offline

i transferred funds from my savings account to my BPI Trade Account yesterday, march 10, 2014, 10:33 a.m.  (BPI Trade is the online stock trading platform of BPI Securities Corporation.)  up to now the amount is not yet reflected in my BPI Trade Account.

when you try to place an order, there is a pop-up as well saying, "BPI Trade order entry is currently unavailable."

i call the number in the pop-up (89-100, the BPI Express Phone hotline).  the one who picked up transferred me to another phone banker.

the second phone banker tells me i dialed the wrong number.

i tell her i didn't dial anything, my call was just transferred to her.

she tries to assist me and gives me the numbers of BPI Securities.

i call BPI Securities.  i was told that there is ongoing system maintenance.  hmmm...  system maintenance during trading hours???  (i called at 9:38 a.m.)

i asked whether that means i could not trade.

the answer was yes.

i asked what the alternative was.

the reply i got was, 'there is no alternative.'

me:  'no alternative???'

BPI Securities:  'there is system maintenance so none.'

me:  'are you sure?'

BPI Securities:  'yes...  because there is system maintenane.'

me:  'i was IT so i know what system maintenance is...  i mean, don't you have a workaround or manual procedure?  don't tell me once you're down you'll stop trading...  a big company like you should have offline procedures in place...'

BPI Securities:  'we have manual but i'll still have to check with compliance...  i'll call you once we're up...'

hmmm...   he didn't get my number but i did tell him my name...  let's see whether i'll get that call...