Cyrus Hao worked for the ‘Queen of Pyramiding’
March 20, 2008
Cyrus Hao, chief executive of Royal Manchester Five, apparently learned the ropes from Rosario “Rose” Baladjay, owner of pyramid scam Multinational Telecom Investors Corp. (Multitel), for whom he worked for prior to starting his own pyramid operation.
The Manila Standard reported that Cyrus Hao started recruiting people for Royal Manchester Five shortly after Multitel was shut down with Baladjay’s arrest in 2003.
Rose Baladjay is known as the “Queen of Pyramiding” in the Philippines after her Multitel company scammed more than P100 billion ($2.5 billion at the current exchange rate) from around 2 million investors. She enticed investors with guaranteed returns of 4-5% per month or, as an alternative, a double-your-money offer or 100% return after 18 months.
US stocks surge as Federal Reserve cuts rates by 0.75 points
March 19, 2008
The US Federal Reserve (Fed) cut today its federal funds rate by a quarter of a percentage point, giving a boost to US stock markets. The federal funds rate — the interest that banks charge each other — is now down to 2.25%, the lowest point since late 2004.
A few minutes after the announcement, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 100 points but soared by 400 points within the next hour. It had been up more than 300 points prior to the announcement after investment banks Lehman Brothers and Goldman Sachs reported better-than-expected results for the first quarter. The market welcomed the development and ignored the issue of the collapse of Bear Stearns, another investment bank, which was bought by JP Morgan Chase & Co early this week.
US stock markets are expected to close higher today, so expect an upsurge in the Philippine stock market as well when it opens a few hours from now.
It remains to be seen, however, if investors will maintain their position or cash in the profits before retiring for the long holiday. The Philippine Stock Exchange is closed until Friday in commemoration of the Christian tradition of Holy Week. Trading resumes on Monday, March 24.
Receive more than $500/month and Paypal auto-upgrades Personal Account to Premier
March 18, 2008
A recent discussion in the PMT Forum is about the issue of Paypal automatically upgrading Personal Accounts to Premier/Business status if more than $500 is received in one month.
According to sources, Paypal’s newest rule is that when a user receives more than the $500 receiving limit per month, the Personal Account is automatically upgraded to Premier or Business Account.
Who made money from the Pacquiao-Marquez fight?
March 17, 2008
Now that the “Pacquiao vs. Marquez: Unfinished Business” match is over, a lot of Filipinos are rejoicing not just because Manny Pacquiao defeated Mexican Juan Manuel Marquez but also because some of them profited from the fight in one way or another.
Who made money from the fight? Here are some of them.
Pinoy Money Talk SEO Champion: Bleuken!
March 14, 2008
And the winner of our $75 Pinoy Money Talk SEO contest is…
The final ranking for the keyword pinoy money talk as of 9 p.m. is:
Congratulations, Bleuken! Please email me at futuregizmo @ gmail.com how you want to receive your prize. To receive $75 Paypal, send me your Paypal email address. To receive P3,000, email me your bank details, bank account name, and account number.
The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd runner-ups will receive a consolation prize of P100 cellphone load each. PinoyBanda, ShannonXJ, and Pinoy-Compuworld, please email me the cellphone number where you want to receive the cellphone load.
The remaining entries on the first page will each receive P50 cellphone load. Niessuh, Pinoylandia, Babyface, and It’s on my TV, please email me the cellphone number where you want to receive the load.
Congratulations to the winners and thank you to the 40+ people who joined this contest. ‘Till our next SEO contest!
Which Paypal account is best: Personal vs. Premier vs. Business account?
March 14, 2008
You’ve already signed up for a Paypal account but have still not decided which type to use. Read more to discover what type of Paypal account suits you best.
There are three types of Paypal accounts: Personal, Premier, and Business.
Personal accounts are, obviously, for the personal use of individuals. They can accept up to five (5) credit or debit card funded payments per year and are assessed a transaction fee. Other payments received are not charged a fee.
Premier accounts are for members who have a high transaction volume or would like to access Paypal’s Core and Premium features (explained below). Premier accounts may operate under an individual name. Unlike Personal Accounts, they can accept an unlimited number of credit or debit card payments. However, all payments received are charged a certain fee. (Paypal’s fee schedule here.)
Business accounts are for businesses, allowing them to operate under a company or group name and accept payment from customers without PayPal accounts. Like Premier accounts, they can accept an unlimited number of credit and debit card payments, although all payments they receive are charged a certain fee.
Malu Fernandez and her problem with blogging
March 13, 2008
Apparently, controversial Manila Standard columnist Malu Fernandez is still not done with bloggers. In her newspaper column on March 10, Fernandez has got something new to say about blogging and bloggers.
For the uninitiated, Malu Fernandez achieved notoriety because of an August 2007 column in People Asia where she talked about her supposedly annoying experiences riding the plane with Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs). The column sparked massive protests from OFWs and bloggers who found the article offensive. Bloggers then pushed for a boycott of the Manila Standard until Fernandez was fired. She allegedly resigned but the newspaper did not accept her resignation.
In her new column article this week, Fernandez derided bloggers for not being like journalists who “adhere to certain guidelines that govern the freedom of speech.” She also described blogging as a “slacker job or a medium and pastime for lonely people to connect.” She advised bloggers to turn off their PCs and step outside the comfort zone so they can “find some real live people to talk to instead of typing away in cyber space.”
True, blogging in general is still not considered “journalism.” But then again, a lot of bloggers don’t attempt to pass themselves off as “journalists.” Most of them still regard their blogs as a “personal diary” where they report on events and issues from their own point of view. Blogs may not necessarily be good or objective sources of information, but the good thing is, they don’t pretend to be.
(With pics) Wanted: Cyrus Hao of Royal Manchester Five Trading Corp.
March 11, 2008
The manhunt is on for 28-year-old Cyrus Yap Hao, said to be the president of Royal Manchester Five Trading Corp. (RMF), a foreign currency investment company that duped thousands of investors of money amounting to more than P2.1 billion (US$51 million).
Several investors trooped to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) this week to complain that the checks they are holding have been dishonored and that Cyrus Hao, who hails from Pilar, Sorsogon, and Renato San Juan, company vice president for marketing, could not be located. The two are feared to have already fled the Philippines on Tuesday, March 4.
Other officers of RMF — Vice Presidents Joesedev Colina, Edwin Rosas and Joseph Bualoy, and Vice President for Finance Rowena Uy — claim they have also been cheated, but investors say they do not believe them.
RMF is a currency-trading investment program that enticed investors with a guaranteed return of 4-5% every month. Minimum investment amount is P200,000 ($5,000).
Celebrity-investors said to be victims of the scam include professional basketball players and an actor. They are:
- Ginebra Gin Kings player Rafi Reavis (P8.9 million plus $330,485.40)
- Johnny and his wife Mary Ann Abarrientos (P6.9 million, plus another P2.5 million from Johnny)
- Mark Macapagal (P2.5 million)
- former Purefoods Hotdogs coach Eric Altamirano and wife Marissa (P1.2 million and P0.889 million, respectively)
- Alaska cager Edward Juinio (P7.2 million)
- actor Rustom Padilla ($47,000)
American Idol scandal #3: Nude pics of Kristy Lee Cook, Amanda Overmyer
March 11, 2008
It now seems like the American Idol series won’t be complete without a contestant being rumored to have naked photos circulating on the internet.
Last season’s victim was Antonella Barba whose semi-nude photos of herself and pics where she was supposedly giving a guy a blowjob partly cost her a spot in the Top 12. She finished 16th in the contest.
This year, word is spreading that AI finalists Kristy Lee Cook and Amanda Overmyer have their own share of these nasty, racy pics. Read more below.
(Pics) Jolas Paguia - PBB Teen Edition Plus
March 10, 2008
The Gentle Giant: Jolas Paguia
Full Name: Elyzar P. Paguia
Nickname: Jolas
Origin: Bulacan
Age: 18
Birth date: April 24, 1989
Height: 6′4
School: FEU
Nationality: Filipino
Favorite cartoon character: Marvin the Martian
Favorite subject in school: Biology
Least liked subject in school: Chemistry
Favorite sport: basketball
Favorite summer/vacation destination: house
Hobbies/Interests: computer, NBA Live, Dota
Ultimate celebrity crush: Angel Locsin
