…gross domestic product grew 4.6% in the third quarter despite all the pessimism, talks of gloom and doom and actual recession in more advanced economies of the US, Japan and European countries.

The figure is in the upper end of the government projection of 4.0% to 4.6%. Still, this is quite a drop from the 31-year peak of 7.2% in 2007. The fourth quarter, although seasonally a good quarter for the economy because of Christmas spending and stuff, might be gloomier if people keep postponing their spending to wait for prices to go lower (like that LCD television that was at P120,000 early this year but is now at P100,000, zero percent interest for 24 months.

So, maybe I should change my tune a little bit and say: hey guys, if you have the money, go shopping to save the economy! Hehe.

***

…some analysts actually believe the bear market is over, stock prices have bottomed out, but that this does not mean the bull is ready to charge. So, as my editor-in-chief JV Rufino asked when I told him about the news, what do you call a market that is neither a bull nor a bear?

***

…if you have investments in the stock market, you belong to less than half of one percent of the total population of the Philippines that are into equities! Citiseconline.com only had 6,000 customers in 2007 and only 15% of them traded at least eight times in a month.

***

…I am starting to believe I am jinxed!

Well, the good news is that a few minutes (yes, minutes) after I blogged about BPI’s online banking service, someone from the bank called me up at home (should I be scared or impressed? honestly, I’m more impressed than worried) and tried to help me with my problems. A few days after, he called me again as promised and told me the account linked to my online banking facility was inactive, hence the error messages. (the phone banker sounded as puzzled as I was by the explanation of their IT guys).  I took note of the instructions he gave and resolved to follow them religiously.

Finally, yesterday, I was ready to look at my account. Lo and behold, I forgot my password and got locked out! (that was totally my fault). So, I called up the 89-100 hotline today and what message did I get? “Ma’am, we are having a problem with our system so can you please call us again in an hour?”

Strangely, I am not really upset. But I think I am so totally jinxed.

***

…when you call an OFW abroad through their phone with roaming capabilities, he pays through the nose just to receive your call and you pay IDD rates on your phone. Ouch!

If you have Globe’s family sim pack, the best way to maximize the entire package is for the OFW to buy another sim with Globe’s telco partner in that country. You can send him a text message for P1, he can reply using text. The two sims used by relatives here can benefit from “unli text plans” but to call home, he should use his co-branded sim.

OneAyala privilege card, by the way, was relaunched today with more benefits! It’s a discount card that’s also an ATM through which Filipino expats abroad (I like the sound of that more than OFW) can use to remit money to the Philippines. Check out some of the noteworthy discounts below (others I did not include were blah):

• “preferential rates” on international and domestic tickets and packages from Fiesta Tours and Travel and discounted rates on passporting and documentation,
• deluxe room at P6,200++ and the Club Room at P8,500++ at Hotel Intercontinental and complimentary one-way transfer from airport to hotel for a minimum of 3 nights stay and 20% discount on all food and beverage outlets
• 10% off on existing rates on Deluxe and Suite rooms at Marriott in Cebu City and 10% discount in all food and beverage outlets
• 5% discount on purchases at Fiesta Mall Duty Free
• Free Hanabishi Rice Cooker for every single-receipt purchase of P15,000 at Abenson
• P200 worth of load for only P160 in Timezone
• one free donut for every dozen bought at Mister Donut
• Free one-year personal accident insurance worth P100,000 for every Ayala Life policy purchased, and
• One free money transfer to the Philippines from anywhere in the world from Xoom.