Top 3 Local Couriers in The Philippines To Choose If You Are Living from the South

Way back 2017, I have written a blog post about the best couriers in the Philippines that I've known and tried. I haven't been able to update my list over the years and that's why I'm writing this. While I'm pretty sure you have your own favorites, I have mine too. I'll list them down shortly.

I lived from the North then (Valenzuela), but last year, we decided to move to the South (Cavite). I have come to realize that there's a scarcity of couriers from where I am now, compared to when I was living in the metro. I guess most couriers service NCR addresses because that's probably where e-commerce businesses are more active . Although it's just an assumption. :D

Anyway, I've googled and checked out a few websites. I found one that picks up from our area, but they have minimum parcel requirement. I am not a bigtime seller and I don't ship a lot in one batch. In fact, I only sell a few preloved items when I declutter, so reaching the required number is quite an impossible feat.

There's another one which I've only recently heard of. The thing is, shipping cost is quite expensive if I ship from where I am, going to different parts of the country. A big no-no for my regular buyers-turned-online friends.

So here I've listed the 3 couriers which I trust. They aren't completely flawless in terms of their shipping and delivery services but I am at my most comfortable when I trust my parcel with them.

 

 

1. GOGO XPRESS

It was formerly known as Xpost and even when I was from the north, I always use their service and almost all my transactions were excellent. The shipping rates aren't the cheapest, but still worth it in my opinion. Shipping was extremely fast compared to competitors, riders were friendly and courteous. They offer free pickup, free item protection (up to PHP500) and free COD transactions.

Their app is their biggest edge in my opinion. From scheduling a pickup to tracking and final deliveries, everything has been smooth for me for about 2 years. Until recently, when there has been a major change in their management, there were so many delays and backlogs but they were able to quickly recover. A few days after, they released a memorandum stating that they were withdrawing their partnership with Shopee. Another major change I observed was when they limit the serviceable areas for pickup to NCR and a few cities in Cavite and Rizal. Unfortunately, Tanza isn't one of those. I am still hoping for them to widen their coverage as soon as possible.

This is why I was forced to search for a different courier. A reasonably-priced courier that would pick up from my place and would offer that door-to-door service and parcel protection. Basically something that would outperform Gogo Xpress.

2. J&T EXPRESS

I have known J&T for years but it was only until recently that I decided to try them in place of Gogo. It was recommended by a previous buyer who wanted to save on shipping because Gogo, was well, more expensive. At first, I was under the impression that I could only dropship with J&T, just like JRS, LBC and more, but I found out I could also schedule a pickup online. The good thing is that they also pick up parcels from provincial places like ours, at no charge and they would even print your waybills for you. Great for those who ship small amount of parcels.

The only setback I always encounter is the booking process. I even had a hard time signing up for an account. Not sure whether it's a system glitch, but I always find it hard to schedule a pickup. Searching for the barangay, city, province is what prolongs the process. Sometimes, when I'm almost done, I'd still get this error 'order failed' or 'wrong sender address' and I'm like, how could that happen??? Using their app never fails to test my patience. PLEASE. IMPROVE. YOUR. APP. I.AM.BEGGING.

Nonetheless, I love the cheap rates, occasional vouchers, and accuracy of their tracking and delivery. I hope to never have any lost parcel with you guys hehe.

3. LALAMOVE

I though I might include a same-day shipping courier in my Top 3. I know there are other options like Grab or Angkas or Mr. Speedy (now Borzo Delivery I think), and I'm actually torn, but I would just say Lalamove since it's usually cheaper and most of my same-day bookings are with them. Although I have to be honest and tell you the not-so-good experiences I had with Lalamove.

First and foremost, it's usually hard to book a rider to pickup from my place to NCR and vice versa. I understand it could be the price surge in gas nowadays, but I couldn't book unless I add 'tip' on top of the base price. You're lucky enough if you could score a voucher to further lessen the total price. 

Sometimes, riders would ask you if they could mark the shipment complete and add another transaction para sulit daw gas to which I would just say I'm good with so long as the parcel gets delivered safely. Of course, it has to be within the day. I still opted for Lalamove despite everything, because I still find it less expensive. I haven't tried Borzo yet, but it's also cheaper than Grab.

I just wish I could top-up money with no minimum amount required since I don't use Lalamove every so often. That's something I wish they consider.

So there you have it! I wanted to have a lot of options so if you are probably in the same location or know other couriers that would pick up from Tanza, please let me know! I would love to try them out! Thanks so much for dropping by!

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Using Shopee SPayLater For The First Time

I am sure that you've heard about Shopee SPayLater at one point especially if you are an avid online shopper. I wasn't even interested at first to be honest. Processing fees and interests have always been red flags to me. The only loans I am willing to deduct from my paychecks are salary and multipurpose loans from SSS and PAGIBIG. I just wanted to make sure my contributions were properly utilized.

I am not even confident enough to apply for credit cards because I am scared that the interests would be too much and would add up to my piles of bills. I would rather wait until I have enough cash to buy something I want or need. That way, I won't get any unexpected charges.

Think cash. That's what my mother used to tell me all the time. However, I kept on seeing these promotions online and thought of maybe trying out SPayLater for a change, and see whether it's worth it or not.

Before we start, I would like to let you know that I am not a financial expert or affiliated with Shopee so everything I say is based on my experience or what I have encountered.

WHAT IS SHOPEE SPAYLATER?

It's like a payment method/service provided by Shopee wherein qualified users can use this to pay for purchases at a later date. This is good if you don't have cash on-hand or you find it uncomfortable to pay first before getting your purchases.

Users have the option to settle payments in installment basis - you can choose to pay on your chosen due date (every 5 or 15 of the month), pay in 3, 6 or 12 months. Of course, the longer option you choose, the higher the interest rate will be. If you failed to settle on your due dates, late fees would also apply. There might be consequences as well such as suspension of your account or limit to Shopee services and vouchers.

Credit limit is up to P50,000 monthly depends on your approval. When I signed up, I was approved with a P10,000 credit limit. I think the expected monthly salary disclosed during application as well as your account history has something to do with the approved credit amount. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

For more information regarding SPayLater, I've included some screenshots here, which you can also easily see on your Shopee app.

HOW TO SIGN UP FOR SPAYLATER

To be honest, it took me several tries before I get approved. I am not sure what exactly went wrong on the first few tries - it could be my I.D.s or some information I must have typed in wrong. Then about less than a couple of weeks ago, I gave it another shot and was finally approved. I started buying groceries and a few things I need using SPayLater.

HOW TO USE SPAYLATER

It's very easy to use this service from Shopee. You just have to do the usual shopping and just select SPayLater as the payment method uponchecking out. If you are not ready to pay the item in full, choose from the monthly installments that are available. I always choose BNPL (Buy Now, Pay Later) because the interest rates and processing fees will be lower.

INTEREST RATES

BILLING CYCLES

You have two options to choose for your due date. You can consider your payout date (if you are an employee) before choosing what's best for you. I chose 15th of the month though because...uhmm, no particular reason. :D

HOW TO PAY YOUR SPAYLATER LOAN

HOW TO PAY YOUR SPAYLATER LOAN IN ADVANCE

As much as possible, I'd like to pay for my purchases ahead of time so I don't have to worry later on. It's a personal preference but that's what I usually think. I don't like COD as well because I prefer cashless payment. I get impatient too while waiting for my bill which I can only expect to come at least 10 days prior to my due date.

I was only playing around when I found out I could pay my SPayLater loan in advance. I included some screenshots down below. I found out that every time you receive an order paid with SPayLater, it automatically accumulates on the upcoming bill amount which you can pay in full even if it's not your due date yet. I like doing this so as to increase my credit limit back up again and avoid expensive bills when it's already almost my due date.

NOTE: There are lots of payment methods to choose from to pay your loan. It doesn't have to be Shopeepay. I just like to keep some cash in my Shopeepay account just in case I need to buy something.

 

 

  

  

 

OVERALL THOUGHTS

I find Shopee SPayLater convenient to use. The application only takes about 5 minutes as long as you have a valid I.D. and make sure you follow the instruction properly, supply all valid information and fix yourself for the facial verification part.

I haven't been able to use SPayLater for a long time yet but so far, I enjoy using it most especially because of the vouchers only exclusive to SPayLater users. I noticed that they give out vouchers from time to time wherein users can take advantage of 20-100% cashbacks, capped at around 75-350 coins.

Imagine the amount of coins one could earn and use for future purchases! I'm easily swayed by these cashback promos and I'm not sorry at all. Haha!

It was too hot these days so I decided to buy a pair of cotton boxer shorts for women. They were on sale for about ₱‌159/ea. The total was ₱‌292 for the pair (applied free shipping and coins) and I got some cashbacks worth ₱‌200 (because of the 100% cashback voucher capped at 200 coins). Including the rates/fees for this particular purchase, I paid ₱‌303.71. So hindi na 'ko lugi, right?

Yesterday, I received one of my orders from last week - an OPPO Band B1 Watch - which I got on sale for ₱‌1099. I got it further discounted because of an SPayLater voucher where I got 400-peso off my total purchase. Imagine the savings. I only paid ₱‌699.35 for my loan.

I assume that we'll encounter less and less of these types of promotions in the future, so you know it when they say, "enjoy while it lasts."

I just had a minor issue with SPayLater so far and this is with regards to the interest/free shipping vouchers. Take this one for example. Say I am to buy this earrings which costs around ₱‌589...

I noticed that if I choose a free shipping voucher with the ShopeePay/SPayLater label, I'll pay ₱‌653.85 for my loan (please see screenshots below). If I choose a different shipping promotion though without SPayLater on it , I would only pay ₱‌612.27. It appears misleading to me because how come they are providing free shipping vouchers, yet it seems like I'll have to pay for them through loan? This is just an observation and I don't think it's a technical error either. I've been trying these shipping promos with other products too in my cart and there's really a difference on the loan amount. It doesn't make sense to me at all. If you have an explanation for this, please enlighten me.

SAMPLE SPAYLATER VOUCHERS

Screenshot below shows examples of the the promotions offered when you utilize SPayLater. I would say that it's a convenient and practical way of paying for purchases online and I would definitely continue using the service. From time to time, they also offer 0% interest on certain products. I'm kind of excited for the next big sale and see what kind of offers I can take advantage of!

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Do You Really Get Cashbacks From Shopping With Shopback?

WHAT SHOPBACK IS ALL ABOUT

Shopback is a cashback reward program available across Asia-Pacific with over 5 million members on its platform. It allows online shoppers to take a portion of their cash back when they make a purchase through the platform. They also provide discount coupons, voucher codes, and even comparison features for online shopping, travel booking and food delivery. It is currently partnered with over 1,300 brands from all over the world, including online giants Amazon, Booking.com, eBay, ASOS, Zalora, Woolworths Online, Lazada, Uber, Grab, Shopee, Tokopedia, Blibli.com and Alibaba.

SO IS SHOPBACK LEGIT?

Indeed. I was hesitant to try Shopback at first knowing that scamming is very rampant nowadays. Exploring the application later on, I then realized that there's nothing to lose and nothing at stake anyway. Since I do online shopping more than dropping by at the actual stores, I think earning a little something from it is a smart move. I am sharing this blog to you, as we all know that technology is a widespread idea and a lot of people spend their time doing transactions online. If you are like me who places orders through websites, I guarantee that you will enjoy having Shopback installed too, in your phone.

The app isn't hard to utilize if that's what you think. It's free and convenient in a way that every time you shop at your favorite e-commerce sites, all you have to do is open their websites via Shopback and you will automatically get cash rebates once you successfully did a purchase. Now, please be advised that it would normally takes months before they release the cashback. I think this is to ensure that the purchase doesn't include any fraudulent activities and is completely successful (meaning no cancellations/return/refund).

HERE'S HOW SHOPBACK WORKS

First, you have to download the application from the App Store. You can sign in with your Facebook account or sign up with just your regular e-mail.

Every time you are planning to shop online, make sure to open the partner merchants through Shopback's platform to ensure getting rebates for every purchase made. You'll get notifications within 72 hours about the status of the rebates earned. You can check all available balance by clicking on the profile button on the upper right hand corner of the screen (see photo above). You will be redirected to the page that gives you information about the exact balance that is withdraw-able. 

You can click on the 'Check Cashback History' to display available balance, pending earnings,  withdrawn cash as well as the points earned from the purchase made. Available balance (are the approved transactions), pending earnings (are the unconfirmed rebates) and withdrawn (successfully transferred money to your bank account).

When using Shopback, you have to be patient because it takes months before partner merchants and Shopback confirmed that there weren't any cancellations made. Yes, if you cancelled/returned any order placed through the platform, cashbacks shall be considered null and void. Only successful transactions will be honored.

Shopback requires a minimum amount of P200 available balance before a withdrawal can be made. Yes, it would take several purchases to reach 200-peso threshold. Upon accumulating that much amount for the first time, Shopback will reward you an extra P100.

Now that we reached the required threshold, we are now ready to withdraw the available balance as real money! How?

You can opt for cashouts through Paypal or bank transfer. When opting for bank transfer, you have to add a bank account and verify it through e-mail. Shopback supports several banks like BDO, BPI, Metrobank, Chinabank, East West, Globe Gcash, PNB, RCBC, Security Bank, Union bank and UCPB.

You just have to navigate to your e-mail and click the link to verify the new cashout method. I encounter error verifying the bank account through my phone so if it happens to you, use your desktop instead. I guess this feature is only available for desktop use.

Proceed to withdrawing the money and you may have to enter an OTP code sent to your registered phone. This is an additional verification step. Lastly, you may also have to verify your e-mail address by checking your mail again.

You will then receive another e-mail confirming the cashout request.

And that's it! You will receive a notification e-mail once money was successfully transferred to your preferred cashout method. You can also simply monitor your bank account to make sure it gets credited! I received the money after exactly 7 days! Other times, it would just take a business day or two.

Using Shopback is really a smarter way of shopping online, don't you think? They run promotions too from time to time wherein you could earn more by completing tasks. During sale season, there's usually an increase in the percentage of cashback that you could get, so you may want to watch out for that too.

If you have further inquiries, you may just drop it on the comment section and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. Happy shopping!

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Barely Took Me An Hour To Apply For A Philippine Passport

I have always wanted to apply for a passport as my primary valid I.D. since I was in college but because getting an appointment was almost impossible, it took me more than a year before I can secure one. I even had to list and give all my information to my boyfriend overseas because I'm sure you're all aware that we have the worst internet connection. But one day I got lucky and I was scheduled at 10:00 AM, June 19, 2018 at DFA, SM Manila. SM Manila was the most convenient branch for me because I know how to commute from where I live and I considered that my second home when I was still studying in Intramuros. Talking about it made me reminisce how we always drop by the mall after school. :D

Going back to what transpired during my passport application...here are the items you need to ensure hassle-free application.

1. Appointment Notice/E-mail Confirmation. After you successfully reserved a slot, you will be receiving a letter on your e-mail containing the reference number, appointment schedule, reminders, etc.
2. Accomplished Application Form printed in A4 size. This will be attached on the e-mail that you will be receiving.
3. Original copy of Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Authenticated Birth Certificate on Security Paper with a photocopy. Married Females (who are using their spouse's last name) must also submit Original copy of PSA Authenticated Marriage Contract on Security Paper or Report of Marriage. Local Civil Registrar Copy may be required if PSA Birth Certificate is not clear or cannot be read. When I arrived at the DFA office, the people behind me were talking about PSA (previously NSO) and that the new passport requirement should be printed with the PSA logo. I had my old NSO Birth Certificate we processed year ago for my school requirement and I thought DFA won't accept it. I had to raise a question at one of the guards on duty and he said "it depends if the document is still clear and can be verified." I sighed in relief. I thought all the waiting will all be in vain.
4. Valid I.D. with a photocopy. For the list of acceptable cards, click here.

If you are just about to make an appointment, click here. Just select the necessary information, choose your preferred branch, date and time slot. This step was the hardest for me. You have to make sure you follow DFA on social media accounts or check daily to see if new slots have opened up. You have to be quick if you see green dates because popular slots get taken in a matter of seconds. I even told my boyfriend he could pick anytime he wished as long as I get a slot. It's a good thing he was able to get the most convenient for me.

My appointment was at exactly 10:00 AM at SM Manila branch so as much as I would like to be 30 minutes before my scheduled time, I couldn't be. I arrived early that morning though and made sure I was near the entrance so when the gate opens, I can easily walk my way to the 5th floor, yes DFA's located on the 5th floor! The scenario was way different than expected because when SM reopens, all the people seem to push each other just so they could come in first. People nowadays...tsk. I had to stay calm so when I got upstairs, it was almost 10:15 A.M. We had to wait outside in line while a DFA personnel checks all of our requirements and confirmed appointments. Because I am short-legged, I ended up approximately the 50th in line so I thought I'm never going to make it out by exactly 11:00 A.M. which I didn't mind because I know DFA will accommodate everyone who were scheduled first.

Each step was very swift. Though this is my first time getting a passport, a lot said how they have to wait in line for hours without even knowing if they would make it to the last counter. We are lucky that DFA implemented this online appointment which I used to hate but now understood why they had to. After waiting in line outside for about 10 minutes, they now let us go inside. We fell in line at the information counter to have our documents checked and compiled and the personnel gave us each a survey sheet and a checklist.

We then proceed to the Passport Enrollmen Section where they scanned our documents and asked if we would like the regular (P950/15 business days) or expedited processing (P1,200/7 business days). Since I was no way in a hurry, I opted for the regular. I was then instructed to proceed to the cashier area to pay for the application fee. I was assisted almost right away. I wished to be corrected but I think if you made an appointment during weekends, you are suppose to pay for the expedited price at Bayad Centers or other acceptable mode of payments beforehand. This is a good thing because you can skip one process during your scheduled appointment.

I, then, proceed to the Encoding Section to process biometrics and photo I.D. There were about 5 counters so the process was real quick. I observed each of the personnel and they seem to be in good mood. It's almost the start of the day after all! I was done in a few minutes and I still have spare time to drop by the LBC counter because I opted to have my passport delivered. It cost me P150 (though I am not really sure). I was literally out the door by exactly 11:00 AM.

If you can, choose the earliest time possible so you get to maximize the alloted time for you. The process was very efficient and to think that passport validation lasts for 10 years, I would never be scared of reapplying for passport until then!

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I Applied For SSS UMID Card + Process and Requirements

Adulting is just crazy. You might not realize what photo I.D.s are for now, there will come a time when you have to transact alone and you may need a valid photo I.D. I specifically wanted to apply for a UMID (Unified Multipurpose I.D. Card) card for two main reasons: (1) It is a primary identification card here in the Philippines and (2) it never expires. A lot of you are probably aware but for the benefit of those who don't, this card is literally a unified single card that you can use for any SSS, PAG-IBIG, GSIS and Philhealth transactions.

So basically, here's what you need:

1. UMID Application form which you may need to request at the branch upon arrival or you may also download online here.
2. Bring one (1) primary valid I.D.--Passport, Driver’s License, PRC Card or Seaman’s Book (Seafarer’s Identification and Record Book. In the absence of these, bring any two (2) secondary I.D.s. For the list, you may click here.
3. Black-inked ballpen

Here's what exactly tranpired:

1.  I arrived there at least an hour before the end of the working hours. This might be a good thing to do because there are less people (or probably it's just on the branch where I applied) so I ended the process quickly.
2. I got an application form from the information booth and a queue number. I filled out all necessary information in the waiting area.
3. By the time the verification personnel called my queue number, I was done filling out the form and had prepared my two (2) valid I.D.s which is TIN and Philhealth Cards.
4. Once approved, I then proceed to the I.D. Capturing booth and leave the form to the SSS personnel desk who will get your biometics, photo I.D and signature. They will call your name so be patient. This step took most of the time. Once done, they will provide you a sheet of paper regarding the success of your application and will then instruct you to wait for a time period as to how long you should wait for your UMID ID to be delivered.
5. I got mine within 30 days and was supposed to activate it at any branches or kiosks.

To be honest, I never though applying for a UMID ID will be this quick and easy. I am glad that the staff on the branch I went to were all friendly and accommodating. Do let me know if you have questions!

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