Friday, May 23, 2003

THE PHILIPPINES is facing a balance of payment (BoP) deficit this year -- a reversal of the 660 million dollars surplus reaped in 2002 -- due to slower inflows from trade, investments and foreign borrowings, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Thursday. Full story

When I talked with Vera over the phone of my willingness to sell the house in a much lower rate, she mentioned to me about the fate of commercial establishments in our area. It's unfortunate that most small businesses failed to make it and were forced to shut down.

Life here worsened after the Iraqi war (US-led invasion). We're into recruitment and deploying people to the Middle East slows down. We can barely cope up with bills and other obligations. It's very sad that my children will not be able to make it to college again this school year. The last school they have attended refused to release school credentials unless we settled previous balance.

Somehow, watching news and seeing what has happened with those Iraqi people living in poverty in their oil rich country and/or those people who were victims of earthquake in Algeria, made me have second thought that we are still very lucky to be born here in the Philippines in spite of life's challenges we are now experiencing. There are many ways to thank God for this wonderful life we're having. Many thanks to God for the good health my children and I are enjoying. And, most of all, we have a house that safely shelter us... ah! we are indeed fortunate and very blessed!