Thursday, December 27, 2018

If you plan on traveling to the Philippines in the next few months or years, you need to know how the weather works in that country to better plan your itinerary. The Philippine weather today can be as fickle as a romantic date. It can be sunny one moment and drizzly the next. One moment you're sweating because of the heat and by the afternoon, you're trying to get warm because of the heavy rains. It has been like this for thousands of years and it will just be the same for decades to come. All you have to do is sit back and enjoy the weather for what it is. And while you're at it, you can go and visit places nearby.


But then again, don't let the bad weather get you down. Nor should you let it ruin your plan to explore and enjoy the sights and sounds that the Philippines offer. Here are some of the best places to visit in the country whether its raining or sunny. You also have to stop worrying about spending extra because these places will have the same rate regardless of the weather you find yourself in.

Manila Ocean Park

You may have been to your local ocean park or water park but you've never been to the biggest ocean park in the Philippines. Rain or shine, the park is open to serve you daily and even on weekends. There's a lot of things you can do including go on a quick scuba trip or even feed the penguins. Of course, nothing beats looking at the fishes gliding and moving about.

National Museum

Learn about the rich culture of the Philippines at the National Museum. You can get to see how the culture has developed even if there's typhoon in the Philippines today or any other day. Its also here that you can see the different influences that helped solidify what the Philippines is today. If you want to dive deeper into what makes the Filipino tick, you would also be able to see it here. 

Mall of Asia

If strolling around the mall is your thing then you can definitely visit the biggest mall in Metro Manila, the SM Mall of Asia. There's something for everything too. You have a vast choice of food places to visit for different palates and tastes. You can get anything from authentic Filipino dishes to Japanese and even Mediterranean. There's also a lot of things you can do in a rainy or sunny afternoon in Mall of Asia. You can watch the latest movies in regular or IMAX. You can also go shopping with hundreds of stores to choose from. Lastly, you can spend the evenings enjoying the sunset or grabbing some grub in the bars lining the SM Mall of Asia Bay. 

These are just a few of a number of places you can visit in Manila whether you can find yourself during caught in a warm sunny day or a terrible thunderstorm. You can ask around to see other recommendations from other friends and family.
In this day and age, people will always need or rely on the Internet in one fashion or another. And because technology is so ubiquitous right now, you can safely say that there will always be a strong need for developers and creators to continually create things. So what if you're a thirty-something guy or girl with a baby on the way and stuck with a dead end job? Will the IT industry be a good choice for you to jump into? Or would be it be a wise idea to just stick with what you have and hope for the best?


That decision will be up to you in the end but you need to see what could be waiting for you on the other side. Nobody can make the decision on the matter other than yourself. What we can present in this article however are some of the goodies that people in the industry currently enjoy or is something that is an attainable possibility.

First when you study up and start a new career, it may open doors for employment all over the Metro. You'll never know whats in store for you. You may even find yourself working with the best web development company in the Philippines or you may work with a promising new startup. The opportunities are always fresh and there will always be an opening waiting for you. You just need to show these companies that you are a team player and you have the necessary skills they need.

The current IT industry is also open to training and sending people all over the world. Call it incentive or call it company perks but there's an influx of IT professionals that get sent to big countries to either train or acclimate into the culture. If one of your passion projects or dream activities is to travel the world without spending anything then there's a good chance jumping into the IT industry may be your thing.

Your skills can branch out to other things. Just like those classic RPGs or Role Playing Games we used to play decades ago, if you're experienced enough or skilled enough then you have the chance to develop new skill sets that can further earn you money. Imagine being a regular developer who gets experience and training when it comes to mobile development and finding yourself being a team leader at a reputable mobile app development company in the Philippines. That would be the life; also it would be very fulfilling. 

The beauty of switching careers to one that is connected to computers and websites is that you'll never know where it may lead you. You will never know what it would teach you and you will never know who you will meet along the way. It's also interesting and big enough to make you want to push past what you have or where you currently are. 

Just like any job, as long as your responsible enough and interested enough, you would be able to make it far in the IT industry. Don't also rest on your laurels so to speak and always be on the lookout for new technology and upgrade your skills.
A lot of businesses today tend to rely on the owners or the persons on top to run it. From old-school corporations to trendy startups, there’s always somebody who needs to see things through. These businesses need somebody who actual does their jobs and not wait for the next money drop to happen. So in case this person is you, how would you do things? Would you micromanage and see everything done right down to the smallest detail?

Ideally that should really be the case, but realistically speaking, that won’t happen. And if it does happen, that’s either a miracle or the person who is pulling it off is an incredibly experienced person. So where does that leave you? All over the place, that’s what. As a leader or a boss, you just can’t effectively run a company being a micromanager. You can’t sit beside one employee for an hour. Even the best hr solutions Philippines providers won’t be able to do that.
The best thing to do not just for yourself as an employee but also as somebody that the company is depending on, is to get the services of a reliable hr and payroll solutions Philippines provider. Basically, you hire these professionals to do the work for you, so you can concentrate on the bigger picture.
If this is all new to you though, don’t worry because most of the providers that have huge clientele will guide you through the process. Also at this point in your career, you may already know how this works. Still, as a protocol, these men and women will assist you through a number of ways. For example, they would give you a detailed description of what they can and can’t do. This would give them the necessary space to cover yourself and themselves if there are any negative effects. But that’s just the extreme case. Usually, what happens is that these providers know where they can and cannot go.
Their main task however is to do everything an HR department is expected to do. This will include recruitment for job vacancies within the company. As a boss, you can also expect these firms to act as you in cases where there are problems within the office. Let them handle the nitty gritty like investigating incidents, filing the necessary reports and reprimanding the individuals involved. In tougher cases where you need to fire somebody or demote them, you can also have the HR solutions people do that for you.

Finally the greatest thing about HR solutions providers is that they do this mostly in their offices. This means you don’t need to do a headcount for them when you treat everybody for lunch. They wont be counted as additional employees too because you are paying a huge sum to the company that the HR people work for. You also won’t have to worry too much when it comes to office space because they won’t take up a single centimeter of your office space. So that means your little office with a good view is spared from the redesign.
As an owner or a CEO or even somebody from middle management, time is important. So when you get the task of screening or doing an interview for new employees for the company, you lose valuable time. And time is something that you cannot buy back or win back. Wasted time is wasted time. So what’s a boss to do with all this? It’s pretty simple. You need to speak to a dependable HR solutions company.

What do these guys do and what’s so different from your current HR department (if in case you actually have one). The difference between these private firms and the HR people from your company is the quality of service. You can tailor fit what you need or what you are looking for with the private HR solutions company. Meanwhile, your company’s HR department may not hit the right notes you are looking for during the recruitment process.
Again time is money so hiring the wrong candidate won’t just bring you pain and misery, the company also stands to lose money over the wrong employee hired. Think about it. How much will the company pay for the training and other expenses before hiring an individual? How much money will they throw in terms of salary and bonuses? How much money will they pay for trainings and hours where the same employee is either out of the office or running late? All of that is company resources and money that could have been given to you and your colleagues as an incentive. Yet, its all going down the drain because the in-house HR company picked the wrong person.
HRIS systems won’t do that to you. Sure its not a hundred percent effective but the success rate is definitely higher. That’s because they already have a system in place that they use to hire and screen candidates. They also have an idea of what you want, whether its physical traits or psychological traits. Because these are experienced individuals working for you, they also know how valuable time is for you so they usually make a habit to go through everything before presenting potential new-hires to you. Imagine just how many hours you saved now that you have somebody doing all the screening and interviews for you. Plus they know what you want and blends it perfectly with what they have and what they know.

One thing you also save yourself from when you have somebody doing the hiring for you whether its for a rank-and-file level employee or a future colleague in the managerial level, is the interview. There’s just so many frustrating things that happen when you are doing interviews for potential employees for the company. You have to deal with the interviewee’s attitude, the way the talk to you, the way they see themselves or even how late they are for the interview. Not saying it’s wrong but there’s also the mentally taxing task of analyzing everything a person says or does during the interview. It’s part of a manager’s role but its definitely tiring.

Tuesday, December 18, 2018

The Philippines has been a hotbed of tourist activity since time immemorial. It's got a seven thousand plus islands that holds adventure and excitement for both local and international tourists. But one thing that could be a potential roadblock to any tourist's trip to the Philippines happens to be the weather. A quick browse online or a peek at the weather report in the Philippines available both on cable TV and free TV will reveal that the country can go from really hot to really wet.


Filipinos have dealt and accepted this weather and while there may be calamity and danger from time to time, they still live their lives with a smile in their faces and a song in their heart. That's what makes the Filipino, and the Philippines, such a resilient nation, able to weather the storm called life.

As travelers however, not everybody is equipped to deal with this. This is where weather forecast today in the Philippines come in handy. This lets you find out whether it would be a good place to visit various locations or stay in your hotel room or do something else. These forecasts will also give you an idea how long the weather would remain that way in your destination. This will ultimately help you save time and money.

Places to Visit

Because the Philippines has more than 7,000 islands within the archipelago, you could map out a year's worth of travel and still not be able to visit every place. You could however go by ear and check out recommendations from friends and family who have already visited the country. If you are going to the Philippines during the summer season, there are a lot of beautiful places to check out. Some of these include:

  1. Bicol – Go and check out the Mayon Volcano and marvel at the amazing scenery that surrounds this beautiful volcano. On sunny days you can also walk around the nearby towns and try out the different local dishes; just beware of the levels of spicyness.

  1. Boracay – the newly re-opened Boracay has become world-famous for the white sandy beaches that line the coasts. It has also become a party haven and has been home to some of the best bars and restaurants within the region.

  1. Palawan – Palawan is heaven on Earth. Each area within the region has its own island to boast of like Coron and El Nido.

  1. Vigan – If you want to see Philippine history and old wold architecture, then Vigan is a place you need to visit. The place has kept a lot of old Spanish-era stone houses that's worthy of an Instagram post. You can also check out nearby Ilocos Norte with the windmills and the “Ilocos Empanda” that will get your gastronomic juices flowing.
  2. Cebu – Cebu is a wonderful place to visit whether its sunny or rainy. Ofcourse the beaches and coastal areas would be a no-no if its raining but there are still other places you can check out. Don't forget to try the delicious “piaya” or the sweet “dried mangoes”. You can also walk on the wild side with the “Skywalk” tour that gives you a breath-taking and slightly scary view of Metro Cebu.

The holidays have finally arrived and thanks to weird weather these days, you can't expect all sunny days all month-long. The weather can be very tricky to deal with and as such you need to arm yourself with the right tools to keep you dry and protected. Sure you can depend on the weather update to help you decide with the things that you should bring the moment you set foot outside.


The Christmas season has always been one of the seasons where the weather factors in with how long a shopper needs to spend outside. When the forecast reveals that it would be sunny and pleasant the whole day, it would mean a lot of time to go from one mall to another. If there's a big chance of rain according to the daily report, then shoppers need to either bring a car to where they are going or bring the necessary items along with them if they are commuting.

So what are some of the things that you need to carry along with you as you join the Christmas rush in the metro? For starters, you really need to bring an umbrella with you at all times. Umbrellas can save your life and it's not just a figure of speech too. When its too hot outside, busting out an umbrella can save you from getting sunburnt and worse, getting skin cancer. Then when the rains come pouring, you also save yourself from getting sick with fever and coughs. The great thing about umbrellas that are available in the market these days is that they come in various shapes you can choose from. If you feel like you can carry around a big umbrella, then you are welcome to do so. If you plan on traveling light however, you may consider bringing along a smaller, foldable umbrella. 

You can also bring a fan whenever you leave your home. Fans can come in any shape and size but we highly recommend you bring along portable or foldable fans. Don't shun the idea too of carrying along this small item because it won't take too much space in your bag. It comes in really handy in literally “hot” situations like being stuck in a crowded elevator. You can also whip out a fan in situations where it rains suddenly and you find shelter in a crowded place. Again, this comes in hand in hand with the weather update Philippines report you just glossed over before leaving. 

Towels can also come in handy regardless of the weather. For one, you can use towels to wipe away sweat that you may have released while traversing the mall or places like Divisoria. You can also use towels to cover your head when heavy rains suddenly fall, catching you unprepared. The towel can also be used as a substitute for a fan in certain occassions too.

These items can drastically help you whenever you go outside to shop for your Christmas gifts. Make it a habit to bring these along with you even when the weather update states that there'll be no chance of rain. Remember, these tools will keep you healthy throughout the Holiday season and beyond.

Wednesday, November 21, 2018


One of the important tools that your company or business should have is customized software. It will be used by your employees that can make their work tasks easier and faster to get done. Although there is software applications you can install and use, if you want to ensure its efficiency it has to be customized based on what your business or company needs. There are a lot of software development companies that can provide this service but if you want to make sure that you will be choosing the best one, below the some of the important factors you shouldn’t overlook.
Developers
One of the most important factors to consider is the developers who are working in the company. They will be the one in charge in making the customized software which is why you have to make sure that these developers are really knowledgeable and experienced. Keep in mind that you will be investing your money to get the software you need which is why you have to know the members of the team that will make it possible. It will be better if you meet the developers first before availing the service so you can talk to them and figure out if you think they are capable of delivering great results.
Timeline
The timeline of the project for the custom software that you will be availing is another factor to consider. This factor is very important because the software should be used as soon as possible and if it will take a long time for the developers to do it, it might cause delays and problems in running your business or company. Choose a software development company in the Philippines that is capable of finishing the project within reasonable period of time so it can be used immediately. You also have to make sure that there will be no delays in finishing the project and you will be updated if there are problems that will occur that can affect the timeline.
Support
Another factor to consider when choosing a company that provides custom software development in the Philippines is the support service. Even though you already have the software installed in the computers used for your company or business, the company should still provide support whenever there are problems in the software. In this way, you wouldn’t have to worry about figuring out what to do if error occurs because there will be an expert that will help you on fixing it. Before availing the software development service, you have to make sure whether they will provide support or not and if there are additional charges to have this feature be included.
Portfolio

The portfolio of the software development company is another important factor to consider. You have to make sure that the software developers have a lot of experience in doing the project. Find out which clients they already worked for and what kinds of software they are specializing in. remember that not all software are the same which is why you have to make sure that the company you will be choosing know how to work on the software that you need.

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

No matter how much money you spent on computers, laptops, software applications, and hardware that your employees use for your business or company, there are still problems that can occur which can have great affect on the performances of your employees and also the performance of your company or business. It is the reason why you should invest on managed IT services. If you are wondering what services you will need and why you need them, below are some of the services you should consider availing.

IT helpdesk
One of the most important services you need to avail is the IT helpdesk. It is true that you might already know who to call whenever there are problems with the computer or there is someone you already hired to fix problems on the software that you are using. But there will be instances when your IT expert isn’t really knowledgeable in what he should do and how to do it right or there are other things that he need to work on. But if you avail IT helpdesk service, you can make sure that IT-related problems will be fixed immediately.
Application support maintenance
The number of companies and businesses that have their own applications or uses applications are continually growing. These applications are supposed to help the work easier and faster. However, if there are problems on the application, it can affect the efficiency of your employees and also the revenue of your company or business. It is very important that problems on your application can be fixed immediately especially if it is an ecommerce application. Find IT managed services companies that offer this kind of service so that you wouldn’t need to worry about applications that are not working or running properly.
System administration and management
When there are problems in the system that you use for your company or business, many things will be affected by it. It is the reason why there should be experts who monitor and manage your systems. In this way, problems will be prevented and if there are problems that will occur, it will immediately be addressed and fix. System breakdown can make a huge impact in your revenue which is why it will be better if you invest on availing system administration and management services instead.
Desktop support service
Not every one of your employees is really knowledgeable or expert in fixing errors in their desktop, installing software applications, or maintaining hardware. It is the reason why desktop support service is one of the must-have managed IT services you should invest on. Instead of letting your employee spends his whole day figuring out how to install new software or set up a new desktop computer, the desktop support service can do it in no time and in the right way. Make sure to avail this service from a company that have experienced and knowledgeable IT team so the money you will spend for the service is worth it.
Website support and maintenance

Another must-have IT service that your company or business should avail is the website support and maintenance. It is great that you have your own website but if it’s not working properly, then it will just cause problems. Keep in mind that there are many clients and customers and also potential ones that access your website and if there is a problem in your site they wouldn’t be getting the information about your company or they wouldn’t be able to purchase your products or avail your services if you have an ecommerce website.
How many of us actually tune in to the radio to listen to the news instead of listening to our usual playlist before we go to work? Or how many actually visits a website on general information to be knowledgeable on current affairs before going anywhere? Not much. Maybe most people who do listen to news belong to a more mature generation. Go ask this to millenials and you know what answer they would give you? It could probably go anywhere from “I don’t” to “I will just watch out for a tweet about it.” Well, that is their life now. They no longer pay much attention to news. We cannot blame them! They believe that as the Internet is fast, they will receive words-of-mouth even without paying too much effort. This generation wants to do a lot at once! 


But really, though we know that we have different agenda for the day and we have different ways of starting up our daily routine, we can agree that most young individuals just do not pay much attention to what they must look out for. Really, how many actually have logged in to any social media page or website to check on the weather forecast for today in the Philippines? A few, but maybe not you. Well, do not fret when it comes to habits. But really, this is something you need to include in your routine. The weather is tricky so you need to have a way to get around it. 

Do I Have to?

The next question we have here is why this should be done. Here's the thing about the weather, you look outside it is sunny and then voila! In the next few hours, you would see heavy dark clouds looming in and then just by the time you are to go home, there comes the heavy downpour. 

What we are saying is that watching reports could absolutely be beneficial. However, when looking at traditional channels, the weather report could come in a bit later. And maybe you need information at once so you cannot wait around. Even though the weather is unpredictable, it doesn’t mean we cannot prepare. And here is what we need to tell you, weather forecast in the Philippines can be as good as anywhere else. 

The country has already invested in good pieces of equipment and professionals have been well trained to give us almost accurate results. Almost accurate we say as the nature changes all the time. But it is better to have an educated information on the weather instead of having nothing, right? Again, preparation for what is to come is crucial. Not just individually but socially, as well. 

When Can I Start?

Any change in the weather can affect a lot of things and whether you are an individual or a boss running a business, it is necessary to be able to plan ahead in case something unexpected happens. Do you have an emergency plan? Would you know what to do in certain situations? Do you go to work? Do you make your employees go to work? Could it be risky? What could be your deciding factor? Here is what: the weather forecast for this day.

Monday, November 19, 2018

If you own a business or a company, you have to consider investing on custom software that will be installed and used by your employees. No matter how small or big your business or company is, having custom software can provide a lot of benefits that will help to achieve the goals of your company or business. If you are wondering why investing on a custom software application is recommended, below are the reasons why.


Save time

If your company or business has its own custom software, it can save a lot of your employees’ time because they won’t need to use different software applications just to get their work done. Everything they will need is included in the custom software. Instead of using multiple software applications to enter details about the inventory, sales, and other things needed for your business and company, they can access these details in no time. The employees don’t also need to find the paper documents because the information can just be entered and accessed in the software.

Save money

It is true that you will need to invest to avail a service from a custom software application development company and it can be expensive depending on what your company or business need. But every penny you will spend for it is definitely worth it and you will be able to save a lot of money because of it in the long run. Having custom software application can help saving money because you don’t need to purchase different software applications anymore and you won’t need to hire new people that will organize documents or will do the tasks that the software can already provide for your current employees. 

Make the employees more efficient

Another reason to avail custom software application is because it can help to make your employees to be more efficient. If the software that they are using while working can provide every tool they need, they can work faster and more effectively. There will be no time wasted and they can focus in doing their work. Availing software application from a custom software development company in the Philippines can really help your employees make their tasks so much easier which means they will be more efficient in doing their work.

Be more competitive

No matter what industry your company or business is included in, you will have a lot of competitors and you need to step up to make other companies or businesses know that your brand exists. Having custom software application can greatly benefit how your employees work which is why if they work hard and do their jobs right, there will be a higher chance that your company or business will continue to grow and achieve its goals. Remember that all or almost all your competitors are investing in updating and getting custom software which is why you should also consider doing it.

Meet what your company or business needs

The needs of businesses and companies are different from one another. One company might need to use a certain software application for tracking their shipments while one company might need another software application because they are in another industry. It is the reason why availing different software applications that is not customized can be a waste of money because it will not provide software that is needed to make your company or business function and grow. But if you avail custom software application, it can include all the other software and tools that you need.
Let’s talk about the first few things you do in the morning. Most of us would automatically look at our phones and check a few notifications, right? This is a common scenario nowadays. We would always look out for potential likes and comments on our social media posts because that is how we feel significant or relevant. You can use the terms interchangeably but here is what is more relevant that we forget to prioritize—the news.


The What?

All right, most people might cringe to the idea that checking on current affairs is actually being suggested to them, but really, why not consider checking the news to be a part of a morning routine? 

Some people might prefer not to. Why? They are afraid of the things they see but if you had the chance to filter what to see, would you do it? You would. So, say your gratitudes to your smartphone because we have access to sites that may specifically cater to only those we want. 

Now, since bookmarking has been introduced—that is the manner by which you mark a favorite page for easy referencing—you might as well include a weather news site in that list. 

Why and Where Do I Need To?

Yes, include a website that will give you updated and real weather news. In the Philippines, there can be a few of these sites people go to and sometimes, they think those few sites are all they have! Now what happens? If there would be too much traffic in that page, the site would crash. But you do have another alternative. Weatherph.org is one of the credible news pages that can give you updates on Manila weather particularly. 

Let us admit that most sites will give you weather forecasts in general. Like, it is going to be sunny or windy all over the area of this or that, but you would want to know a forecast for a place where you are at, correct?

This is important if you do want to be prepared for whatever will come. You need to know if you would need to bring umbrellas or extra clothes. You also would need to know the hazards in some places and maybe, having an idea on a well-informed weather forecast can help you avoid certain emergencies. 

So, if you are no longer that individual who prefers reading a newspaper or maybe you do not have too much time to watch the news and wait for the weather report, take advantage of the technology right in your hands: your smartphone and the Internet. Log in to weather news sites. You can even turn on notifications so that your phone alarms as soon as a new story comes up. 

Do I Have to Pay For It?

We understand that certain subscriptions cost a monthly charge. People no longer would want to pay unless it is entertainment but here is a good news: subscribing to an email list of a weather news site is totally free of charge! 

So, if this will benefit you in a lot ways and you get it for free, why not take the opportunity, right? Besides knowing when to schedule certain events on days with favorable weather forecast can be helpful both in your personal and corporate life. 


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