Abril 2012 - ODBEST by Olan Deems – Filipino Business & Engineering Blog

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While working in the Philippines, I used to save my salary to buy the latest mobile unit models.  I was overwhelmed by a trend of phone features such as the call/text only.<br />
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So, even I was buying a new mobile unit. I used to keep the old ones because they signified my earnings. I never thought that my interest in the latest trend of phones might have killed me and taught me the greatest lessons I ever had.</div>
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 <b><span style="font-size: large;">Scenario 1:  The UNIT was SAVED without getting hurt!</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLeSi8GfRzfuBzkNCVUKlvVdWWIYGxa3o7THPTLYTxK2F6Q-Zb9hKlyzFqXyFdPvJdVKqQxt_29MKf7ldY_csZcts1NdKZhnXZUmGe96Z3IWRdR5SfYoeurfBBmZuzAGKYNEX8qXbymE/s1600/ODPE+04+%25285%2529.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" loading="lazy" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuLeSi8GfRzfuBzkNCVUKlvVdWWIYGxa3o7THPTLYTxK2F6Q-Zb9hKlyzFqXyFdPvJdVKqQxt_29MKf7ldY_csZcts1NdKZhnXZUmGe96Z3IWRdR5SfYoeurfBBmZuzAGKYNEX8qXbymE/s320-rw/ODPE+04+%25285%2529.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>When I was reviewing for my board examination in my nineteenth year, I bought my first mobile phone.  During that time, my country had an early outbreak of mobile brands.<br />
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Since most of my roommates had their branded cell phones, I was prompted to buy one. While waiting for a cab on my way home, there was one guy who bought a piece of candy near where I stood and another guy who bought one stick of cigar and stood beside me as well. Now, these two guys sandwiched me.<br />
<br />Suddenly, in just a couple of seconds, one guy abruptly threatened me with his knife pointed at my right side while the other guy held my shoulder too tightly while mumbling in my left ear, “Give me your cell phone so that you won’t get hurt.” I was shocked and forcefully unfasten my body away from them and ran away.<br />
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Though they tried to catch me, thanks to God, they failed. <i>[Location scene:  If I remember right, the landmarks were Near National Bookstore/McDonald, Sideroad parking of Balic-balic Jeepneys at Recto; Time scene:  around 8PM]</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Scenario 2: The UNIT was RETRIEVED with bloody ends!</span></b></div>
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This time, I had already been working when this scene happened.  I was so heedless of my surroundings when suddenly a middle-aged man grabbed my cell phone and tried to flee out of sight, so I ran after him and fought back, but when I apprehended him, he had the chance to stab me in my head. <br />
<br />Though I felt that my blood was fluxing rapidly from the rear left-ear side of my head, I never stopped defending myself until I had grabbed my unit back into my possession. Then, I ran for rescue because my blood continually flowed out from my head.  Thanks to the volunteer taxi cab who sent me to the nearby hospital.<br />
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Sadly, when I arrived at the hospital, I felt so helpless and so weak. Thus, I wasn’t able to thank the taxi cab driver.<i> [Location scene:  On the Overpass near the  Quiapo Church; Time scene:  around 9PM ]</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Scenario 3:  The “UNIT” was SAVED from being like a stuntman!</span></b></div>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Just a week later, after scenario 2 had happened and my wounds were still fresh from stitches, my cousin and I visited our relatives somewhere in Antipolo City. On our way home to Makati, we rode an FXcab. My cousin sat in front beside the driver while I sat in the middle rear seats with two lady passengers.<br />
<br />On the road, the FXcab stopped, and two passenger men rode in and sat on the left and right rear seats. Just a mile away, I felt a hard object pointed at my head. As I looked back, I saw a gun grasped by a mumbling so that it wouldn’t be noticed by other passengers, including my cousin.   This guy threatened me to give my mobile unit. Without further ado, I stood up, immediately opened the door, and jumped over the FX.  I have been rolled on the rough concrete surface road. Thanks to God again because I didn’t jump over the busy lane of the expressway. <br />
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However, I was not safe yet.  As I stood up with a wounded and bloody face and broken lips while holding my rotted-out teeth, the two men were still in front of me, pointing again the gun at me while still insisting and grabbing my bag.  Since I was already wounded, I never gave in to their demands; instead, I ran away over the other side of the road.<br />
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Again, my UNIT was saved.  [Please note that my cousin was left on the FX, then later he told me that he was not allowed by the FX Driver to get off when he noticed that I jumped out of the FX].  <i>[Location scene:  Marcos Highway going from Antipolo to Cubao; Time scene:  around 10PM]</i><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Scenario 4:  The “UNIT” was taken away WITHOUT SEEING it!</span></b></div>
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With the above-preceding scenes, I have decided to be assigned to one of our provincial projects and to get rid of those phobias of living in the City.  I came back home with a fresh mind and almost healed wounds. I was not aware that the owner of the apartment with whom I am renting my unit accepted a new occupant beside my unit.<br />
<br />It was an early Thursday morning while I was preparing for my office. When I was having my bath, my two mobile units were stolen by this new occupant.  I called the attention of the irresponsible owner, and I advised them to search and investigate the unit of this new occupant. We discovered the things left were just a bulk bag containing old newspapers, plastics, and a pillow. Even though we reported this case to the police, securing leads has been difficult because the owner didn’t even know the occupant's name. The owner told me that the new occupant has presented them a three-months post-dated check as advance payment rent that’s why they just accepted this new occupant without further having a simple background check. <br />
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The scheme of this operation was being led by a “Budol-budol” gang/syndicate if not a “Collaboration Techniques with the Owner”. My parents told me that it was very fortunate that I was not inside my room; otherwise, If I have had fought again with them, I might die because this kind of person is ready to kill for money's sake.  <i>[Location scene:  M. Reyes Street, Makati; Time scene:  around 7:30AM]</i></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">Scenario 5:  The “unit” was SAVED so funny!</span></b></div>
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It was once my vacation from abroad when I visited my brother who lives in Quiapo.  I took a jeepney and sat beside the driver.  I was reading a newspaper when a sudden sharp object pointed at my neck.  Looking at my back, I saw two men wearing yellow T-shirts [seemingly uniformed hold-upper].  I was no longer threatened since I was already used to this incident. I handled it calmly, though I was bothered because I held the other cellphone with all my contact lists. I was not worried about the unit itself, but I was worried about losing my phone directories. So, I negotiated (sound-funny, right!).  I asked, “Is it ok if I give you another mobile unit in my other pocket, which is better and of the latest model?”  Then, the <i>holdupper</i> replied exasperatedly, “Ok, bring it out now!”<br />
<br />However, when I was bringing my unit out of my pocket, he transferred his knife from his right hand to his left hand while holding my shirt’s collar to take my cell phone using his right hand. I realized how that man could stab me if he was holding both the knife and my collar in his left hand. So, I used the same tactics. While pulling out my cell phone from my pocket, I got to jump out of the jeepney since the jeep was running so slowly while heading to the Quiapo bridge.<br />
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Again, the two <i>holduppers</i> failed with nothing taken from me.  <i>[Location scene:  Jones Bridge in Quiapo; Time Scene: 6:00AM]</i></div>
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Though this reflects the non-safe situations in some parts of the Philippines, it reminds me to value my Life first, as this has shown and proven again and again the visible <b>God’s love and protection! </b><br />
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