The 500 Peso National Bookstore Shopping Spree!

Free staple wire, paper clips and thumb tacks for everyone! Seriously though, if the picture below still rings a bell, that means two very important things - 1) you’ve  been reading this blog since  October 14 last year (or even earlier than that! Thanks a lot!) and 2) you have vague recollections of me winning a raffle organized by National Bookstore.

 Before you extort money from me, let me remind you on what exactly happened. Here’s an excerpt of the letter National Bookstore (dated August 14) sent me.

You are one of the lucky winners of P500.00 worth of National Book Store Gift Certificate from the recently-concluded 2006 Textciting Matuto! Textciting Manalo! electronic raffle draw of the National Book Store. The draw was heldlast July 14, 2006 at the head office of National Book Store Inc. as witnessed by the Department of Trade and Industry representative.

To claim your prize, kindly present this letter together with this letter together with the following:

• Tape receipt (with asterisk “*” mark beside the participating product)
• Originals and photocopies of any two valid ID’s.

You can claim your prize at NBS Ermita Branch. Please look for Ms. Luz Minion the branch manager.

Please claim your prize within 60 days upon receipt of notice or your prize will be forfeited.

For documentation purposes, your picture will be taken during the awarding of your prize. Furthermore, you will allow National Book Store to announce that you are one of the winners in this raffle contest in a newspaper advertisement and other press releases.

Again, congratulations. Thank you for your continuing patronage, and we hope you will join us in all our future promotions.

I received the letter October 14. Hurray for the National Postal System! This NBS branch is a mere three minute walk from where I live. Haha. That actually means that the 60 day forfeiture period actually expired as the mail was traveling through the inefficient bureaucracy of the post office. To add to this, I’ve also lost the receipt that I need to claim the prize.

Fortunately, the NBS personel break their own rules and they allowed me to get my gift certificate despite violating two rules that were explicitly stated on the telegram!  They also didn’t take my picture! Boo! I also don’t recall being published in a major broadsheet! Boycott!

Here’s the item that took the bulk of the 500 peso budget. I got myself a spiffy (and quite hefty) black Parker pen and had my URL engraved on it. Haha. I guess this makes this pen one of the most unique writing implements in the world. The rest of the spoils was used to buy other ball point and fine tip pens, a small correction fluid pen and a retractable tape measure (essential for physical examinations in the out-patient department).

And oh, here’s a peek for those who really want to see it.

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