Luck for Aquino, disasters for PHL– feng shui expert

Master Joseph Chau, resident feng shui expert of the Mandarin Oriental Manila.

THE Year of the Water Dragon, which starts on January 23 will bring general luck and prosperity to the Philippines but because of a Disaster Star in the southeast where the country is located, it must be prepared for natural disasters during the year.

In a recent press briefing to announce the Chinese New Year festivities at the Mandarin Oriental Manila, its resident feng shui expert, Joseph Chau gave a preview of his forecasts for the coming year.

“The birthday of the Philippines is June 12, 1898, at 3:30 p.m. So the Philippines was born in an Earth Dog year, the month of the Earth Horse, the day of the Fire Horse and the time of the Fire Monkey. There are so many fire elements in the Philippines. In the Year of the Water Dragon, there will be an abundance of water. But what happens when abundant water and too much fire get together? They fight each other. But on the positive side, there is harmony because you need water to extinguish fire. So that means the Philippines will have good luck in 2012.”

The economy would face some challenges this year, he said, “fluctuating from time to time,” so businessmen are advised not to be “too stubborn” and to be “flexible in their work.”

The lucky businesses to engage in this year include lumber, fashion and garments, and publishing because all of these are ruled by earth elements.

“For the earth ventures to grow, you need water, isn’t it?” Chau said.

Lucky and unlucky directions this year. (Image courtesy Mandarin Oriental Manila)

He said banking, the production of raw materials and mining “will face many challenges this year,” with the real-estate industry and the construction business slowing down.

“If President Aquino wants to push the mining business, he must organize [the regulations] well so he can attract good business. For real estate, if the property companies want to be able to sell their buildings, they must consult a licensed feng shui expert before constructing,” he added.

He also said that for the banking industry to expand, banks should adopt longer hours like in Hong Kong, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“If you are a businessman, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. is too short a time to complete your business, especially if you’re coming from abroad, and your flight comes in the afternoon.”

What Chau was most excited about, though, was the tourism industry. He said the sector would prosper if the country were promoted well.

Lucky New Year platter at the the Mandarin Oriental Chinese New Year feast. Photo courtesy MOM.

On the heels of the newly launched tourism campaign of the country, the feng shui expert, who is a resident of Hong Kong, even declared “Chinese New Year is more fun in the Philippines!”

He said, “tourism is a water element, and can cool down the fire in the country’s sign. So President Aquino should tell the tourism secretary to do more promotions to encourage tourists to come.”

He suggested that the Philippines do away with visa requirements altogether.

President Aquino, having been born in the Year of the Golden Rat (1960), also has a lot of fire elements, and would need the water in the coming Dragon Year to “cool down. This will help him bring money luck to the country,” Chau said.

But he underscored the possibility of more rains, floods, earthquakes and “explosions” in the Philippines, especially in the southeast location, because of the presence of the Disaster Star in the southeast quadrant.

“These may happen in the months of April, October and January 2013. So I hope the government can prepare for these, and prevent them when possible. They must make adjustments to avoid flooding.”


Chau's forecast for those born in the Year of the Rat like President Benigno S. Aquino III.

Most of the zodiac signs are lucky in the Year of the Water Dragon, except for those born in the years of the Dragon (1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012); Dog (1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006); Ox (1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009); Goat (1919, 1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991); and Rabbit (1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011).

The lucky colors of the year are gold, silver, white, sky blue, green, red, pink, violet, peach, orange, beige, yellow and brown.

The Chinese New Year festivities at the Mandarin Oriental Manila are among the most anticipated in the metropolis, outside of those in the Chinatown area in Binondo, Manila. They regularly attended by Vice President Jejomar Binay and his spouse, Dr. Elenita Binay, as well as business executives who work or reside in Makati.

(My piece was originally published on January 13, 2012 in the BusinessMirror. I own the copyright for the photos and video on this blog, except where otherwise indicated.)

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Here are the rest of Master Chau's forecasts for the different animal signs in the year of the Water Dragon (courtesy Mandarin Oriental Manila):

Your Chinese zodiac sign in 2012 (Year of the Water Dragon)

Or click here.

The Year of the Metal Rabbit

Check out how your Chinese astrological sign will fare in the Year of the Metal Rabbit. Click hare (hehe).

Feng shui readings are courtesy of Joseph Chau, resident feng shui master/geomancer of the Mandarin Oriental, Manila.

Kiong Hee Huat Tsai!!!

A good year for the Philippines and its businessmen

(The Year of the Metal Rabbit begins on Feb. 3, 2011. Photo from the Feng Shui Clinic)
THE year of the Metal Rabbit, which begins on February 3, will be a better year for Philippine business and the economy in general.

This is not surprising as most of the country’s leading business personalities are themselves fortunate this year, per the readings of Joseph Chau, resident geomancer/feng shui practitioner of the Mandarin Oriental Manila.

The luck is not limited to the country’s top chief executives but its political leaders, as well, such as President Aquino and Vice President Jejomar Binay, and the Aquino administration’s officials overseeing the economy.

In a press conference on Monday, Chau said the dominant elements this year will be metal and wood, so the businesses that will be generally profitable this year are car-selling, banking and mining, especially in gold, while wood would connote garments, bookstores and the publishing industry.

Because the Philippines was born on June 12, 1898, (Aguinaldo’s Independence Day), that makes it an Earth Dog.

According to Chau, “Dogs are the most compatible zodiac sign of the Year of the Rabbit,” and as such, he sees the Philippine economy “going up” this year.

(The lucky ones - from left: Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II, Erramon Aboitiz, Manuel Lopez, Teresita Sy-Coson. Illustrations from BusinessMirror.)

Other businesses that are good to invest in are in tourism such as hotels, the medical sector and agriculture—the latter, particularly, “will be prosperous in the next 10 years.”

Those working in the entertainment industry, especially those in films, will see their movies making money, as it is ruled by the metal element, as well.

He advises the tourism leaders to promote more Philippine culture, “which will attract more tourists.”

He added that an orderly transportation industry, where cab drivers, for instance, properly register their names, would boost the tourism sector, and travelers will find them more trustworthy.

The year of the Metal Rabbit bodes well for those born in the year of the Dog (1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006), such as PLDT chairman and Meralco President Manuel V. Pangilinan and beer and tobacco tycoon Lucio Tan.

Chau said the work of Dogs “will be comparatively going smooth. Businessmen will get the help of their benefactors. Financially, money luck is promising, especially in the second half of the year. Many opportunities are open for them or in partnership with others.”

(From left: Manuel V. Pangilinan, President Noynoy Aquino, Vice President Jojo Binay, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima)

This is also a fortunate year for those born in the Year of the Rat (1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996), such as President Aquino, Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima and Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, chairman and chief executive officer of the Ayala Corp.

“Everything tends to be more stable and smooth, especially because there are two lucky stars shining bright within the sign. Businessmen will have many opportunities for their business development or expansion. Financially, this is a fortunate year for Rats. They will have a steady income from different sources.”

However, Chau points to the relatively unlucky location of Malacañang and suggested that President Aquino put a water fountain in his office, if he doesn’t want to move his office to another location from the Premier Guest House. This would improve his luck and promote clarity in his decision-making.

If Purisima is lucky this year, perhaps leading the government to keep its budget deficit at decent levels, so is Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Gov. Amando Tetangco Jr., who is a Dragon (1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000), which will hopefully mean a tame inflation and stable peso for the country.

“This is a successful year for Dragons,” said Chau. “However, they have to take preventive measures to avoid unexpected problems that might happen. They should make use of this year to carry out their new projects with great planning. Financially, Dragons will have better luck in money affairs and it is promising.”

Asked about the President’s prospects in terms of love, the master geomancer advises him to look for a woman “who was born in winter—November and December.” The most compatible sign for a mate for him would be a woman born in the Year of the Pig (1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995). Pigs are described as honest creatures, gallant, sturdy, sociable, peace-loving, patient, loyal, hard-working, etc., and is one of the luckiest signs in 2011.

(From left: Ramon S. Ang, Lance Gokongwei, Lucio Tan, BSP Gov. Say Tetangco)
Horses (1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002), such as San Miguel president Ramon Ang, Lopez Group Holdings CEO Manuel Lopez and JG Summit Holdings president and chief operating officer Lance Gokongwei, will find their luck “improving” this year.

Chau said: “Since the Moon Star shines bright this year, they will have better luck in expanding their personal communication network that will help them have a better prospect both at work and business. Financially, [they] will have better luck developing their businesses.

Vice President Binay, who is also a Horse and regularly joins the Mandarin Oriental’s Chinese New Year parade, will “work well together” with President Aquino this year.

Tigers (1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010) like SM Investments vice chairman and Banco de Oro chairman Teresita Sy-Coson will find 2011 “a productive year.”

According to Chau, “It is good timing for their business expansion. Their career luck is going smooth. They will have the ability to handle all their tough work and challenges. They should treasure this lucky year to show their ability both at work and business. Money luck is pretty good, and it is on the upswing. They will have a profitable return from their investment.”

It is important for Monkeys (1920, 1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004), like Aboitiz Equity Ventures president and CEO Erramon Aboitiz, “to have a good strategy plan in the beginning of the year if they wish to have a productive and successful year,” said Chau.

(Master Joseph Chau, resident feng shui expert/geomancer of the Mandarin Oriental, Manila. Photo by MOMNL)

“Financially, this is a fortunate year in money affairs….However, they should avoid being in partnership with people, especially between friends and relatives, or they will be cheated.”

The unlucky signs this year are, ironically, the Rabbit (1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011) and the Rooster (1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005).

While Rats, Horses and Dogs are generally unlucky signs, those in business appear to be on a prosperous path but have to pay attention to their health and love lives.

Those born under the Snake sign will, likewise, find themselves generally unlucky. But those working overseas will be prosperous.

Chau said the lucky colors this year are gold, silver, white, sky blue, green, red, pink, violet, peach and orange.

(My story was originally published in the BusinessMirror, Jan. 25, 2011.)

Roar, Golden Tiger, roar!

THE Chinese New Year begins on Sunday, February 14. Understandably, long lines have formed to fortunetellers and feng shui consultants (geomancers) as most of us are anxious to find out what’s in store for us in the Year of the Golden (Metal) Tiger.

After last year’s general downtrend in the local economy and unfavorable business climate, it is mostly the businessmen who are at the forefront of those long lines, I am told, as they hope the year 2010 would hold more promise for them. (Click Something Like Life for the rest.)

(Joseph Chau in the Chinese New Year ceremony at the Mandarin Oriental Manila.)
Feng shui forecast for 2010 or the Year of the Golden (Metal) Tiger

Year of the Ox readings by Joseph Chau

AS promised, here are Joseph Chau's readings of the different zodiac signs for the Year of the Ox. I hope this Picasa thing works.

Feng Shui 01


Feng Shui 02


Remember though that these are just general readings, so they are not totally accurate for everyone. For individual more accurate readings, a geomancer must still know your exact date and time of birth. (Visit my manghuhula Aling Chona on the second floor of the Virra Mall for your own specific reading. She is a fortune teller and geomancer. Her store's called Palmistry.)

Btw, to those interested, Master Chau will as usual, preside over the Chinese New Year celebration at the Mandarin Oriental Manila on Jan. 25, 2009. The festivities will start at 10 pm. Those who which to partake of the celebration and have a go at the new year buffet prepared by Mandarin's brilliant chefs, may contact the hotel at 750-8888.

Pinoys to make money easily in Year of the Ox

EASY come, easy go.

This is the overall reading for the Philippines in the Year of the Ox by renowned geomancer Joseph Chau of the Mandarin Oriental, Manila. “The location of the Philippines is in the wealth and prosperity direction [southeast],” he said in his press conference on Wednesday; thus, Filipinos in general will have an “easy life” in 2009.

But he cautions that even if they can earn money with no difficulty this year, “you know what they say, ‘easy come, easy go.’” Mandarin Oriental’s annual Chinese New Year festivities will be held at 10 p.m. on January 25. (The rest of my story in BusinessMirror.)

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I'll try to post the rest of the predictions for the individual zodiac signs. Must scan first. Stay tuned for that.
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(UPDATE: Citigroup Reports Big Loss and a Breakup Plan Hmmm...so much for Citi's finances turning around, as per Master Chau's prediction.)

GMA to survive Year of the Earth Rat

GOOD GRIEF! this is what Joseph Chau, feng shui (geomancer) consultant of the Mandarin Oriental answered me when I asked him if the presidentita would still remain in power this year. According to him, this is because the main gate of the Malacañang Palace faces the Southeast, which is the luckiest direction in the Year of the Earth Rat. "So if Malacañang is lucky, the master is lucky too," he said. Do I hear groaning out there? Ah well...

He did say though that there was a sickness star hovering above the Northwest where the Palace is located, so the presidentita should be careful about her health. Well we've seen her in and out of St. Luke's hospital quite a number of times last year, and I'm not counting her husband's near-death experience. There have been quite a number of rumors just what disease has been plaguing the scary resident by the Pasig River, especially since her primary care physician is a liver specialist.

(Joseph Chau, master geomancer and resident feng shui consultant of the Mandarin Oriental Manila, gives the press a lowdown on what's in store for us in the Year of the Earth Rat.)

Chau added that because of Malacañang's luck, he doesn't see any "major problems" for its chief resident this year. And he adds that the Philippines is lucky as well and has been on this prosperity path since 2004, which will last until 2009! But why don't we feel it Mr. Chau? It seems only the presidentita is lucky! Hay naku!

Anyhoo, the little one's critics may be comforted by the fact that Chau was the geomancer that predicted Joseph Estrada would remain in power. In fairview, the master geomancer did not have Erap's exact birthdate and birth time which would have given him a more accurate reading of the then Palace resident's (mis)fortune. In the same manner, this year's prediction for GMA is just based on a general reading of Malacañang after Chau looked at maps, and not of the presidentita herself.

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Other points raised by Chau in the brief chat I and a couple of other reporters had with him yesterday:

• Lucky zodiac signs are : the ox, tiger, dragon, monkey, and dog. Those who were born in the year of the Rat, Horse, Rabbit, Rooster, and the Goat will have a tough year.

• Good investment areas (stock market and business in general) : mining, entertainment (TV and movies), real estate, transportation, and logistics. He advises newspaper publishers/editors to play up entertainment stories on their front pages to ensure profitability.

• Businesses that will find the new year to be more challenging are garments, boutiques, and book stores. "There are just more competitors for them so they should work harder."

• Young men, especially those below the age of 50 should begin businesses in the Year of the Earth Rat.

• While he didn't directly answer my question of whether Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton would win the U.S. presidential elections in November, he said it will be a "cultural" decision for Americans. I take this to mean that Americans will have an easier time voting a white woman into office than a African-American male. (Btw, I noticed in the recent news stories by ANC, there were actually more Fil-Ams supporting Hillary than Obama. This is not a surprise as Pinoys have always identified themselves with WASPs, desperate to be like them especially in the color of their skin, that the gluthatione bottles are just flying off those drugstore shelves. Besides most Fil-Ams supported Bill Clinton as well when he first ran for office, even when he was considered a virtual newbie in the beltway.)

• The November elections would also spell relief for the U.S. and it's economy will pick up, helping strenghthen the greenback as well. That should be welcome news to a lot of our exporters and OFWs cringing at every day's uptick in the peso's value.

For a summary of Chau's predictions, click here

Too much politics or too much of GMA?

THE Presidentita oversimplifies it...that too much politics led to the deaths of the child Mariannet Amper and Comelec official Alioden Dalaig. Actually it's too much of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is what probably did them in.

While I don't want to impinge on the grief of Dalaig family, has anyone bothered to find out just what business did the Comelec official have in playing at the Casino Filipino in Hyatt Hotel? Last I heard, government officials were prohibited from gambling in government-owned casinos. Remember how much gulo there was over photos taken of then Vice President presidential candidate Sherap Estrada playing at one Pagcor casino, which were then released to the media? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I wonder whatever happened to that case...casino employee Edgardo Bentain mysteriously disappeared (and is presumed dead) because of that controversy.

Moral of the story: something tragic always happens when government officials gamble in Pagcor casinos.

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Btw, don't you think it strange that with questions still lingering over the exact cause of the blast at the Glorietta mall, here now comes another explosion at the House of Representatives in Batasan Hills? At a similar time when more issues against GMA's credibility are heating up. And of course, the same smarty pants "initial assessments" from the same cast of amateurs. Pasok Geary Barias!

And you might not believe in feng shui, but if I remember correctly, at the beginning of the Year of the Pig, geomancers such as Merlina Merton did predict that fiery elements would still be present this year in the form of bombs and explosions.

“…the elements of the Pig year are Fire over Water. Fire and water clash so the indications are another year of fighting and fiery events such as wildfire, bombs, explosions and political strife. But since this year the fire element is yin, which is not as strong as last year’s yang fire, the people and the forests will suffer less…” (Jazspitz.blogspot.com citing Phil. Star, Jan. 25, 2007)

Gasp! those wildfires in California!

Merton also predicts that the Presidentita will likely stay on until 2010. Shudder! Will Merton prove to be correct or be another Joseph Chau? (Funny that during the Chinese New Year feng shui writeups earlier this year,Chau evaded questions regarding GMA's term, still probably smarting from the ridicule he received from his incorrect prediction that Sherap would remain in office. I remember Chau's prediction very well...we published in on the front page of the old Manila Standard. Ach!)

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This piece I nominate as the weirdest story of the day: Indian man marries dog.

Now what do you think can we Filipinos do to ward off the curse that is GMA?