One scary advice: "Invest Long-term"

"Long-term investing" - is an advice pitched by some financial consultants, mutual fund solicitors, and those who are basically unaware that profits are like fruits--they have to be picked when they're ripe.

So, is long-term investing profitable? Generally, no. I might have shattered your investment notion so I must have to spell out the nuance: Investing as a behavior should be long-term, but your invested money should not be. If your financial consultant makes the "long-term investment" approach, then he or she is either lazy or uninformed about how the market moves. The market is a cycle. As such, it demands attention for profit-taking.

What to do then?
A) Talk with your (expert) financial adviser and instruct him or her to withdraw the profits before a market correction.
B) Instruct your (expert) financial adviser to regularly add up to your investments only when the Index or share prices are down.
C) Learn A and B for yourself.
D) Avail the services of a private fund manager.

Walang forever. There is a time for everything.

Below are screencaps that drive the point:

Ayala Corp 12-month cycle
PLDT 5-year cycle