# 11 advantage, ma'am?

yes, you do have it so you take it out and hand it to the cashier.  a blue plastic card is what it is. countless times, you've been asked for this card and countless times, you've handed it to them. you don't really know when you'll ever get to use the points. or how many points you have. or if you'll ever get to use the points at all before they expire.  you just take it for granted, is all.

almost, if not, all business establishments have their own version of the loyalty card program.  in appreciation of your loyalty, SM gives you this advantage card (that you have to pay for and that expires every two years).  

you buy some baking utensils for your teen masterchef. you fall in line at the cashier's counter, waiting for your turn.  adding up your purchases mentally, you have an idea of how much cash you need to prepare.  the cashier rings up your purchases.  after swiping your advantage card, she looks up and says 'would you like to use your points?'  you are taken aback.  you ask 'use it?....like now?'  in your many shopping jaunts before, no one has ever offered to do that.  she says you have P257 worth of points that you can use against your purchase.  would you like to use it? right off the bat, you say 'yes, please and thank you.'

an unexpected advantage!!  isn't that awesome?

# 8 we've got it all for you !!

are retail giant SM's catchwords, like they needed any word to catch our attention (or our wallets)! No less than a hundred thousand visitors leisurely walk or hurriedly stride along its many hallways every single day. the numbers are even more staggering on mega sale days.  indeed, they've got it all, except for ample parking space, it seems. 

  cebu is home to the 4th largest shopping mall in the philippines, the 11th in the whole world (in 2009).

finding a vacant parking slot on weekends, weekday peak hours and big sale days, is a major headache. there are definitely more cars than there are slots in SM-cebu's 3-level covered, 1 roof deck and open-air ground parking. bliss to the lucky and woe to the unlucky when that much-coveted 15-square meter space is up for grabs.

the multi-level covered parking is equipped with sensors that turn green when slot is empty and red when occupied.

inching your car up the spiral passageway to the first level covered parking area, you see the 'FULL PARKING, please proceed to the next level' sign at the entrance. you scan the whole area and all you see are rows and rows of red lights. undaunted, you ignore the sign and choose to gamble on a slot that may open up. you start to cruise along on the lookout for a green light. you offer a silent please-let-there-be-a-vacant-slot prayer up above.  He must have been listening because five cars down your lane, you see headlights and a car slowly moves out. in seconds, the sensor turns green. answered prayer !! you step on the gas lest someone beats you to the spot.

peak-hour hassle-free parking, isn't that awesome?