Betting the Ranch It has been a long time since I dipped my fingers on online trading (internet bubble circa 2000). I saw a Lamborghini Diablo and I was consumed by it. I wanted to have one. I didn't even have a car at that time. I decided that the fastest way to own one was through online trading. I devoured the trading books, visited numerous trading websites, scrutinized a few securities brokers, etc. I did my due-diligence. I came into it gung ho and arrogant. I broke all the rules, thinking that the rules only applied to 'them'. I thought I was smart enough to beat the system. I bet the ranch (figuratively)!
Nose Dive When Nortel, the darling stock of Nasdaq, took a nose dive from US$65 to to upper teens and down to single digits, with me canceling my 'sell-stop', I came out of the game humbled and penniless. I nearly put out a sign on the street corner saying, "will HTML for food". All of that took less than a month. The only good thing that came out of it was my realization that losing everything except the shirt on my back didn't faze me. I wasn't even sad. With a surgical grin, I even thought, "Wow, what a roller coaster ride! I love it!" - I suspect I have a pathological aversion to money. Of course, this is in sharp contrast to Mercle (think Germany's "Warren Buffet") who threw himself on a coming train after outsmarting himself in the Porsche short-squeeze that put him in play.
Yoga, Banking and Booze So I didn't know what to make of it when fellow yoga teacher, Kaye Luym-Salas (otherwise known as the Director of Possibilities for A~List Events, PR and Advertising) sent me an invite for the launching of UniCapital's online trading platform, U Trade. I wasn't exactly jumping out of my skin feeling gaga over it, but the invite also mentioned, "heavy cocktails will be served, drinks will be flowing" - ah, she got my attention.
Unicapital Unicapital has been around since 1997. It is a full-service securities brokerage house that helps rich people get richer through equities trading with the Philippine Stock Exchange. Apparently, online trading is still in its infancy in the Philippines, and U Trade is blazing the trail.
You are all very special to us. We did not scrimp on the food and drinks for this occasion. -- Leonardo Arguelles, Jr., U Trade President
Leonardo Arguelles, Jr. U Trade President, Mr. Leonardo Arguelles, Jr. took to the podium and said that they have learned from the mistakes of the previous players and now aim to be the major mover in the industry. I had a brief chat with him. Having had a few glasses of red and white wine, I could be forgiven for remembering whatever was said that night as a blur. But he exuded an air of optimism and can-do demeanor that I found infectious. Moreover, he took me over when he said on the podium, "You are all very special to us. We did not scrimp on the food and drinks for this occasion." LOL!!! I love his candor. When talking to him, you don't have to read between the lines. He spells it out for you!
Investment Banking vs. Commercial Banks But what exactly is an investment bank? Is it the same as BDO, PNB or BPI? In theory, they perform different functions. You go to a commercial bank (sometimes referred to as merchant bank, like BDO, PNB or BPI) to deposit money, secure your ATM card, or ask for a car loan. Investment banks provide service and financial advice to businesses. They facilitate in Mergers & Acquisitions, underwriting and issuing stocks and bonds, etc. In practice however, they overlap. This is when it gets dangerous. The sub-prime market meltdown in 2007 resulted largely due to this (derivatives trading - but let's not go into that).
Ending Thoughts I'm not exactly familiar with the local scene when it comes to online trading. And whatever I remember from my trading days was still back in 2000 in Canada where I was taking residency at that time. Altogether though, I feel it's high time for online trading to be established as an industry. There is money stacked up here with nowhere to go due to lack of investment vehicles - money transmitted by OFWs, cash inflow from BPOs, etc. Online trading adds liquidity to the market. If confidence is high that the playing field is level and markets being efficient and technological mechanism is adequately in place (ie, having 'sell stops' and 'buy stops'), perhaps the investing paradigm can shift and U Trade can indeed be the leading industry mover and shaker for online trading not just in Cebu but for the whole archipelago.
Leonardo Arguelles, Jr. (Mar 2, 2014) It was a pleasure to have met you last Thursday at Tavolata. I would like to personally extend my invitation for you to join us next Thursday, 6 March, in Cebu. Venue shall be announced later. Lastly, thanks for covering us in your blog. More power to you.
Jaime J. Martirez (Mar 1, 2014) I read your blog and I thank you for writing about the event of Unitrade at Tavolata. Your column will certainly go a long way in helping us establish a presence in Cebu. There is no doubt in my mind in choosing Cebu as the launching pad of Utrade. I truly believe that Cebu is the market that we believe can contribute significantly to the growth of the Philippine Capital Market with the abundance of budding young entrepeneurs who are the drivers of our economic growth and has put the Philippines in the map as one of the preferred investment destinations in Asia. We appreciate what you have done for Utrade and we, the Unicapital Group look forward to your continued support in our endeavour to generate more awareness and opportunities for the Cebuanos to consider the capital markets for their business expansion with the help of the Unicapital Group of Companies.
(Mar 2, 2014) Yoga teacher Jeanne Torrefranca takes yoga off the mat by feeding the homeless and donating school supplies to indigent students of Cebu...more »»
(Mar 6, 2014) While savouring crepe and wine at the recently opened La Creperie Paris, I met a stunning lady who sells BMWs. A few days later, I was already at the BMW dealership for a test drive!..more »»
More on Cebu City:
About Cebu City
Cebu City is the 2nd biggest city in the Philippine (next to Manila) - and it continues to build and expand. Traffic is getting bad. Decentralization is being developed with the SM Super Mall in the SRP south and the suburban towns in the north.
Boat from the airport to the city center - even without traffic, it takes about 4 rides to reach the city. But with Cebu's increasing traffic congestion, it has become a nightmare. Instead of taking the land route, take the water route - no traffic, fresher air and cheaper. From the airport, take the yellow multi-cab straight to the river port and take the ferry (there's only one destination) to the city. Take the 02B jeep and get off at UC near Jones - you're now on the city's main artery.
given its size and increasing congestion, Cebu really needs a mass railway system - something that is conspicuously lacking, but no one seems to complain about
Cebu is bursting at the seams on the yoga scene. There are about 20 yoga centers in the city - from yoga studios to gyms offering yoga and hotels jumping on the bandwagon
a trendy and safe place in Cebu where you can chillout for coffee and enjoy good eats would be at the Ayala Mall
there are other pocket-areas for trendy hangouts - Banila Town Center, Crossroads, Escario Plaza, La Vie, etc.
the tourist area where most of the budget hotels and restaurants are, are located within the Mango area, although it has a seedy belly feel. Kids may swarm on you pretending to be begging, but they could be picking your pocket or your backpack pockets - be careful
many pick-pockets in the Colon area - be careful
Cebu City Google Map
Cebu City, Philippines
tourist attractions
Tops - hilltop offering panoramic view of the city
Taoist Temple - temple on a hillslope in Lahug with panoramic view of the city
hotel
Hostel Seven Cebu - newly opened, resto/bar, central location, solo/group travellers
Juana Osmeña Street, Cebu City
S Hotel & Residences - new hotel, luxury rooms, central location
827 M. Velez corner Andres Abellana St.
resto / cafe / bar
Fujinoya - new and refreshing twists to Western style desserts using Japanese techniques
Wilson St., Lahug, Cebu City - tel. 888.6075
Bad Boys Wingz - Buffalo Wings, unique versions of sauces! Great service, accommodating staff, bad boys vibe
Kasambagan, Cebu City | (032) 415 4811
yoga
Love Yoga World - yoga studio
11/fl, Skyrise 2 Tower, IT Park, Lahug, Cebu City
Yoga Now - first Yoga and Wellness studio in Mactan offering daily Yoga Classes
at The Yacht Club Mactan
mountain biking
Cebu Mountain Bike Adventure - MTB tours, bike sales and repairs. Bed and Breakfast + Resto Cafe + wifi
1298-b V.Rama Ave, Guadalupe, Cebu City | 0942.959.7451
Cebu City to Iloilo City by boat
Trans Asia Shipping - Terminal 2, Pier 3, 15 hours, Mondays and Fridays, 6 pm (ETA 8:30 am, next day), Trans Asia 19 boat, Tourist P1545 (SR P1236), 2nd Class open air P1400 (SR 1120)
OCEANJET - 3 hours, 5:00 am | 6:00 am | 9:30 am | 12:00 pm |1:00 pm | 4:30 pm
Open-Air (OA) 1100, Tourist Class (TC) 1100, Business Class (BC) 1600
Cebu City to Bantayan Island
The best and fastest way is by Ceres Bus at the North Bus Terminal, adjacent to SM City. The bus takes 4.5 hours going north until it reaches Hagnaya Port. From there, you pay the ferry company separately. The bus boards the ferry until it reaches Sante Fe Port (1.5 hours) in Bantayan Island. From Santa Fe, the bus goes to Bantayan Poblacion and then to Madridejos.
Ceres Bus - PHP 260 (to Santa Fe), 4.5 hours to Hagnaya Port + 1.5 hours by ferry.
Schedule: according to the dispatcher, trips begin at 6 pm (this arrives Hagnaya around 10:30 pm but the first ferry leaves at 1 am...that's a 2.5-hour wait at the port), leaving every hour until 1 pm the following day (I speculate that 1 pm is the last trip to avoid rush hour traffic along Consolacion). This doesn't match the ferry schedule so the bus simply waits until a ferry departs. e.g. the 6 pm trip arrives 10:30 pm and waits for the 1 am ferry. The last trip, 1 pm, arrives 5:30 pm, in time for the ferry's last trip.
Bus arrives at terminal 30 mins before departure. Luggages are P150/pc if no passenger.
Alternatively, you can get off the bus at Hagnaya Port and take the ferry independently. There are 2 ferry companies:
Island Shipping PHP 350 + 25 Terminal fee, 1.5 hours
Cebu City to Dumaguete
Cebu City to Dumaguete by Boat
George and Peter Lines - Mon/Thur/Sat/Sun 10pm, (035)225.4337, 0922.557.1023
Oceanjet - via Tagbilaran, daily 6am, dumticketing@oceanjet.net, 0918.898.2188
Cokaliong - Mon/Tue/Wed/Thur/Fri/Sat 7pm, Sun 12pm, 6 hours, (035)225.3599
Cebu City to Dumaguete via Liloan (bus, boat, jeep, tricycle)
Cebu City South Terminal - take the southbound Ceres bus to Liloan, P200, 5 hours
Liloan - the bus drops you off at the Liloan Port where you board the Fastcraft to Sibulan, Negros Oriental, P62, 30 mins
Sibulan - at the Sibulan Port, the jeeps wait for Fastcraft passengers to take them to the public market in Dumaguete, P12, 30 mins.
Public Market - at the market, you can take any tricycle to your hotel, P8 for short trips
Cebu City to Tagbilaran, Bohol
Cebu City to Tagbilaran, Bohol
Trans Asia Shipping - (updated Jan 25, 2025) Terminal 2, Pier 3, 4 hours, Mondays, 12nn (ETA 4 pm), Trans Asia 3 boat, 2nd Class open air P370 (SR 296)
Lite Ferries - (updated Jan 25, 2025) Pier 1 Terminal 1, 4 hours, departs daily 1:00pm and 10:00pm, Sundays only 10:00pm
Standard (Lying) Php 370, Tourist (Lying Aircon) Php 520
Address: 1022 Mj Cuenco, Cebu City, 6000 Cebu
Email Address: info@liteferries.com.ph
Mobile Number: +639778225483 / +639989995483
Telephone: (032) 255-1721 to 23, 25, 26 /(032) 349-7349
-------------------
Weesam Express - Pier 4, departs 9:00 AM, 2:00 PM, 6:30 PM, 2 hours
one way: Economy (aircon) P500.00, Economy (non-aircon) P400.00, First Class P600.00
round trip promo (at least 2 days advance booking): Economy (aircon) P600, Economy(non-aircon) P500, First Class P1200
round trip promo (1 day or on the day booking): Economy (aircon) P800, Economy (non-aircon) P700, First Class P1200
Ocean Jet - Pier 1, departs 6-7-8-9:20-10:40-11:40AM, 1-2-4:20-6:35PM, 2 hours
Open Air / Tourist Class P800, Business Class P1000
+63 932 8734 885 / +63 922 8572 300
Lite Ferries - Pier 1, departs M/W/SAT at 1:00pm, 10 hours, economy Php 649 (through barkota.com), layover in Tagbilaran 5:45pm-8:00pm, arrives Larena Port, Siquijor at 11:00pm
+63 977.822.5483 / +63 998.999.5483 / +63 925.347.5483 / (032)255-1721 to 26 / (032)414-9001 to 03
info@liteferries.com / www.liteferry.com
Ocean Jet - Pier 1, departs daily at 1pm, 5 hours
Open Air P1600
+63 932 8734 885 / +63 922 8572 300
Cebu City to Siquijor by Bus, via Liloan (Santander)(as of Jan 2023)
Sugbo Urban
There is only one bus plying this route - Sugbo Urban. Tourist class coach, a/c, comfortable, Sun-Fri (these dates keep changing). P420 for bus, P275 for ferry to Liloan. Leaves Cebu City (South Bus Terminal) at 8 pm (Sundays 1 am), heads south to Liloan (Santander), takes the ferry to Larena Port, Siquijor, docks around 5 am, makes a clockwise roundtrip around Siquijor Island - Larena, Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi (stops at Lazi market for breakfast and leaves 6:50 am), San Juan, Siquijor (arrives 8am, P50 from Lazi to Siquijor Poblacion) and catches the 1pm ferry at Larena Port for Liloan, Cebu and resumes its land route. Arrives Cebu City 10 pm.
Sugbo Urban is the cheapest and most convenient way because when it reaches Larena Port (Siquijor), it continues its trip around the island (clockwise) along the circumferential road, passing through - Enrique Villanueva, Maria, Lazi, San Juan, Siquijor...and back to Larena. It spares you the cost of hiring a tricycle or habal-habal which charges exhorbitant fares. Besides, it's a long trip to the other side of the island to be taking by tricycle.
This is also the slowest. The bus arrives Liloan Port around 12:30 am but the ferry leaves 2:30 am (2 hours of waiting time). The ferry trip is a slow 4 hours (this should only take 1.5 hours with Montenegro or Alesson), arriving Larena around 6:30 am. This 4 hour voyage offers no comfortable sleeping - you stay upright on your seat or sleep on the floor on a cardboard. The boat waiting/voyage takes 6 hours. Altogether, the entire trip takes 11.5 hours until the bus reaches Lazi.
Cebu City to Camotes Island
Cebu City to Camotes Islands
via Poro - from Pier One in Cebu City, take the Ocean Jet for Poro, 2 hours, daily trip - 6am and 3pm (0936.823.8762 |0956.270.6610 | 0999.889.9999).
via Consuelo - from Cebu City, take the northbound bus passing through Danao and get off at the Danao Port. At the Port, take a Jomalia Shipping boat for Consuelo (San Francisco, Camotes), P220/pax, a/c, 2 hours, daily trip - 5:30am, 7:00am (special trip), 8:30am, 12:00 noon (express), 2:30pm, 5:30pm and 9:00pm (express, Fri/Sat/Sun only).
Camotes Islands to Cebu City
Poro - Cebu City (fastest and most direct) - go to Poro and take the 8am or 5pm Ocean Jet to Pier One in Cebu City, P380/pax/aircon, 2 hours
Consuelo - Danao - Cebu City - go to Consuelo (San Francisco) and take the Jomalia Shipping boat to Danao, P220/pax, a/c, 2 hours, daily trip - 5:30am, 7:00am (special trip), 8:30am, 12:00 noon (express), 2:30pm, 5:30pm and 9:00pm (express, Fri/Sat/Sun only). From Danao, take the Ceres Bus to Cebu City