I'm just so happy that there are other options to buy some cables and cords other than lining up at…read morethe horrendous queues at CD-R King. Cable Monster is a chain of mall kiosks that have all sorts of cables for your phone and other devices. It's really a pretty convenient store as they do have all sorts of cables/cords that are compatible with most devices. And, if you're particular with colors, their cables come in various colors so if you're lucky you can get one that matches your phone's color, if color-coordinating things are important to you. Their prices are a bit steeper than CD-R King, but I would really opt to purchase cables here as the quality of their cables are much better and are sturdier than of course their cheaper alternatives.

More popularly known as "BF Ruins", the Good Shepherd Bazaar has become a permanent fixture and…read morelong-time favorite local haunt amongst southside folks. It's a popular "tiangge" where you can get these four things: Pirated DVDs/Music CDs, cheap clothing and shoes, mobile phones/accessories, and cheap food. It's not glamorous nor is it well-ventilated, but on days outside of the holiday season, it's a pretty relaxed place to go for some light impulse shopping after work, or a place to get some cheap, quick snacks in BF Homes. Although on holiday season, beware because this place becomes a cramped, sticky labyrinth, but still is a convenient place to get some last-minute gifts. Back when the internet wasn't such a thing and DSL connection was still unheard of, my favorite stall here would be this seller of rare/hard-to-find/indie pirated DVD's. But now, I just go here for cheap clothes and to grab some veggie snacks at Feng Ling, the cheap Malaysian & Singaporean food place, which serves tofu, veggie balls, fried kangkong, and yummy green mango smoothies. If you're planning to drop by, do visit around 5pm to be sure that all the stalls are already open. They open late, and since there is zero ventilation system inside, it's better to go when the sun is out.

It has been called by many names: BF night market, The Good Shepherd Bazaar, Ruins. But most…read moreresidents from the south know it by the name that it was first called: BF Ruins. This interesting little one-stop-shop for everything has been inside BF Homes as far back as I can remember. Before Aguirre became a famous food strip, right at its corner with President's Avenue was the ruins of an abandoned old building. Some really cool merchants started pitching tents and setting up tables to sell their wares there. You'd find a lot of really cool vintage items and some stylish clothes that you won't get in malls. Over the years, it has developed more into a find-everything-here place selling DVDs, CDs, electronic gadgets, accessories, clothes for kids, swimwear, tshirts, gift items and toys. It is now a structure with a huge roof and several stalls. It was called The Good Shepherd Bazaar for a few years now and usually runs between 2pm to 2am. However, their selling time seems to have changed very recently and most stalls are already open by noon and close around 11pm. While shopping in the sweltering heat may not be a good idea in the summer, I often brave the traffic and the heat to go here because they still have the best selection of children's items. If you're looking for class A toys, they've got a bunch you can get from P100 to P200. For instance, if you buy Shopkins (those little plastic toys with faces) in the mall, a 5-piece set would cost you about P350. Here, you get the items with the same quality - since it's all made in China anyway - for P120. You can get a two-piece swim suit for a baby for only P80 and Gerber Graduates, which is not available in malls here, for P220. Pajamas for kids run for about P100. Oh, and they have a nice little food area where you can get some really cool snacks. They have kwek-kwek and tokneneng selling for P20 for an order of 5 pieces. Chicken skin is the bomb! They sell 5 pieces for P25.

Ever since I was young, a teenager to be more precise, I ahve always been fascinated with…read moretechnology, specifically consumer electronics. Television is by extension, one of the most fascinating pieces of technology I've read about. When I was young, my sisters would spend most of their time looking at clothes or shoes. I for one spent most of my time looking at Televisions at Automatic Center. This is because Automatic Center was one of the few places that would constantly update their line up of products with some of the newest models available. It's a spectacle to behold all those televisions playing videos on a loop. With each new generation of TV tech I found myself in awe over these things that would often be out of my reach given the price. I always thought that this must be how rich people watch TV.

I remember my mom the most whenever I think of Abenson. I see it as a place for moms only because…read morein my household it was my mom who decided on everything. From the broccoli we'd having for dinner down to the kind of washer we'd use for our clothes- she was the queen bee of decisions and my father was the financer. I remember spending Sundays here with her. She'd often look around, take hours to decide on buying something then leave the place with a new refrigerator or air-conditioner. As for the latter purchase, that was 10 years ago and the other day, it finally gave in. And because I am now the woman of the household (and the only one living here) I had to buy a new one and of course it had to be done in Abenson. It was an easy experience. This Abenson is just 10 minutes away from my house. I went in, gave my specs, chose a brand, paid with my card and off I went. It didn't entail a grand production. RIght now, I am enjoying the fruits of my little errand protected from the sweltering heat outside and I am happy.

Maybe you're just like me. Always fumbling with electronics, never far away from plugging another…read more110 volt device to a 220 socket, or maybe you are just too clumsy with remotes and gadgets, always dropping and pushing the wrong buttons until finally they break down and die. If this is you, read further. If not, making a mistake may be in the cards for you, don't veer away. For anything that has to be repaired, I highly recommend the Hot and Cold Electronic Repair Shop. They've repaired everything I've ever broken from televisions, microwaves, water purifiers to refrigerators. They do the job really fast and they let you know how much the damage would be before they do anything. I've gone there so many times already, sometimes mad or sad, depending on what I'm having repaired and I always leave the place satisfied. It's sort of like an institution in BF and if you're just like me who has lived here all her life, then you've probably been here before.

Octagon really embodies the meaning of superstore: it's a huge place, stocked not just with laptops…read moreand desktops but also with TVs, speakers, earphones, gadget cases, and various accessories. Their stock is really complete and comprehensive; for one, this is the only store where I've seen Alienware laptops! They do carry other, more popular brands. In fact, this is where I got my new laptop just a few months ago! The salesman who helped me pick out a laptop was really knowledgeable, patiently explained unfamiliar terms, and even helped me install Windows and Microsoft Office after I bought it. Aside from a laptop, this is where my family bought a printer and still buys ink up to today. Octagon is the ultimate in reliability when it comes to tech stuff and their customer service has always been good.

If you want quality cheap electronic items, then visit CD-R King. They have multiple branches in…read morethe Philippines but the store I most frequently go to is their branch in Alabang Town Center.The products that they have ranges from all kinds of electronic accessories, flash disks, car accessories and gadgets, computer parts, office and school supplies, health and beauty products, tools, basic home appliances and so much more, CD-R King has gone from a small stall that sells very cheap recordable CD's to a technology media giant provider selling very inexpensive and easy on the pocket items.I go to CD-R King to buy all kinds of accessories, technical or electronic needs like audio and video cables, optical mouse for my computer, adaptors, chargers and memory cards. I am very impressed with their organizational strategy of using a numbering system that customer gets when they enter the store, these are CDs with numbers on them and need to be presented to the staff when called. This keeps the first come first serve rule intact. Only comment about CD-R king is you get your money's worth, somethings lasts for a long time and some only several months though.

For kids, wandering around Wilcon while parents shop for bathroom fixtures and other household…read moreneeds is super fun! Haha. It's a huge store, so there's all sorts of stuff to look at and keep boredom at bay, like giant shiny jacuzzis and model kitchen units. Now that I'm older, recently my dad asked me to come with him to help shop for pipes and stuff for the extension we're building for our house. He's getting older too, and needs an assistant. So on my last visit, I was able to appreciate how completely stocked Wilcon is. Tiles, bathroom stuff, kitchen stuff, garden tools, locks, even pet supplies, it's all under one roof. It's the ultimate in convenience among hardware stores.

The thing about building a house is that saving time is as important as buying the right materials,…read morechoosing the right contractor and having the right design. The more time you lose, the more money you spend. This is why it's important that you choose a hardware store that has everything in it. You don't want to run around and drive to so many places just because one doesn't have a specific pipe and vice versa. You're better off at settling in 1 store where you can keep your sanity intact and your gas tank right above low. So where is this hardware that promises to give these things? It's the Wilcon Depot at Filinvest City in Alabang. My brother-in-law swears by it, and believe me he is the most anal person when it comes to these things. I came here yesterday to help him buy locks and other things for his almost finished house and it took us a few minutes to find everything we need. I would have loved to walk around more because of the nice tile selection inside but we didn't have a lot of time. So, if you're building a home or perpetually fixing an old house (like me) AND you live in the South, come to this branch and make it your home base.