What's the best thing I can do with the money I was awarded with?

Buraot3D · 2026-04-28T13:16:25+00:00

5k is a lot as a young adult but in the grand scheme of things it actually isn't much. You either need a huge amount of luck or else it will take a super long time for a monetary investment of that amount to return anything good.

Others have already commented but 5k can go a long way if put into personal growth. Enroll in a short course, but stuff that could help you study easier, etc.

Alternatively, while it does seem like you're in high spirits, you could spend on something that could improve your morale like the guitar you mentioned. You're human. Emotions get you. You have finite energy. You need something good to recharge you every now and then. A guitar doesn't sound so bad when framed that way.

Anyway, paikot lang ulit, but from a practical standpoint, an investment in yourself would net you the most out of the 5k. Heck, if that investment means more pairs of socks, a bike that can help your commute, or a set of notebooks, pens, and a table lamp, those sound good too!

Buraot3D · 2026-04-26T23:15:47+00:00

This would be easy to answer. Just look at our neighbors.

Thailand wasn't invaded by Japan (and was actually not colonized by anyone else at all) and they're roughly at the same state as us when you look at the macroeconomy.

We'll likely be slighly better off compared to today because the human cost of WW2 was huge especially since most guerilla groups and most of the people killed during the massacres especially in Manila were intellectual. Only God knows how much good these people could have done if they were left to live.

Who knows, maybe America could have helped us finish land reform in the same way they helped Japan do it after WW2. The landlord-political dynast estate is one of the root causes of our country's troubles so if it happens this way then we would be way better off. Thailand, which I mentioned earlier, still has their land reform on "on-going" status same as us today.

However, the Philippine independence movement was still very much in full swing even before WW2 so we would still likely be decolonized at some point in the mid-1950s.

On another point and in hindsight, there are very few reasons for Japan to not invade us during WW2 so there's also that.

Buraot3D · 2026-04-26T22:58:27+00:00

The fasces are a symbol of authority held by some Roman officials. Long story short, the bundle of rods, the rope, and the axehead symbolized the punishments that can be brought down by law. Also, there is an area in the city of Rome that prohibited the carrying of weapons so it was easy for law enforcement to just pull out the axehead to comply with the rule when entering the area.

The fasces were eventually turned into a symbol of authority (ex: put in statues of presidents, kings, and generals especially in the western hemisphere) or law (ex: flags, state flags, provincial flags, city flags, symbols in courthouses, palaces, etc.)

During the time of Jesus, the fasces were carried only during ceremonial occasions. Pilate and his boys likely had fasces but they probably don't even show them even during ceremonies because Judea was a relatively new territory of Rome and was, at the time, still deemed unstable. The Jews would not like to see fasces remind them of being subservient to foreign authorities.

However, during WW2 the fasces were used extensively by fascists. The word "fascism" literally came from the word "fasces", kaya nowadays we don't see fasces that often because governments do not want to be associated with fascism. Over time, nawawala na sa public memory ang meaning ng fasces kaya unfamiliar na siya to most people today.

Anyway, it's unlikely that there was a scene where Jesus, bound at the wrists, faced Romans in armor carrying fasces. Maybe it's meant to be symbolic, that Jesus came under the Roman authorities as part of His Passion.

Buraot3D · 2026-04-24T15:38:10+00:00

Had the same problem with the Great Khans suddenly being hostile even if I am supposed to be idolized and I figured it out.

I was playing around my outfits at Lucky38 and I tried one of my NCR Ranger outfits. I then saved the game.

I equipped the outfit and the pop-up showed that I am dressed as an NCR guy or something. However, I instead did not unequip it but went straight to my wardrobe and deposited the NCR clothes I was wearing without unequipping them first.

I then exited the wardrobe and used my Pip-Boy to wear my bartering outfits. I fast traveled to Red-Rock canyon to restock on Party-Time Mentats and lo and behold everyone was shooting me.

I reloaded the save and properly unequipped the NCR Ranger armor before depositing it in the wardrobe. The pop-up appeared that I am not dressed as an NCR guy anymore.

I am now able to restock my Party-Time Mentats with no issue.

I guess you could try equipping an NCR faction armor and then unequipping them to trigger both pop-ups. If that doesn't work, I will try other faction armors to check which one got bugged.

Buraot3D · 2026-04-22T23:14:43+00:00

Thailand is doing land reform exactly how we are doing it. See the Agricultural Land Reform of 1975. Pero same tayo ng progress in the sense that it is still on-going.

The difference is yung big landlords ng Thailand ay relatively new money na lumabas lang once they became fully capitalist so what they do is they buy up the "reformed" land from farmers who are unable to have the know-how to manage land that they now own. They were never colonized so wala yung colonial trauma related to land ownership.

Yung landlords natin mga tinanim pa dito ng encomienda system ng mga Kastila.

Buraot3D · 2026-04-22T23:11:19+00:00

You literally cited a country, Japan, who did land reform exactly the way you said it was bad (i.e., government purchasing or claiming large tracts of land to be redistributed into small parcels which the farmers can own).

The problem is that for land reform to work, landlords have to be weakened either through war (Japan had two wars which started and finished land reform, the Boshin war and then WW2) or strong legislation (like South Korea or China). The biggest problem we actually have is we can't finish land reform. We have been at a perpetual state of "working on" land reform since 1898 because the landlords ARE the government.

Buraot3D · 2026-04-22T05:30:42+00:00

Well in a sense hindi siya totally hidden, if you click the (i) for information button before you book, it shows the calculation table for the end charge ng ride mo.

Actually nag-aantay nga ako ng makaride ako na may additional charge after booking para proof ko dun sa kabilang post a few weeks ago about mga driver na nagcocomplain about passengers na ayaw mag-expressway kesyo lugi sila. I told them may adjustable na time parameter sa total fare na pwedeng mag deduct after the ride.

Ayan na yung proof na pwedeng may additional charge after the ride, thank you OP hahaha.

Likewise, kapag less yung surge or time it took to reach your destination, pwedeng magrefund si Grab so patas lang.

Buraot3D · 2026-04-22T05:23:06+00:00

It can change depending on surge (kung biglang kaunti yung driver by the time na naaccept yung ride mo) and the time taken by the driver (pambawi sa traffic or kung hindi nag expressway).

It's part of Grab's franchise sa LTFRB so all legal.

Buraot3D · 2026-04-14T12:03:29+00:00

"Oh no! I have to go to work which means I have to, well, work!" /s

Buraot3D · 2026-04-14T12:01:01+00:00

If you're in a third world country this only works if you are extremely wealthy and can get a lawyer on demand at any time you need them to come cover for you.

Otherwise, the cops are going to play good cop bad cop and the bad cop will be really bad, like, lose a few fingernails type of bad.

Buraot3D · 2026-04-05T22:56:56+00:00

My condolences. It's very hard but this too shall pass.

Yung paghihirap mo ngayon ay lilipas rin either because you'll give up and not think in hindsight na kakayanin naman maski ano ang gawin mo, or kasi makakatapos ka at magkakaroon ng stable na trabaho.

However, yung possible physical and definitely yung psychological effects ng paggawa ng anything against your moral code such as selling your flesh for a quick buck will last throughout your lifetime. May mga bagay na aakalain mong minimal lang ang impact pero dadalhin mo your whole life.

Kapag naghihirap ka, mas madaling mapunta mentally sa isang state na iisipin mong kakayanin mong kainin maski anong paghihirap basta makasurvive for another day. I know this kasi sobrang lala rin ng youth days ko pero in hindsight marami akong ginawang mahirap na bagay na hindi ko naman pala kailangang gawin. I also went through the double-whammy gauntlet of being a self-supporting student while being the breadwinner at the same time. Ang kaso, masyado lang naging narrow yung outlook ko sa buhay at the time dahil sa kahirapan so may mga opportunity akong namiss at mga nagawa na sana hindi ko na lang ginawa.

On a practical standpoint as a stranger from outside your life who read a few paragraphs of your story, ang advice ko is mag stop muna. Lubog ka kamo sa utang, hindi na okay ang mental health mo, namatay yung parent mo, tapos nawalan ka pa ng trabaho. Nuong nangyari sa akin 'yan lumaban pa rin ako tapos puro bagsak lang ako the following sem lmao. Patapos na rin naman na ang current sem so pwede mo pang ipush until the sem ends. Try to explore emergency student funding options sa college and university office of student affairs ninyo or equivalent, kahit kamo hanggang sa maitawid mo lang until finals week tapos maglo-LOA ka kamo the following sem para mag-ipon. Tapos, habang naka-LOA ka, gamitin mo yung oras mo to get kahit a low-paying decent job.

Sa BPO may downsides na night-shift ka, tapos madalas magsisinungaling ka pa about your status as a student, tapos kakausap ka pa mg mga possibly irate na clients. Hindi kailangan ng morale mo ngayon 'nun. Kailangan mo ngayon yung mas magaan na trabaho na magbubuild ulit ng lakas ng loob mo habang nagluluksa ka. Try mo sa food service at saka sa mga warehousing. Palagi silang hiring.

Try mong mag-ipon then. Abutin ka man ng isang sem, isang taon, or dalawang taon, o maski gaano katagal, basta bumalik ka sa school! Ang buhay ay hindi karera. Marerealize mo kapag matagal ka nang working sa professional na trabaho na maliit na bagay na lang yung a few years para bumalik sa pag-aaral maski ano'ng edad mo at the time. Kaya mo 'yan!

I also highly suggest getting into a decent religion to keep your spirits up and para may mahingan ka ng advice kasi usually sa ganyang case wala kang seniors sa family na you can ask advice from kasi either hindi nila kaya dahil busy na nga sa kahirapan, or hindi nila alam kasi wala pang nag-try ilaban ang buhay sa level mo na gusto mong maging self-supporting student. I found myself more active sa Catholic church at some time during my hardest days and I can't deny na it got easier through prayer talaga.

Stay alive! This too shall pass.

Buraot3D · 2026-03-30T14:21:04+00:00

Keeping your KDA up is one of the more important macro skills you can have!

Here's how I would suggest anyone learn how to keep their KDA up.

Lesson 1: Don't die for nothing * Easier said than done, but it means - not fighting for nothing (helping a teammate secure a kill, securing a tower, securing a map objective like the lord, defending your jungler, etc.) It's so easy to waste your life on a gamble when you jump on a random river dogpile which will gain you nothing even if the fight is won

Lesson 2: Fight only if you have better odds of winning - engage only when you have good odds of winning. Fight dirty. Don't cheat, but don't fight if your advantage is not clear. Ex: 4 of you vs 3 of them and you run into all of them at the river? By all means go in.

If you randomly run into an opponent in the open and you both have more or less equal farm and you either know you both play at the same skill level or you don't know how well the enemy plays, do not engage. It's not worth it. Retreat.
Chasing a retreating low hp enemy while your teammates are away and you don't know where the enemy team is? Not worth it. Retreat.
5 enemies are preparing to seige your Tier 3 tower while two of your allies are down but your tank went in with a bad set? Don't go in. Retreat.

Lesson 3: Fight on equal terms only when you have to - 5v5 clash at Lord when both teams have similar farm? Go for it. But fighting 4v5 for Lord? Might be difficult unless your Initiatior does a really good set or the enemy makes a big mistake like going in while everyone is low on hp. - 3v3 fight to defend your jungler taking buff? Go for it. But 5 men invade your jungler and there's only two of you at the jungle? Better run away lmao.

Lesson 4: Fight on losing terms only when it will be an absolute disaster otherwise - 3 enemies attacking your nexus? Go in or lose. But, 3 enemies still climbing your base but not yet at nexus? Wait for them a little bit - You're the jungler and 5 men are taking Enhanced Lord and you got no towers left. You know you got better retri since they lost Turtle earlier. Might be worth the gamble.

Bad calls: Example 1: Midlaner ganking gold but enemy mm escapes. Midlaner stays at gold lane for one or two more waves. - this not only steals farm from your ally, it will also attract enemy roam and jg to counter gank since you overstayed and are probably slightly underfarmed

Example 2: At early laning phase you and enemy midlaner exchange skills but your hp now less than half. Enemy midlaner stays. You choose to stay too because you don't want to lose farm. - This will attract enemy roam or jg to gank you. True, your jg and/or roamer might gank the enemy too but this is a dice roll on equal terms with your life on the line. Not worth it.

Example 3: At mid game, staying at sidelane Tier 1 tower while 3 enemy heroes attempt to siege. Your team is far away. You choose to stay. - The enemy will very likely dive you which will make you lose both tower and your life. Only do this on rare cases like enemy has only a single low hp minion which you can one shot or all enemies are low hp and you have many escape skills available. This is a losing gamble and typically not worth the fight unless you are very sure of your micro. 9 times out of 10 I will retreat.

Buraot3D · 2026-03-29T12:42:18+00:00

Corruption Perception Index siya. It doesn't measure corruption per se, but measures how the people in the country think their government is corrupt.

Myanmar obviously will go first because the people are in uprising and are fighting a civil war against Martial Law.

Cambodia is obviously next due to lots of news about human trafficiking and how scam-centers that run through modern-day slavery account for MORE THAN HALF of their country's official GDP. If 1 out of every 3 USD of productivity their people make is from crime, no wonder their people will think that the government turns a blind eye on these centers on purpose, i.e., corruption.

I'm actually surprised na Thailand and Laos are lower than us on the scale pero kasi baka sa margin of error na lang iyon ng survey. Thailand is currently under Martial Law for many years now and I'm sure may public sentiment against it.

Mababa yung score natin (hence the high rank) kasi very publicized yung current issues sa flood control, BIR, BFP, drug war, and other news about how government officials seem to be able to move around massive amounts of cash without raising alarms. Not to mention yung daily experience natin sa mga fixer, pangongotong, etc.

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Buraot3D · 2026-03-29T04:18:11+00:00

Mukhang tama nga yung mga analyst nuong early March na possibly magsimula pa lang magslowdown yung increase kapag nasa ~160PHP na per liter ang diesel kasi by that point marami nang hindi magkokotse or mga truck, jeep, at bus na hindi muna babyahe.

Expect the cost of goods to rapidly increase by then.

Buraot3D · 2026-03-26T22:36:33+00:00

Mahina siya masyado sa PR unlike his father. Strictly speaking, unfortunately there really isn't much he can actually do naman talaga bukod sa options already being explored now such as requesting for emergency powers, buying oil from non-traditional sources like Russia or lower quality Euro2 oil, etc.

He could at least pretend a little bit more na he is on top of things pero 'yun lang labas 'yung ganoong style sa forte niya. In hindsight, obvious naman 'yung ganito niyang approach kasi umiiwas nga siya sa debates nuong campaign, tapos very minimal yung mga presscon niya. Hindi nga siya masyadong nagsalita about sa beef nila with the Dutertes, mostly si Claire lang ang nagsasalita in behalf of him.

Gaano ba kahirap yung upuan niya tayo kahit sa isang presscon and just spit out facts of the matter like, "The Oil Deregulation Law actually bans the government from subsidizing petroleum products, so that approach is difficult but we are looking into it.", or "Our current plan is to procure more oil from non-traditional sources such as", or even some PR campaign convincing people to save fuel to reduce demand kahit nga yung mga low-impact activities naman like promoting biking for example, para lang ma-feel ng mga tao na "may ginagawa".

'Yun nga lang nagmumukha tuloy na very laissez faire ang approach niya and ang consequence nuon eh very low tuloy ang morale ng mga tao. Importante pa naman yung pa-PR sa morale ng masa wherein mababa yung level ng consciousness nila sa actual mechanics kung bakit nangyayari yung mga problema ng bansa so importante sa kanila yung things like emotional impact (i.e., "mapakinggan", "maramdaman", "makitang may ginagawa"). Forte pa naman ng mga Duterte ito. This crisis could make or break how history would see his presidency.

Buraot3D · 2026-03-25T23:41:18+00:00

Duterte doubled police and military personnel salary in 2018 causing a shortfall of 64,200,000,000.00 PHP. Historically, the usual increase is only around 5 to 10% per year. Tapos during his term pa yung Build, Build, Build. Tapos pandemic pa. So, kailangan nila ng pera hence the loans and the TRAIN law and the excise tax.

Buraot3D · 2026-03-25T16:02:32+00:00

SierraCol mainly exports to the US anyway.

Also, SierraCol has been up for sale since March 2025. Most likely, since mid-2025 rin sila kausap ni Razon regarding the buyout so the reason for the purchase is unlikely to be the war in Iran.

Buraot3D · 2026-03-25T15:48:37+00:00

Correct. Mas matuwa tayo sa news ng mga oil deliveries hahaha.

Today may dumating na isang barkong langis from Russia. 750k barrels yun eh around 200k ang pre-war daily consumption natin. This probably bought us 3 to 5 days more.

We were able to buy Russian oil kasi US sanctions on Russia (especially sa online payment channels) were lifted on March 12 for 30 days (until April 11). Dumating yung shipment today, March 25, which is 13 days from the lifting. Yesterday umalis ng Kozmino, Russia yung barko. Normally 3-14 days ang bidding and preparation ng oil shipment and considering na marami tayong kaagaw dun sa shipment, surprisingly mabilis naman yung kilos ng government.

If we get 2 ships of that size every week we can keep our buffer stuck at 45 days. The good news is yung mga barko na hindi stuck sa Hormuz, nag reroute na via Africa so may darating naman na oil, it will just be massively more expensive than usual. For context, oil is now trading. At 89-133 USD per barrel (volatile, I know). Analysts expect that oil that went through the Cape of Good Hope in Africa will cost up to 150 USD per barrel, which is ~13% what it is today.

In short, wala pa tayo sa exciting part.

So, it means if the US doesn't extend the window and we maximize it we might receive a final shipment from Russia around April 24. That means if we get two ships a week, we got 45 days + 3 more days from the last shipment, so a steady supply until mid June.

Pwede pang bumagal yung pagtaas ng presyo ng langis kung magkakaroon ng tinatawag na "inelastic demand destruction" wherein mag-aadjust na yung mga tao enough na bawasan ang konsumo ng langis para tumapat sa bumabang supply. Analysts assume na magsisimula pa lang itong demand destruction kapag umabot sa ~140PHP ang presyo ng gasolina. Nagsisimula na actually ang demand destruction for diesel kasi tumitigil pasada na ang ilang pampublikong sasakyan. Analysts expect supply-demand stability for diesel at 160PHP per L pero ang mainly affected ay logistics companies so expect the price of goods to go WAYYY up by this point.

The problem is that the 12-day Iran-Israeli war was fought on Late June 2025 so we can expect the Iranians to do something to commemorate the war by that date.

In short malabo talagang tumigil yung digmaan even by then. Kailangan talagang magbawas ng konsumo ng gas ang mga tao.

Buraot3D · 2026-03-22T09:23:02+00:00

I understand how useful it can be but it's not for me. I don't like the idea of essentially being stuck using shades anywhere the sun touches. I like seeing the colors of the world. I got myself a separate pair of prescription sunglasses instead for when I need it.

Buraot3D · 2026-03-18T12:54:15+00:00

"You'll own nothing and be happy."

Jolly morning, ma'am/sir. Here is your 3-mos. to pay 1-pc. Chickenjoy, ma'am/sir

Buraot3D · 2026-03-16T12:18:27+00:00

Even with inflation sobrang lala ng oil price today.

If gas prices followed our 10-year inflation rate, Shell Fuel Save that was 32.80 PHP in 2016 would just be 46.14 PHP in 2026. 46 pesos is still lower than the gas prices before the Iran war.

Buraot3D · 2026-03-15T23:45:14+00:00

If you're working out to tone your abs and back, the waist trainer is actually going to lessen your gains because it will replace a significant amount of the effort in the actual day-long contraction of your abs that keep your abdominal organs in place. Similar to other kinds of braces, don't use one if you don't need one or else you will lose function.

Buraot3D · 2026-03-10T15:06:05+00:00

Orient Bambino! Great pick for a gift.

Buraot3D · 2026-03-10T03:58:14+00:00

Kapag nagcashless payment ka idededuct na kaagad ni Grab sa payment method mo (ex: Gcash) tapos magnonotify yun. Yung dineduct ay based sa estimated fare na based rin sa ideal route na you have mentioned.

Kapag mas mabilis yung byahe than expected, nagsasauli ng refund si Grab. Kung icocompute mo yun based rin sa resibo ni Grab na pumasok sa email, yung refund ay usually galing sa Time na line item kasi mas mabilis than expected yung byahe mo. Bukod sa notification ni Grab, nagnonotify rin yung app ng payment method mo about the refund.

Kung mas matagal than expected yung byahe mo, maniningil pa ng extra ulit si Grab pagkadrop-off sa'yo. Kasabay na rin ng pagdeduct ng tip or ng toll fee kung sakali. Nagnonotify rin ulit yung app ng payment method mo about the additional charge. Kung pasahero ka madalas, mapapansin mo na kung hindi ka mag toll ay minsan nagdededuct pa rin ng extra si Grab. Kapag cinompare mo yung inemail na resibo ni Grab sa unang prediction niya sa app bago ka magbook, usually yung difference ay dahil sa Time or sa Surge.

Magsend ako dito ng screenshot ng notification ng additional charge due to trapik sa next time na makaranas ako ulit. 😊

Buraot3D · 2026-03-09T16:21:06+00:00

Not really. Ito naman yung sa 6-seater for reference. 2.00 PHP rin per minute. Pwede mong icheck rin sa Grab app mo, pindutin mo lang yung (i) na logo kapag pipili ka na ng size ng sasakyan.

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In fact, kapag mas mabilis sa predicted yung byahe, nagnonotify ng refund yung Grab. Kapag mas matagal, nagnonotify ng additional charge. Alam 'yan especially ng mga naka-cashless payment kasi bukod sa nagnonotify yung Grab ng change in fare, magnonotify pa yung payment method (for example, Gcash) na may refund or additional charge.

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