages, you ask? Well, for starters, trade fairs provide avenues in which you can display and advertise your wares to a large audience.

Furthermore, trade fairs are often well-planned and advertised in print, radio, TV, and more recently on the internet, so the exposure of your business is dramatically increased.

And since trade fairs are made to cater to specific interests, the attendance of customers who might be interested in your wares is assured. And if that’s not all, trade fairs allow you to assess your position in the market and collect relevant information such as product updates and business innovations.

But trade fairs are not simply about booths and people selling their wares. Far from being one-dimensional, trade fairs provide other activities as well.

Examples of which are seminars conducted by invited experts who specialize in different fields, round-table discussions regarding updates and innovations for your business, as well as recreational activities for the family.

If there is an upcoming trade fair in your area that fits your business, then it is a very good advice to recommend that you should participate in it. And if you are going to join a trade fair, here are some pointers which you must put in mind before you enter the trade hall:

Make it your objective to have your booth grab attention as well as leave a good impression to potential customers. However, do not go overboard on this as it might backfire.

Display relevant and interesting visuals to your booth. The best way to show your products is through sight, and posters, tarpaulins, product displays, and audio visual presentations are a great way to take advantage of this.

Provide loot bags and kits to customers. One of the most effective ways to advertise to a customer is to let him or her try out your product for themselves. Do not hesitate to give out free samples, and always ensure to attach flyers or brochures in the freebies.

Always give out calling cards. Calling cards are an essential tool in advertising you services, so if you cannot give them to customers personally then put them in a conspicuous and convenient place in your booth. Also, you can do the opposite by putting a box or bowl in your booth for customers to leave their calling cards behind.

Get a helping hand. Whether your booth is big or small, having people to assist you is a must. Whether it is for answering questions from customers or hauling goods, having help around is necessary to ensure efficiency.

Till Next Posting. Happy Reading.

Richardlee Garcia

With all the news about recession and the world economy heading south for the winter, it seems that doing business in the Philippines is not a good idea right now.

But here’s some good news that provides a much-needed boost to those who are thinking of setting up shop in the country: on Nov. 17, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo issued the Executive Order 758, which creates the provision for a Special Visa for Employment Generation or the SVEG.

Unlike the standard visa, the SVEG is issued to qualified non-immigrant foreigners who will employ 10 Filipinos or more in a sustainable enterprise, trade or industry in the Philippines.

There are many perks of an SVEG holder, but the main clincher of having an SVEG is that it gives the right to multiple entry privileges in the Philippines without prior departure in the country.

This allows the holder to stay in the Philippines as long as he or she wants. In addition, the privileges of the SVEG are extended not only to the foreigner-applicant, but also to his or her spouse and their dependent children who are under 18 years of age.

As stipulated in the Order, the requirements for holding an SVEG are that the holder shall engage in a viable and sustainable commercial enterprise/investment in the Philippines, perform managerial acts, and has the power to employ and dismiss employees.

The foreigner must also have a bona fide intention to stay in the country for an indefinite period of time, and that he or she is not a threat to the country’s security in any way possible.

And of course, the holder of the SVEG must employ at least 10 Filipinos under Philippine labor laws and other applicable special laws. These requirements are to be constantly satisfied by the foreigner-holder of the visa, and once any of the requirements are violated the SVEG will be immediately revoked.

Although it is mandated by strict regulations, application for an SVEG is relatively easy.

First, the applicant has to pay for a regulatory fee, after which the Commissioner of Immigration shall receive and resolve the applications within 2 weeks upon date of filing.

And once the application has been given a favorable rating, the Commissioner of Immigration will then issue a Notice of Approval directing the applicant to report for registration and documentation at the Bureau if Immigration. Afterwards, an Alien Certificate of Registration or ACR I-Card will then be issued to the applicant upon payment of the remaining fees.

This is definitely good news not only to entrepreneurs who want to invest in the Philippines, but to Filipinos as well.

According to a latest statistic done by the Philippine National Statistics Office, at least 2.9 million Filipinos are currently out of work, so the SVEG might give some of them much-needed jobs, which in turn lessen the Philippines’ heavy reliance on overseas remittances. So if you are thinking of putting up a business in the Philippines, now might be a good time to start.

Marcos Highway mountain sceneries to Angeles.

The fact that other business, including rich businesses in the Philippines, pay wages below legal minimum wages does in NO WAY justify other business or hotels or all businesses to pay wages below legal minimum.

Connecting your laptop via G3 cellphone into Internet using Bluetooth and existing prepaid smart phone technology.

Planning to do business in the Philippines? Study risks and dangers of investing in the Philippies. Understand the needs of a country before wasting your investment in the Philippines

The last hearing at the Dept of Labor and Employment on April 4, 2008 resulted no help or solution by the administration (Dept of Labor and Employement). The case of employee exploitation by the business owner continues. Read the newest report.