Catzie.net Blog

Author: Catzie

  • Cleaning services in Metro Manila – a personal review

    I’m not bad at programming and baking sweet treats, but I seem to be have terrible cleaning skills! 🤣So, when we want to get the house really really clean, we let professional cleaners handle the job.

    In this article I shall talk about my experience with professional cleaning services that I’ve tried, or tried to avail but they started ignoring me. 😅Read on to find out.

    And oh, please do comment on this blog post if you have your own experiences as well. We would love to hear recommendations!

    Ate Girl Home Cleaners

    So far, my favorite professional cleaning service provider is Ate Girl Home Cleaners! I thought that their slogan “Ang ATE na walang ARTE!” was just for online marketing, but when I tried them out, aba, totoo pala!

    The reason for this cleaning session was to totally clean our home’s floor area, because we wanted to begin the ban of shoes inside the house… like Japanese homes! hehe. Our floor is colored “cream” so the shoes makes it dirty so easily.

    The cleaner assigned to us was Ate Amy, and I must say, totally walang arte nga siya. Madali pa kausap at masipag.

    We availed the 2-hour cleaning service for a 26sqm unit, plus grease trap cleaning.

    Cost: 488 for 2-hour cleaning + 450 for grease trap cleaning + 120 for extra time to clean grease trap = 1058.

    During the 2-hour cleaning session, Ate Amy made sure to clean the area I told her was priority: the floor, including areas covered by appliances. We had a mop and pail ready for her to use, but she ditched it! She was wiping our floor with a rag and small pail. We told her, “ate pwede mo gamitin yung mop” so she wouldn’t have to bend down so much. She told us that the mop couldn’t clean the floor so well, unlike manual wiping with the rag. That was proof that her priority was cleanliness of the unit she’s servicing.

    Ate Amy also arranged some things in the house (trays on our dining table, and the positioning of a pantry shelf) in a way that we gained a little more extra space, and I loved it!

    The cleaner cleaned our grease trap without a mask and gloves. We offered and she declined. Kinamay ni Ate Girl yung dumi sa grease trap at wala siyang paki sa baho. Totally walang arte.

    The most amazing thing Ate Amy did was remove the “marbled” stains on the floor tiles of our shower room. We were surprised to find it like new. We just bought muriatic acid to hopefully remove those stains some time after the professional cleaning service, but Ate Girl Amy said she used a steel scrub to remove those stains. Whoa! Super sipag ni Ate Amy!

    Did she miss anything? I wouldn’t say that she “missed” anything, but with the limited 2-hour cleaning time, we couldn’t fit in the dusting of high furnitures and the wall. No big deal to me, because it’s not so dirty anyway, and like I told Ate Amy, the floor was priority.

    I will definitely book Ate Girl Home Cleaners again!

    Cleanhome

    The first professional cleaning service I’ve tried is at Cleanhome. It was good service. Gotta love their online booking system! 😉 They were also very responsive on Facebook Messenger and I liked that.

    Reason for booking this cleaning was for the bake space for Catzie’s Cakery. I began renting a 40sqm 1-bedroom space, which had minimal furnitures but was very dusty.

    Cost: 750 for 3 hours.

    Josephine was the cleaner assigned to us by Cleanhome. She worked non-stop on our place, so I can say that the cleaning service was “sulit”. Lagi din siya naka-smile when she talked to me and I appreciate that.

    There were a few dusty parts with spider webs missed such at the bottom of our shelves. I pointed it out to her and she worked on those parts right away, so no problem.

    I also liked that she texted me hours ahead of the scheduled time, because it made me feel confident that a cleaner will really come to us that day. In the Philippines there are lots of services scheduled for the day, but you’ll never know if they’ll really come. Ahem, PLDT and Globe, ahem!

    Despite being responsive when I had inquiries on Facebook Messenger, they didn’t acknowledge receipt of the review I sent them. I hope it reached the cleaner, Josephine, because it was a positive review.

    Lemon Cleaners: they suddenly stopped responding to me while I was booking an appointment

    If there’s any cleaning service in Metro Manila that I won’t recommend, it’s Lemon Cleaners. We were about to book a cleaning service from them, we had a set date and time already, as well as the number of cleaners, and then Lemon Cleaners stopped responding to my texts. I even followed up, but to no avail. Who knows what happened that they couldn’t respond to me anymore. If I recall correctly, we even phoned them but still, nada.

    This was my exchange of texts with Lemon Cleaners.

    It was so frustrating not to get anymore response when we were so close to getting an appointment. Could they have changed their mind because of the water interruption in our area? Sana kung ayaw nila kami i-service, sabihin nang maayos with the reason.

  • How to get Locational Clearance for your Mayor’s Business Permit in Makati City Hall

    How to get Locational Clearance for your Mayor’s Business Permit in Makati City Hall

    Before you can get the Mayor’s Permit for your business, you need to get a Locational Clearance first.

    Following are the requirements you should prepare to get your Locational Clearance.

    Requirements for Locational Clearance as listed in the application form:

    • Vicinity / Location Map
    • Barangay Business Clearance
    • Contract of Lease / Certification
    • DTI / SEC Articles
    • Occupancy Permit
    • CCT / TCT / OCT / DENR Certification
    • Authorization Letter (for representative)
    • Old Mayor’s permit
    • Others, if any will be required after inspection/evaluation

    Where to apply for Locational Clearance

    The office that receives Locational Clearance application is at the 2nd floor of the “old building” of Makati City Hall.

    Some online resources say that it’s at the 5th floor — even the city hall staff inside the elevator today said it’s at the 5th, but we went there today (Jan. 15, 2020) and found that it had been moved to the 2nd floor.

    My own experience in applying for a Locational Clearance

    When I visited the office that files Locational Clearance, I went straight to the counter labeled as “Receiving”.

    The staff checked the required documents that I brought with me. He compiled my vicinity/location map, barangay business clearance and plate photocopy, contract of lease photocopy, and DTI business name registration certificate photocopy. Please do bring the original ones too, even if he didn’t include the originals in the compilation, he inspected them.

    I missed one requirement: Occupancy Permit or Certificate of Occupancy. I thought it was the same as the contract of lease, but nope. This is what a Certificate of Occupancy looks like:

    Sample “certificate of occupancy” as shown when I was applying for Locational Clearance in Makati City Hall

    The city hall staff handed me the compiled documents and told me I should photocopy the filled out application form, then have 3 copies ready for the notary. The application form must be notarized before he files the Locational Clearance application. For the notary, I’ll need cedula, the compiled documents, plus the certificate of occupancy that I’m still missing.

    I will try to head straight to a nearby notary public once I get my certificate of occupancy to save on the number of visits to Makati City Hall.

    //2021 Update: I did not push through with this. I stopped renting a place for my shop due to our pandemic situation. If I ever process documents such as this again, I’ll try to write about it! I hope you are all doing fine in this difficult time. Stay safe and socially distant, everyone. 😷

  • Business clearance application at Barangay Bangkal, Makati City

    Business clearance application at Barangay Bangkal, Makati City

    I visited the barangay hall at Bangkal to apply for business clearance. Let me share in this blog entry what it was like.

    Please note that this is for a new sole proprietorship business.

    Requirements to apply for business clearance at Barangay Bangkal, Makati

    • Filled out green form, “business clearance application and data sheet”
    • DTI certificate of business name registration with application form, or SEC REG with articles of inc. and by laws
    • Contract of lease or certificate of title
    • Payment (300 for the plate and a variable value depending on the capital; Read on for approximate costs)

    After inquiring about the business clearance requirements, I asked for a green form that I could fill out at home.

    This is what the green application form of Bangkal’s barangay hall looks like:

    Business clearance application process at Bangkal’s Barangay Hall

    These are the simple steps to take during application for a business clearance from the barangay hall:

    1. Assessment of documents
    2. Payment
    3. Printing and Release

    Assessment of documents for business clearance from the barangay hall

    I asked around the barangay hall where I should head to for business clearance application. They pointed me to a desk with a label “barangay clearance”.

    The lady in the desk assessed my documents and began filling out the bottom-left portion of my green form. My barangay clearance fee was 650 pesos, based on the capital amount that I declared. The business plate costed me 300 pesos. As a newbie business person, I’m not sure if I also need to renew the plate yearly. Then there’s this 100 pesos “inspection fee” — what inspection did I pay for? Their inspection of my docs? Yeah, I know I should have asked them earlier. They gave me a number for queuing at the last step of the application, as well as the total amount to be paid. The total amount that I was charged was 1050 pesos. Oops, I only brought 500! 🤣I asked for the closest ATM in the area and they pointed me to the BDO ATM at Evangelista St., which was less than 5 minutes away from the barangay hall.

    Payment for business clearance at Bangkal Barangay Hall

    There weren’t too many people in the queue for the barangay hall’s cashier, fortunately. I was surprised to see a staff of a supermarket that I frequently visit paying for their barangay clearance renewal. I *accidentally* saw that they were charged 2020 pesos for the renewal. My eyes were very active at that time so I also accidentally saw that another guy was charged a total of 1050 pesos, same as mine, but with a different breakdown. His clearance fee was 850, business plate was 100, and inspection fee was 100. Why is his business plate only 100? Is it because he’s already renewing? Anyway, I made sure that I got my official receipt before leaving the cashier.

    Printing and Release of business clearance at Bangkal Barangay Hall

    If there was a long wait during my application for a business clearance, this was when it happened though it wasn’t so bad because I was just sitting down, awkwardly, with other people in the queue. Awkward isn’t so bad because I’m used to it. Who arranged those chairs so close to one another?! 🤣The lady in the printing and release desk asked for my queue number and documents, as well as the official receipt from the cashier.

    After a while she handed me my business plate. I rejoiced deep inside while keeping my poker face on. It’s the first time I ever held one! Luh, ang babaw.

    The next thing handed to me was a “Barangay Business Registration and Clearance” document, signed by the barangay captain. Speaking of barangay captain, his name is Mario and the official Facebook page of Barangay Bangkal seems to have a lot of Super Mario pictures. 😂

    Ahhh! Finally I am another step closer to my goal of paying tax for my small business. Makes me wonder where tax really goes because I’m not happy with our country anymore…

    Before leaving the barangay hall…

    Before you leave the barangay hall, make sure you received the following:

    • Official Receipt
    • Business Plate
    • “Barangay Business Registration and Clearance” document

    Thank you Bangkal Barangay Hall for the approachable staff and painless process!

    Next step: Mayor’s Permit

    To get your Mayor’s Permit, one of the major requirements is Locational Clearance.

  • Various KitKat flavors and what I think of them

    Red Bean KitKat

    It tastes exactly like red bean. How did they flavor this chocolate?!

    Wasabi KitKat

    Surprisingly good! It’s like white chocolate with fragrant spicy wasabi. <3

    Matcha KitKat

    There’s regular matcha KitKat and premium matcha KitKat and I like the latter more because of the more pronounced matcha flavor.

    Crème Brûlée KitKat 

    This is the most fun KitKat to eat to me, at least from the ones I’ve tried. Why? Because the serving suggestion is to toast it to make the top caramelize! Just like crème brûlée. <3

    Sake KitKat

    Amoy lasing! (Smells like a drunk person) I have adventurous taste buds, and though I tried to like this flavor, I honestly can’t.

    Yuzu Sake KitKat

    Okay this is better than plain sake KitKat! The strong flavor of yuzu masks the strong smell of sake, perfectly balancing the flavors. I liked it!

    Apple Pie KitKat

    We live in a warm country and so the KitKats we brought from Japan melted when we arrived home. One of those melted ones was the apple pie KitKat, and it didn’t taste the way it’s supposed to until we chilled it in the fridge. Once chilled, it tasted like tangy apple pie. Approved!

  • What I like about Japan as a Filipino

    What I like about Japan as a Filipino

    I’m blessed to be able to set foot on Japan again. Yay! Our first two days have been tiring, and today I can take it easy so I will take the time to write about our trip so far.

    A moment after visiting some areas in Tokyo, I realized that it’s easy for me to feel comfortable here despite not understanding and not being able to speak the language. 😅 It’s probably because Japanese people always seem friendly and polite, and even though I don’t understand what they’re saying it still sounds familiar because I regularly watch anime.

    Now, in this article I’d like to list down things that I like about Japan.

    The Japanese people

    Like I’ve mentioned before, I like how friendly and polite Japanese people seem. I easily get anxious around people, but when Japanese people smile as they speak in that friendly tone, I feel instant relief.

    Vending machines

    Kyoto, Japan (2014)

    The train system

    I like how you can access various parts of Japan via train.

    The train system here strictly follows a set time schedule, and that is why it operates smoothly. It can be very confusing to newbies like me, especially the “switching” part, but it works well.

    As I was in a train I was thinking how big an improvement the Philippines’ commute system needs…

    Old-fashioned donuts and bottled coffee

    Old fashioned donut dipped in chocolate, and Tully’s bottled iced coffee. Both from Lawson.

    Animal Cafes

    At a cat cafe in Osaka, Japan (2014)

    Several years ago when we went to Japan, one of the items in our bucket list was to visit a cat cafe because there were still no such establishment in the Philippines back then, or none that we know of, at least.

    There are also other animal cafes such as rabbit cafe, micro pig cafe, and otter cafe, which I would like to visit too if given more time.

    Japanese food

    I like almost all Japanese food that I’ve tried! I’m not putting any pic on this list item because I would need a lot of time to choose from my numerous Japanese food pics.

    It feels safe to walk around while using my phone

    Japan is known for being one of the safest countries in the world. In the Philippines, I could count the number of places where I’d feel safe to use my phone publicly in one hand.

    No “bag inspections” as we enter establishments

    Well, I don’t know if there’s any other country aside from my home country Philippines where there are guards stationed at mall/station entrances to check your bags for whatnot. I’ve been to Singapore, Serbia, and Japan and I experienced no such thing. It is a more of a hassle than help, if you ask me.

    Many guards in my country just pretend to check bags anyway, and yet we need to take backpacks off and open it each time we enter establishments. Okay, I released some steam! lol.

    Pon De Ring donuts from Mr. Donut, Japan

    Pon De Ring donuts from Mr. Donut, Japan (2014)

    I love these chewy, mochi donuts! Not sure if we have these in the Philippines.

    Coin Lockers are common in Japan

    Tokyo, Japan (2019)

    Coin lockers are a convenient way to store your luggage when you have to do something in an area and don’t want to lug around your big bags. We used one when we just landed and it still wasn’t check-in time at the hotel.

    Drivers aren’t 4$$h0les in Japan

    Akihabara, Tokyo, Japan (2019)

    Unlike in my beloved home country, vehicles always stop at pedestrian lanes to let people cross the street.

    In Manila, a lot of drivers would try to drive past you when you try to cross the pedestrian lane.

    Comfortable toilets in Japan

    Sorry if this is TMI, but I love how most of the public toilets in Japan have this toilet cleaner that you can spray on toilet paper to wipe the seat with before and after use. There are also buttons for built-in bidets with 3 common modes: water to the rear, gentle water to the rear, and water to the lady part. ^_^ You can also press a button that will play sounds for privacy, good for Number Two. The toilet seat commonly has a warmer too — great for autumn and winter. 😉 These features make “comfort rooms” in Japan really comfortable.

    Internet cafe where you can take a nap

    Style Cafe, Akihabara in Tokyo, Japan (2019)

    We were tired from our flight and it still wasn’t check-in time at the hotel so we tried to rest in an internet cafe. It has various room styles. If I remember correctly some had a futon and some didn’t. The room we had had a futon so we laid there and tried to take a nap. We couldn’t really take a long nap because of the noises, such as people dropping stuff on the floor, and sometimes talking loudly, but we couldn’t complain because it’s an internet cafe, not a hotel. xD At least we were able to relax our tired bodies. We enjoyed the drink bar where you can drink anything you want. There were hot coffee, lattes, tea… ahhh, very comforting!

    Lots of manga/books were there too. The computer was very slow though.

    Anime merchandise

    Go to Akihabara and you’ll find countless anime stuff being sold.

    Chocolate Mint goodies

    Me and my hubby are one of the few people in our country who like chocolate-mint goods. In Japan there are more chocolate-mint goods to satisfy our cravings than in the Philippines.

    Good quality food at convenience stores

    When feel like buying cheap foods we head over to convenience stores to buy packaged food items. These aren’t prepared before eating like in restaurants, but they are good!

    The streets are clean

    In Japan it is really pleasant to walk down the streets, which feel safe and look clean.

    Tokyo looks interesting too when viewed from above

    The photos above were taken from the mid area of Tokyo Tower. I thought that the view from above would be boring but there were many areas that caught my attention.

    Fresh, high quality seafood

    We chanced upon the Japan Fisherman’s Festival yesterday and tried tuna sashimi. It’s much, much better than the one I am used to eating in the Philippines!

    Tokyo Station is an attraction itself

    “You should see Tokyo Station” was why my hubby wanted to take me here. When I’ve seen it, I knew why he wanted me to see it. I was surprised by how big and beautiful it was.

    Pokemon Cafe

    I’m a Pokemon fan, and though not an avid one, I enjoyed our visit there very much. The Pokemon plated meals were so cute. I couldn’t slice Pikachu’s face so I had to remove its features one by one before I could slice it; it’s an omurice.

    A plus to our visit was a Pikachu mascot that entertained the kids, but I was not less entertained. I was squealing in amusement because Pikachu is the cutest Pokemon ever to me, and the way the mascot bounced around and moved its ears, making pa-cute, was really so cute!

    Pokemon Center

    It’s fun to shop at Pokemon Center. They have various Pokemon merchandise such as plushies, fashion accessories, makeup, school supplies, card games, video games, t-shirts, and many others.

    Mont Blanc dessert

    Mont Blanc dessert was shown in the anime I watched, Shirobako, several times. Each time the anime showed the dessert, it make me wanna try one because it looks so yummy. Good thing it’s really easy to find here in Tokyo convenience stores.

    The top layer is sweetened chestnut puree, and under it is whipped cream. They sit on top of cake.

    I’d like to make one someday!

    100 Yen Stores

    100 Yen stores can be fun and costly at the same time, because you’ll buy stuff you didn’t know you needed one you browse the shelves. xD

  • “You can no longer use PayPal” all of a sudden; PayPal wants me to close my 11-year-old account!

    I received an unexpected email from PayPal saying I can no longer use PayPal.

    You can no longer use PayPal


    After a review, we decided to permanently limit your account as we found potential risk associated with it. You’ll not be able to use PayPal to send and receive payments or shop online.
    If you have funds in your PayPal balance, we’ll hold the amount for up to 180 days. After that period, we’ll email you with information on how to access your funds.


    We regret any inconvenience this may cause.

    This was shocking and irritating because I’ve been using my PayPal for over 10 years, and haven’t done anything unusual, aside from update my name because I’m already married.

    When I logged in to PayPal, the issue was in the notifications list so I clicked “Resolve Account Issue.”

    However, the resolution page does not help at all. It seemed like my account was in a dead-end.

    So I send PayPal support a message, asking why my PayPal became limited, and actually no longer usable.

    I received the following reply:

    We received information/documents showing that you are currently under the age of 18 and thus cannot have an open PayPal account.

    I told them that it’s a mistake, and attached photos of my IDs showing my birth date. I am waaaaay over 18 years old!

    Then, they replied:

    Thank you for contacting PayPal in regard to the  issue.
    We have limited your account because you were not yet 18 years old at the time of account creation. Now that you’ve turned/over 18, you can open a new PayPal account, by closing the current account.
     
    Here’s how to sign up for a PayPal account:
     
    1. Go to PayPal website.
    2. Click “Sign Up” at the top of the page.
    3. Review and select the account type that suits how you’re going to use PayPal, and click “Get Started”.
    4. Follow the instructions on-screen to create your PayPal account.
    5. Check your email for a confirmation email from PayPal (the email might take a few minutes to reach your inbox).
    6. Click the confirmation link in the email.
    7. Enter your password and click “Confirm”.
     
    Once you’ve completed the sign-up process, you can start using your PayPal account to send and receive payments.

    WTF?! Seriously? I created my account 11 years ago and they tell me now that I should close it because I wasn’t 18 yet when it was created?

    Sigh. Maybe a change in policies, huh?

    Oh well, nothing I can do about that. I just hope that I’ll be able to withdraw my balance ASAP!

  • Flavours by Vana’s Makati – a casual place to enjoy authentic Indian food

    Flavours by Vana’s Makati – a casual place to enjoy authentic Indian food

    It was a hot day but we had to walk around Bangkal, Makati because we need to look for a space for rent. We had one loft unit viewing in the morning before lunch, and then a 1-bedroom unit viewing after lunch. My husband was craving for Indian food for lunch, and a quick Google search led us to Flavours by Vana’s which is an Indian restaurant situated along Mojica Street corner Osmeña Avenue.

    Because it was so hot, I ordered watermelon shake… which never came and was not included in the bill when we finished our meal. Not a big deal because I myself forgot all about it, probably because I was so focused on the tasty dishes they served us.

    By the way, we requested for mild spicy dishes because I can’t handle very spicy foods.

    Mutter Paneer, a vegetarian Indian dish with of peas and paneer cheese in a tomato based sauce, with garam masala spices.

    The mutter paneer dish was my favorite. It was still spicy despite the mild level, but the anghang level was perfect to me. Why was it my favorite? The paneer cheese has a nice semi-chewy texture, almost like hard tofu, with a subtle but pleasant milky flavor. It was enjoyable on its own, even without scooping sauce over it. The sauce, with lots of peas, was very tasty and having requested “mild spicy”, the spice level was perfect to me. Scooping the sauce and green peas over biryani rice tastes so good, even without including paneer cheese. Of course, it tasted soooo good when I combined paneer and the sauce in one mouthful.

    Vegetable Biryani

    The vegetable biryani rice was spicy too. It tastes even better if you mix plain yogurt with it. Their yogurt is so watered down so I couldn’t eat it on its own, unlike in New Bombay, where I exclaimed that theirs was the best yogurt I’ve tasted in my life. New Bombay’s yogurt is thick, creamy, and very milky in flavor.

    Murgh Malai Tikka, a spiced chicken dish

    The Murgh Malai Tikka, a chicken dish, that was served to us was not spicy at all, but it was tasty. I did not care for the green sauce that came with it, but enjoyed the dish with vegetable biryani rice with some plain yogurt. I loved the toasted parts on this chicken dish!

    Masala Tea, black tea with various spices

    The masala tea is like chai tea. Well, I think it’s also called “masala chai tea”. We enjoyed it too.

    The casual atmosphere of Flavours by Vana’s is inviting, and the prices of the goods is fair. Being air conditioned was one of the criteria that led us to this place on a hot day. After all, there are several popular restaurants/carinderias in Bangkal without air conditioning.

    We’ll definitely be back again to Flavours by Vana’s one day. I shall order my favorite mutter paneer again by then!

  • How to register business name with DTI online, and my own experience

    How to register business name with DTI online, and my own experience

    I just got my business name certificate from DTI today! The best thing about it is that I went through the entire process online, even the payment part. 😉

    You may register a business name with DTI online by using the BNRS (Business Name Registration System). I cannot say that it was a smooth transaction — it was very frustrating so many times because they are currently upgrading their system (sometimes it works, sometimes it’s broken), but in the end, after a few days of trying again, I finally finished the business name registration process with DTI.

    Please be aware that this guide was written on Sept. 27, 2019 and there may have been changes on the BNRS that I do not know of, making the info here inconsistent from the actual process. The BNRS is still under frequent upgrades. There’s often an update when I visit the website.

    Steps to register your business name registration with DTI online

    1. Propose a business name
    2. Pay for business name registration
    3. Download business certificate, undertaking document, and official receipt

    The process to register business name with DTI online

    Before I was able to fill out my business information, accessing the BNRS (business name registration system) was a pain. Then website was often down, and I tried accessing it every day, until it was stable and let me fill out my info.

    Fill out Owner’s Info

    First, the BNRS will ask for the Owner’s Information. Fill it out with your personal information.

    Business Scope section

    Next, you need to choose the Business Scope:

    National: 2,000 PhP
    Regional: 1,000 Php
    City/Municipality: 500 PhP
    Barangay: 200 PhP

    I chose Regional because it’s the largest scope I’ll be covering with my business in the next 5 years.

    Business name proposal for registration with DTI

    In the same page, below the Business Scope section, you’ll have to enter the business name to be registered with DTI online.

    Provide a Dominant Name which serves like your business name’s “proper noun”. In the screenshot below it’s CATZIE. Then, select a Business Name Descriptor, which should describe the type of business you’re running.

    The screenshots from here onward will only serve as an example, the name of the business I actually registered is different.

    DTI business name registration system: selection of business name descriptor

    After selecting the descriptor, the BNRS will display a Proposed Business Name. They will combine the dominant name + descriptor. Click the Check Name Availability button to see if it’s not taken yet, and to validate if such name is allowed. An example is shown in the screenshot below:

    Passing the validation of proposed business name in the DTI business name registration system

    Business name proposal guidelines:

    I am cens*ring some of the words, lest my blog gets a bad marking from Google! Loko yaang DTI, b**bs massage and spa daw?! I only copied the following from the official DTI website:

    It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the proposed business name is:

    not and will not be used for business that is illegal, offensive, scandalous, or contrary to propriety ( Pop’s Juet*ng Bet*ing Station, B**bs Massage and Spa);

    not the same or nearly the same as an existing registered business, company, partnership, corporation, cooperative name; not it infringes on any trademark, service mark and tradename (Anne Dok’s Lechon, Jolibee, Starbax Cafe);

    not composed nearly generic or geograpic words( The Drugstore, Mindanao);

    not a name which by law or regulation cannot be appropriated (OTOP, Intelligence, State College);

    not used to designate or distinguish, or suggestive of quality of any class of goods, articles, merchandise, or service (Best Taho Factory, A-1 Auto Repair Shop);

    not used by the government in its governmental functions (NBI Private Investigation Services, DTI Trading);

    not a name or abbreviation of any nation, inter-governmental or international organization (Philippine Manpower Pooling Agency, UNSECO Marketing, WHO Health Services); and

    is not deceptive, misleading or which misrepresent the name of business (“GOLD Construction Services” where nature of business is recruitment).

    https://bnrs.dti.gov.ph

    Confirmation of business name registration

    The total fee for business name registration on Barangay level will be 230 PhP. The extra 30 PhP is for the Documentary Stamp. If everything seems to be in order, click the Yes button.

    Keep your Reference Code somewhere safe!

    Save the reference code and do not lose it! You’ll need this to pay for your business name register with DTI. What I did was copy the code and pasted it in my phone’s notes app. Do not lose your phone either! hehe.

    Close this dialog box and then click the Next button at the bottom of the page.

    “Undertaking”

    Click the Download button at the bottom of the Undertaking page. Print and sign it. I am a newbie in business stuff and I’m not sure what this is for yet, but I’ll print and sign it just in case.

    Payment

    Business name registration – online payment trouble (RESOLVED)

    The payment part made me pull my hair in frustration. I was expecting that I could pay right away via GCash like what everyone else on the Internet says. But look at the screenshot below, there’s no payment option that I could select under Online Payment!

    BNRS Payment before the recent upgrade

    The DTI Facebook page is responsive to messages, so I told them about this problem. They suggested that I pay for my business name registration over-the-counter because their GCash payment method was not working back then, and there’s no advisory on when it’s going to be back up. I felt really bad about going to a DTI teller to pay because there’s already an online option that exists, but it’s just not working! If you Google how to pay for online DTI business name registration, the web pages will tell you that it’s done through GCash.

    I could not wait for the GCash payment method to be fixed because my business name was only reserved for 5 days, according to an email from BNRS. Against my will, I decided that I’ll pay for my business name at the Government Service Express (GSE) at MOA.

    BUT!

    But on the day before my planned trip to Government Service Express at MOA, I wanted to download the Undertaking document from the BNRS so I checked the website. There was a pop-up announcing that there’s been a recent upgrade of the system. I took a peek at my pending business name registration, thinking what if I could finally select GCash to pay for it online. And it was there! I was finally able to select GCash as my payment method, and it worked. Phew! I cried tears of joy on that day.

    Payment options after the system upgrade

    DTI BNRS Payment options for your business name registration (GCash, credit card, PayMaya, or Landbank Link.Biz for online payment)

    Online payment for business registration with DTI

    You may pay for your business name registration with DTI online through the following channels:

    • GCASH
    • Visa/MasterCard/JCB
    • PAYMAYA
    • LANDBANK LINK.BIZ

    Over-the-counter payment for business registration with DTI

    You may also pay over the counter through the following:

    Transaction fees

    Payment OptionsTransaction Fee
    LANDBANK LINK.BIZ
    Landbank ATM/Visa Debit Cards₱ 15.00
    BachNet Member Bank ATM/Debit Card₱ 20.00
    Cash Payment₱ 30.00
    PESONet₱ 25.00
    GCASH
    GCash₱ 10.00
    PAYMAYA
    Online Checkout and PayMaya OneFREE 1.25% of Transaction amount
    PayMaya QRFREE 0.25% of Transaction amount
    Bills Payment via PayMaya AppFREE ₱ 8.00
    Pay by PayMayaFREE ₱ 8.00
    Smart PadalaFREE ₱ 10.00

    I chose GCash to pay for my online business registration.

    Pay for business name registration with DTI online via GCash

    Enter your GCash number.

    GCash will send you an authentication code. As soon as you receive it, enter it on the website. If you don’t enter it fast enough, the system will time out and you’ll have to start all over again!

    Enter your 4-digit GCash pin then click NEXT.

    Make sure you have enough balance on your GCash! Or else, you’ll be shown the following screen:

    What to download after registering your business name with DTI online

    After successful payment, you will be able to download the following documents from the BNRS of DTI:

    • Official Receipt
    • Business Name Certificate
    • Undertaking / [Sole Proprietorship] Application Form (I got the BNR Form No. 01-2018; Also I applied for Sole Proprietorship so that’s how my application form is labeled)

    The receipt looks like this:

    Official receipt for the registered business name

    My undertaking document’s heading looks like this:

    Heading of the Undertaking / Sole Proprietorship Application Form

    Aaaand my actual business name certificate looks like this:

    Sample business name registration certificate from DTI

    Your newly registered business name should now appear in the results if you search for it in the BNRS!

    Contact DTI

    Got a problem or question? It’s best that you contact DTI directly! 🙂

    Telephone: (02) 890-1302 / 251-3670 / 251-1223
    Mobile: 0917 595-3930
    Email: [email protected]

    The BNRS Helpdesk is open from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (except Holidays).

    Next step: Get Barangay Business Clearance

    The next step for us is to get a permit from the barangay. I applied for my barangay business clearance at Bangkal Barangay Hall.

  • How to get marriage certificate in the Philippines online from PSA (NSO)

    How to get marriage certificate in the Philippines online from PSA (NSO)

    I requested a copy of my PSA (formerly NSO) Marriage Certificate last Monday and received it today, on a Saturday afternoon. I was required to present 1 valid ID and submit a photocopy of it to the person who delivered my PSA Marriage Certificate.

    Online request for PSA Marriage Certificate

    On August 19, Monday, I requested a copy of my PSA Marriage Certificate online. It’s for my application for Japan visa so that’s the info I entered before clicking the “Submit” button. Then, I filled out the Marriage Details, Name of Husband, and Maiden Name of Wife. I was also asked if I had any of the following done to my marriage certificate: correction of entry, annulment, court hearings, supplemental, or legal separation… I just clicked the “None” button. And then, I had to fill out information on “Who is requesting for this Marriage Certificate?” which should match the receiver’s name in the valid ID to be presented when the marriage certificate is delivered. Upon checkout for the online ordering of my PSA Marriage Certificate, I provided my contact info, delivery address, and number of copies of the certificate. This is the point where one could add the name of authorized representatives if the owner will not be the one to receive the marriage certificate. If you are opting for this, make sure to print the LOA (Letter of Authorization).

    Payment for my PSA Marriage Certificate online order

    You may pay online using a credit card or GCash, or by bank transfer. I chose to use GCash.

    Before sending payment for my marriage certificate, the status of my order was like this:

    August 19, 2019, 10:22 am
    Status
    Waiting for Payment Confirmation from Payment Provider

    After entering my GCash mobile number, I received an SMS asking for my GCash pin for confirmation.

    Few minutes later, the status of my order was updated into the following:

    August 19, 2019, 10:28 am

    Status

    Paid via GCash

    NSO Processing

    The next day, the status of my PSA marriage certificate online order became “processing”:

    August 20, 2019, 1:34 am
    Status
    Submitted to NSO for processing

    Delivery of the PSA Marriage Certificate

    5 days after my online order, I received the following SMS at 7:34 AM:

    Good morning. Please be advised that your requested PSA (NSO) document is for delivery anytime today.  Kindly prepare the recipient’s original & photocopy of the valid ID as well as the Letter of Authorization with original & photocopy of the valid ID from the person issuing the letter (if applicable).  For inquiries, pls call PSAHelpline at 737-1111. Thank you.

    I checked the status of my order online and saw the following:

    August 23, 2019, 4:01 pm
    Status
    For Delivery

    Oooh, so it was already marked as “for delivery” since the day before!

    At 12:59PM the delivery person texted me, asking me to prepare my valid ID and a photocopy of it. I was surprised that he asked me for a photocopy too. Previously, when I requested PSA (NSO) certificates, the delivery staff didn’t even check for valid IDs sometimes. I re-read the requirements at the PSA website and found this:

    What are the necessary requirements to be presented when receiving the documents upon delivery?


    If the person receiving the document is the owner or any of the Authorized persons(legal spouse, father, mother, son or daughter), he/she should present a signed valid original ID and submit a photocopy to the courier.


    If the receiving party is not one of the authorized persons, he/she needs to present the following:


    > Original signed letter of authorization (LOA) from the certificate owner/authorized persons (legal spouse, father, mother, son, or daughter)
    > To present a valid original ID of the owner/authorized persons (legal spouse, father, mother, son, or daughter)
    > A photocopy of the valid ID of the owner/authorized persons (legal spouse, father, mother, son, or daughter)
    > A photocopy of the valid ID of the authorized representative

    Oops! My bad, I didn’t check for the changes in the rules. I’m super lucky we have a printer with photocopy function at home. Otherwise, the marriage certificate would probably be re-delivered on another day because I don’t think we have any photocopy service near our home.

    The delivery person arrived at our place around 1:45PM. He asked me to sign a document for receipt. He told me that PSA became more strict recently so they now require a photocopy of the valid ID, aside from presenting the actual ID to the courier. I was told that a lot of clients have been frustrated about this new requirement, and that one of the delivery persons was slapped by a customer before because he could not provide a photocopy of a valid ID. Ouch! But PSA really won’t allow us to receive the certificate anymore without submitting a photocopy of the ID, for data security purposes.