The Norwegian Debacle

A little more than a week ago, I was informed by my company's Miami office that I am being offered a job onboard another ship called P&O Azura. I looked up the itinerary of the ship and I was amazed that ship is in fact now in the Caribbean docked in Barbados and is going transatlantic soon and going on a whirlwind tour of almost the entire European continent reaching as far as north as St. Petersburg, Russia and going around the Greek Isles in the Mediterranean. What an opportunity, I thought! I said yes even if I knew the cruises were long (usually averaging 15 days long) which from experience doesn't bode well for the spa, and the clientele is mostly British guests (they don't tip).

So now... I thought this would be so easy right, I have all the paperwork all I have to do is renew my medical. Boy... I haven't been SOOOO wrong.

Steiner's  Manila Agent is affiliated with its (almost) exclusive Industrial/Occupational Medicine arm. Unfortunately, they were not accredited to issue a Norwegian Maritime Directorate Health Certificate which is being required of me by this particular ship company. (I have worked before for the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and their medical was extensive but was simple to obtain.) So I was referred to the American Outpatient Hospital Inc.(AOH) which was accredited.

Because my local agent was not connected with AOH they accepted me on an outpatient basis. I started my medical 17th February 2011, I was done the following morning. Unfortunately that was a Friday. They said I had to wait for at least 3 working days for the results of the medical. Time was running out. After they released my "certificate" I was informed by my principal from Miami that it needed to include my actual laboratory results and that their exams were "incomplete" compared to the one's the ship requiring. I wondered why the fuck isn't something with a very nice proper name: Norwegian Maritime Directorate Health Certificate isn't standardized internationally?! Is there a difference on the extent of the laboratories/exams required for a certificate issued in Miami vs. Manila???

I went back to AOH to ask for my actual laboratory exams... they said they don't release it to outpatient clients. I understand their protocol actually. Commonly, the company forwards the results directly to the manning agencies to prevent the seafarers/potential employees from falsifying their documents. But my reasoning behind this is: (1) I do have an agency, (2) AOH was the one who decided to put me on outpatient basis for the sole fact that my agency is not affiliated with them. Am I being discriminated because of my agency? Is this politics amongst Philippine industrial clinics corporations? I think I, as a client deserve the same service as among any other person applying for a health certificate. Is that something unreasonable?

I was made to sit in a waiting area for 3 hours to await a decision by whoever whether to release the laboratories to me or not. After 3 hours I had to speak up. They decided to give it to me. I admire the compassion of the employee who did it. There wasn't anything wrong with that. People who don't pass the exams don't get released anything at all so there is no use to protect against results when all they give out are good ones. Would a person falsify their results to become.... uhmmm ineligible for work???

A note: I thoroughly admire how the Filipino seafarers sit through this entire process just to be able to work abroad. From applying for a seaman's book, to doing the trainings, doing the medicals. It's all one long red tape and money making process at all steps.

2 days after, when I thought all was well... I was informed that the results was missing some pages again. This time, it was the questionnaire I was to answer. I checked the manual Steiner gave me. They indeed require it. The reason, I don't know, though I don't question them about it. The form is stamped at the top though... This Form is to be Kept by the Doctor according to the rules of blah blah blah... Well it's not supposed to be released to me anyway. But I had to ask AOH. People have been required of this before and they were able to deliver. Why not now.

I went back to AOH to ask for the forms. I arrived 8 am in the morning was first in line and was told the matter had to be forwarded to the medical director for approval. He would arrive 1330H. I left and attended to other errands. I arrived back at 1230H and waited until the medical director arrived... at 1630H!!! I was waiting just to ask permission to get some additional pages from my already ISSUED health certificate but to my surprise I was informed that I was not supposed to be issued one in the first place. Instead of going ballistic, I just was so exhausted over the days of running around for this trip that I just went quiet. I gave up. The director talked to me, informed me that the Norwegian Embassy only allows certain agencies to get the NIS (Norwegian Health Certificate) for their seafarers and Dolphin (My company) wasn't one of them. So instead of having an incomplete certificate he confiscated the one already issued and crossed it out. Well I couldn't do anything anymore could I. Not even if he was my school mate it was the mandate of the Norwegian Embassy in the Philippines and all the health certificates they issue had a serial number registered with the embassy.

Uhmmm Dear American Hospital Inc. isn't it your responsibility to inform me that I couldn't be issued this certificate at the first time I entered your door instead of wasting my 10 weeks prep time so you can tell me 1 day before my flight that I don't particularly deserve this certificate. Your mission on your wall says you intend to give total satisfaction and quality service to your clients. Well please feel free to call me up if you want testimonies for your wall..

So here I am, with an exhausting flight to New York passing through Dubai instead of the Pacific. To find my own hotel after arriving in Barbados. With two luggages and two carry-ons waiting for news. And with no health certificate that is needed before I can board the ship. Yipee...

I think I don't want to go anymore...

Patients

I'm always ecstatic when I bump into my patients on the way to the restaurant or something and they just smile so big at me and tell me: "I can't believe I was so skeptic and put this off for so long. It's just amazing what's happening." I feel my tired smile go from my ear to the other. My pretend cruise smile becomes real and I reply: "It makes me happy you're happy with the results."

That's always the case with first timers, they start skeptics but are drawn in because of the competitive prices on the ship and the advantage of anonymity and discretion being on a cruise offers. No one will know they "had work done" while vacationing. They could always say it was the great sea air, the long due rest that contributed to their amazing transformations. And I agree, I'm amazed at what this tiny injections can do to.

People who had it done before always swear allegiance to the treatment's effectiveness. I had two women sitting for my seminar one has never done it before but when she saw her seatmate nodding she asked her if it was worth it. The veteran answers: "So worth it." And that's it. These are the people you love. In a minute, the skeptic was risking doing it and going home happy. I always pray there would be more people like this whenever I speak. Swearing the truth to the magic of non-surgical facial rejuvination.

Amazing Race Reloaded

I was pretty confident no there would be no glitch with our travel to Miami until we checked-in in PAL Centennial Terminal and we were informed our flight wasn't booked and we had not paid for our tickets. We were stunned. How could that happened when we paid weeks ahead to our travel agency and reconfirmed every few days with every conversation we had with the staff. I really didn't know what to think.

When we went outside of the terminal to go to the PAL office, we were approached by people apparently from the agency and they told us they were trying to contact us because of the situation. Duh... no one's been calling any of us for the whole day. And if they really wanted to reach us, they just had to call my mom, and she was the one who they were really dealing with before. Anyway.

They finally got us on the same flight after a lot of running back and forth. It was really tiring.

Our flight to San Francisco International (SFO) was nonstop. Food on PAL was just ok. Entertainment on-board was pretty much inexistent. The captain had to apologize after realizing staff loaded the plane with Japanese movies thinking it was a flight to Japan. Stupid.

San Francisco International is a very nice and HUGE airport. I did a boo-boo leaving my co-trainee Dr. Joanna's book behind on the plane. :-( We were supposed to meet her cousin (?) for dinner in San Francisco but the long lines in immigration and trying to find the PAL office ate up our 3 hours layover time.

Our connecting flight to Miami was on American Airlines. They had aged planes and there wasn't any free food. Miami International (MIA) was also HUGE. Oh my. I think we walked half or three fourths of a mile to get to the baggage area.

We rented a card and got lost trying to find our hotel/condo/apartment. It was a nice experience going around though. Shamrock Corporate Housing is just awesome. We had a living room, dining room, laundry with washer and dryer, kitchen, 2 bedrooms, 2 baths, and a balcony. It was more than worth the price.

Numbered Hours

Mexican Riviera - Here I Come!

I confirmed news of my ship assignment a few minutes ago. I will be sailing with RCCL (Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines) Mariner of the Seas. ( Wikipedia Link ) Currently and during my entire 6 months onboard, it will sail from Los Angeles, CA - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Mazatlan, Mexico - Porto Vallarta, Mexico then back to LA. This cruise is more often referred to as the "Mexican Riviera Cruise." I'm already excited!

Cabo San Lucas

Mazatlan
-a small tourist town

Puerto Vallarta
- a big luxurious resort town

Photo Credits :
From Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bethanyholmes/3129635165/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/canadagood/4197105248/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/quiltsalad/4363924146/

Fitting One's Life in a Suitcase

When I saw 'Up in the Air' I wondered how George Clooney's character fit his life in a suitcase. A small one at that. Little did I know I'd have to solve that problem myself.

I haven't talked about it yet before I didn't want to "count the chicks before they hatched" y'know. But well, it's been hatched and now they're chickens I guess. I applied for a job I saw an Ad in Facebook. Ok. I officially love Facebook now. The Ad said: "Work as a Cruise Ship MD." I told myself: "What could I lose?" I was a new doctor, they'd never accept me. It turned out they were looking for people to work in a new program. A big spa company currently with branches in 16 cruise lines will be starting to offer medispa services onboard. Botox and dermal fillers. I submitted my resume and in a total surprise that had me running our upstairs hall waving up my arms, they accepted me. God loves me.

I was asked to undergo an interview with their manager and the medical director. It seems they liked me. They accepted me right? I got to prove they were totally right accepting me. This is a super opportunity for me. The thing I love about this job the most is that I will get to travel and see countries! How is that not divine intervention?! God really knows how to surprise me and tell me (with a personal touch) that He loves me.

The Amazing Race Chris Alipio Edition then began. Lucky me I had just renewed my passport. Passport renewal by then was a burden with a scheduling waiting time of one month. One more evidence of divine intervention. Lucky me again UST is efficient in paperwork. I got my CAV (a document authenticating my diploma and transcript) in the exact 7 days they said it would get done. Feedback from other universities was 1 month processing time! I breezed through the NBI. The big trouble for me... I had no previous employment. And I needed that for the POEA and the US Embassy. And then yet again by divine intervention, I had just worked with Makati Red Cross by then so that clinched it! The only requirement that took a lot of time was undergoing the Basic Safety Training required for all seafarers regardless of their job onboard.

I enrolled and attended the BST (I've posted photos from it from a previous entry) meeting two more of the doctors that will be leaving with me. It was mostly boring. The teachers were incompetent. They wasted hours and hours teaching nothing but bullshit really. The only fun part was the practical exam where we had to jump from a 15 feet height into a 14 feet deep pool (with a lifejacket), swim to a liferaft, climb without assistance, then fallback from the liferaft into the water. We then had to swim one lap of the pool without a lifejacket. I almost drowned when I bumped into one of my classmates and both of us were disoriented. Hahaha. I think I'll just voluntarily drown myself at sea if that happens. Why waste effort fighting. Hahaha.

We put out a big indoor fire and learned how to use fire extinguishers to put out smaller fires. I learned a big lesson. When you see a fire... don't just grab ANY fire extinguisher to put it out. You MUST know how to use one and WHAT KIND to use in each kind of fire. Each class of fire has a specific fire extinguisher that will work for it. You could end up making the fire bigger if you mistakenly used the wrong one. That was a big bummer. Highschools should require firefighting lessons for all its students.

This exercise of processing all my paperwork to work overseas educated me in one important lesson. Adult life isn't for the fainthearted. It certainly ain't for ignorant people. You'll get eaten alive by sharks out there. You have to fight for your rights at every line, every government agency, every office you go. If you are not assertive or if you are too soft, you'll get stepped on, cut through, or ignored. One more important lesson: most of the people left in this country especially those working in the government are either super-inefficient or incompetent. Couldn't we give our heart to our work no matter how small it is? This is exactly why I think Gordon will do good for our country. We could use a little push on our work ethic. And he is a very good example of good work ethic which most people mistake for abrasiveness.

And so now I leave after I vote (I had to vote. It is my responsibility.) and I still can't figure out how to pack my whole life in 1 suitcase, 1 gym bag, and 1 backpack...

Cafe Romulo

It was nice to get together with former Batch '08 subsection-mates and friends.

Doctors on Duty

With Ailen and Seatmate Miko

Outside Cafe Romulo
Food wasn't exceptional but the conversation/chismax was great ^_^

Basic Safety Training

05-14 April 2010 - Bacoor, Cavite. This training really has ups and the downs for all it's worth. It was really nice to meet new people and learn a lot of new things. Pity, there was so much potential to learn only the teachers were sort of... incompetent... really. A lot of times you think you're wasting your life sitting listening to well worn jabs repeated every few minutes. Sigh... The things you endure for money hahaha ^_^

Firefighting Practical Exam

I handled a firehose and a fire extinguisher, I didn't know there were so many kinds! You can't just grab one and put out a fire. You have to know what kind to use for what kind of fire or you can end up making it bigger... They didn't teach that in medschool ^_^ tee hee

With Co-Trainees

Ton's Birthday Bash

27 March 2010 - We celebrated Ton's birthday and his board success. It may also be the last time we see each other for a long time. Most of us are leaving the country for residency. We may be gray when we see each other again. Let's conquer the world guys!

Ton and Beautiful and Sexy GF Chiara

Gleek Wannabees

2007 Section A'ers

Quickie Moonlight

I helped out Makati Red Cross for their Mass Blood Donation twice and it was playing 'real doctor.' My first MBD was in Asian Life headquarters an HMO and the next one was at Hewlett-Packard headquarters in McKinley Hills. I must say that working in Makati would be really fun. The interiors of the offices are really really really nice. You'd think you're not in the Philippines! Thick carpeting, the smell of new furniture everywhere, and so so much space. No cramped desks or bathrooms. Everything is just nice.

Just as I thought...
Hewlett and Packard are real people ^_^

With Makati Red Cross Volunteers

With Beautiful HP Girls

With Makati Red Cross Volunteers

To Give No Deadly Drink

14 March 2010 - I took my oath as a doctor at the Philippine International Convention Center. The oath took mere seconds compared to the lengthy speeches of everybody who wanted to speak. I think the oath is more for that than for us, let alone our parents. Nevertheless, it made a good opportunity to wear a barong, which for me has been so long since the last. ^_^

Doctors trying to be funny

Inductee!

With UST-FMS Dean Dr. Graciela Gonzaga

Whoa! Girls!

With my parents who sacrificed so much
to make me who I am now

Buddy Earle from Group G

Mom and Dad

Brod Potsy

Prude and Uptight

I am continually castigating myself thinking I am too prude and uptight. Prude - a person who is or tries to be excessively proper, especially one who is easily offended by matters of a sexual nature; Uptight - Excessively concerned with rules and order. Hahaha... well I am not easily offended by matters of sexual nature thats for sure. But is something wrong with me if I get annoyed of people throwing their trash out of the jeep?! I cannot reconcile the fact that people do that or tolerate their companions or children doing it. You don't need a college education to know that throwing trash out of the PUV when the trashbin is right there in front of you is wrong right?

Just yesterday, filing my application for my physician license number I saw my undergraduate batchmate who shall remain unnamed blatantly cut the line feigning looking innocent when there we were more than 40 people who have waited for more than an hour were right there. I could have just sat in a cold office offered drinks by my mom's friend from PRC while I cut the red tape and used influence but I chose not to when thousands of people endure heat and the long queue to get something from the PRC.

It's a pity really... we all look for a change for the better when we ourselves cannot apply simple civility and culture to ourselves. I guess I won't be ashamed being prude and uptight as long as I know I harm no one and even contribute a little change for the better. God bless you batchmate.

Thank You

I passed on my first try. I am deeply contented and thankful. It is only through God's hand that I made it. I know so. No question. Not even half of the people who took the Physician Licensure Exam passed. Why? There are serious issues to that exam, really...

1. Questions are sometimes vague, sometimes you seem to have a feeling that an "except" at the end of the sentence is missing.
2. Questions that cannot be understood at all. They should hire typists that have a health background. I think the board of medicine write down their questions on paper and typists encode them because I see all the mistakes non-medical will have when reading material by medical people. You will just shake your head when you see... SIMBASTATIN - I really doubt a doctor will mistype/misspell that LOL
3. The questions do not represent the intended objective of the exam - i.e. to test what a general practitioner should know. A micro exam which solely focuses on STD. A patho exam laser pointed to immunology and nephrology. It's biased.

As an individual acquainted partly to education (I'm almost certified to teach HSBiology in the U.S.) I can say that the greatest contribution/sacrifice the board of medicine can do for medicine is to learn/retrain on how to make correct, meaningful, objective-based, and that can be evaluated.

Sigh... Thank you Mama Mary. You are the greatest. Venerable PJPII, St. Rita, St. Jude, St. Thomas, Father Dominic thank you for your intercessions. Br. Jon, SJ thank you for your special prayers!

The morning of thursday (the PRC announcement came thursday evening), I was in Piat praying to Mama Mary to help me and my friends, the gospel was... "Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened..." I immediately knew Mama Mary interceded for us. She was just talking to me as direct as She can. I'm just amazed at the unsubtle signs she has given me. My specific prayer prior to the exam for Jesus to please send His Holy Spirit - I was surprised when our testing site (College of the Holy Spirit) was announced, I didn't even knew our country had such a school LOL... a person's request on youtube for me to record a song I didn't even know but when I read the lyrics I knew it was Jesus talking to me... right after the test... Huwag Kang Mangamba... everything moved by His divine hand. Amazing. I am Yours my Mother and Brother Jesus. I am your soldier. And I will stand on the ramparts proclaiming your amazing blessings on your poor poor servant.

This is for my Mom and Dad who has sacrificed so much to bring me to where I am.

It is finished.

One of my favorite lines in the new testament. These words by Jesus signify the completion of our salvation by His sacrifice. And how appropriate after taking the Physicial Licensure Exam that our Lord's next line (as modified to apply) is : Father, into your hands we commend our spirits!

Grace. Class. Beauty...

Candice, medschool classmate and friend got married to Iloilo City Councilor Nielex Tupas, son of Governor and Former Mayor Tupas of Iloilo 27 Dec 2009 -- sharing their anniversary with my parents. It was a great wedding and I loved the bishop's sermon.

The Beautiful bride in her Monique Lhuillier Gown
Fine-tuned by Paul Cabral
Sanctuario de San Antonio de Padua
Forbes Park, Makati City

Ninong Franklin Drilon
Cousin of Gov. Tupas

Beautiful Candice after the Ceremony

Steff sung in the Marriott Hotel and Casino Reception

Michelle Obama?
Oh... It's Verle ^_^

Me and Candice

Holiday Photo

Candice's UST Med Friends

The only Photobooth Image I've seen - thanks to Ailen
I hope the others surface as well..

Da'boys with the Princess

With Mayor and (My) Future Vice-President Binay
With Future President (with high probability but He doesn't have my vote yet ^_^)
Benigno "Noynoy" Simeon Aquino III

Cocktails and tapas served during registration. There was a photobooth. The food was awesome, the program was so smooth and perfect.. and the Can-can dancers... well hahaha... entertaining. Awesome wedding. And because the groom was a politician and Candice and siblings were super well-educated. The speeches were great and not a bore!

Also in attendance were : Judy Araneta-Roxas, Miguel Zubiri (will add more when I remember more ^_^)

Amadeo

We spent 2 days at Kim's hometown of Amadeo, Cavite -- coffee capital of the Philippines. It was right beside Tagaytay City. Tagaytay Ridge was a mere 7 minute drive from their house, depending whether it was Kim or me driving though. ^_^

It was east coast spring time temperature when we were there and I enjoyed it thoroughly! It was the perfect weather for studying... or sleeping. ^_^ We hanged out on the newer Starbucks beside Summit Ridge hotel which had fewer people and lesser noise. I was convinced. I have to have a property in that place!

The three of us during a study-break in Starbucks Summit Ridge

Evergreens in the Pink Sisters' Chapel

Alex and Kim - Pink Sisters

Me and Kim - Pink Sisters
Didn't have the energy to train Alex in Framing -- hahaha ^_^
peace Alex!

Kim has a nice and very accommodating family ^_^ ... and a really nice house to boot hahaha. And I loved her niece Lila Stephanie. She's so cute! I could only wish to have a daughter as sweet, behaved and beautiful as her. Or have a daughter-in-law like her LOL... hahaha! I repeatedly told her... You'll be my son's girlfriend Lila hahaha. She was shy at first but has apparently inherited her Tita Kim's love for the camera. When she saw I was going to take pictures of her she sat on my lap and we took A LOT of pictures. ^_^ The entire time we were there, I didn't hear her cry, complain, nor throw a tantrum. A smile that can erase your worries, doubts and make you forget about anything else. I perfectly believe now how one can just spend an entire day watching their kid... just that, watching them...

I want me my own Lila!

Lila and Me

Lila and Tita Kim

Happy Lila

Chris and Kim at Starbucks

I vote this as one of the best Starbucks in the Philippines

Our hostess Kim during our Leslie's dinner.

Of course mushroom burger was on our itinerary and I can't go to Tagaytay without passing through Leslie's.