An afternoon of good food and good memories at Figaro Coffee Sto. Tomas, Batangas

This Mommy Blogger is a food and travel blogger wannabe, so whenever there is a chance for me to travel and dine at the same time I would go for it no matter how far.

Braving the hot weather and the undying traffic from Cabuyao, Laguna all the way to Sto. Tomas, Batangas; I together with my youngest who is four years old, visited one of Figaro Coffee Company's branches in the south. Well, you may wonder why that branch when there is a lot in the metro - because I want to promote more business establishments, attractions, traditions and culture at the Southern part where I came from.

Figaro Coffee Company at The Lifestyle Strip Sto. Tomas, Batangas

We left Cabuyao City at 12:30 and we reached our destination by 3:00 PM. If you're coming from the southern part of Laguna, the best and most efficient way to reach Sto. Tomas Batangas is to commute to Calamba City thru a jeepney (P19.00) then from Calamba City terminal, ride another jeepney going to Tanauan City, Batangas (P23.00). Sto Tomas comes after Tanauan so to make sure, I asked first the dispatcher if the jeepney will reach Sto Tomas public market which is the nearest landmark to Figaro.

I discovered that Figaro sits on the first floor of The Lifestyle Strip, which is along the highway of Sto. Tomas. The exterior and interior of the store are spacious and on the inside, there are nice chairs, tables, and comfortable couches for the customers to relax and dine. The interior is cozy and cool and well decorated with memorabilia and framed photos.

Figaro wall is adorned with beautiful photos and shelves with a display of coffee mugs

Before I reveal the hearty meals we ate, let's have some trivia first about the store. The name Figaro actually was a song from the Opera : Barber of Seville. It was widely recognized in Italy and in Europe which is why a lot of customers often associate Figaro as an Italian restaurant or an Italian-owned establishment, but no - it's proudly Filipino. The concept is Italian but the menu is a combination of Filipino and Italian dishes. Figaro was founded in 1993 and its first kiosk was in Glorietta. Currently, Figaro Coffee Company has 90 branches worldwide and growing.

So what did we order for snacks? I guess we were really starving due to the long ride and heat we experienced on the way so we had these for our big apetite : Magandang Umaga Platter, Gourmet Embutido, 5 Cheese and Garlic Pizza, and Banana Caramel Blast for refreshment.

Hearty meals for Bunso and I - spell APETITE!

Being a heavy breakfast eater, I got curious of the Magandang Umaga Platter which is composed of batard baguette, scrambled eggs, smoked ham, sausage wrapped in bacon, potato wedges and slices of tomatoes and cucumber.

Magandang Umaga Platter (P275.00), one of the dishes from the All-Day Breakfast menu 

comes with a free cup of hot brewed coffee

Figaro's Gourmet Embutido is interesting because it is made of chicken. It is so tender and flavorful because it was cooked with a mixture of 12 rich ingredients. Each plate is consists of 4 slices of chicken embutido, with hard-boiled egg, and fresh lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber.

Gourmet Embutido (P249.00) from the Executive Lunch Sets menu,

comes with free 12oz lemonade and a dessert

My little one requested for a pizza and he chose Five Cheese and Garlic Pizza, which is a perfect blend of mozzarella, parmesan, cream cheese, pizza cheese, sharp cheddar and flavorful garlic sauce. My 4-year old boy ate half of the whole pizza. It's really satisfying.

For refreshment, we had Banana Caramel Blast. The combination of banana and caramel is perfect for the hot weather. It can also serve as dessert.

Large Banana Caramel Blast, P170.00

My little one and I really had a great bonding moment at Figaro with the sumptuous dishes we shared. I hope to try more of their dishes such as the Salads, Crepe Roulades, Sandwiches, Pasta and the Figaro Classic menu.

Aside from good coffee, family and friends can always share good food and great memories at any Figaro Coffee Company. From sun up to sun down, every member of the family can always have something to enjoy from their kitchen from hot and cold drinks to pasta, pizza and rice meals, even great-tasting desserts.

For more info and updates, pls visit Figaro's FB page : https://www.facebook.com/figarocoffeecompany/

Shopee 99 Super Shopping Day 2.0 is Live!

The Biggest Annual Shopping Event in Southeast Asia and Taiwan has come back!

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, kicked off its biggest annual regional shopping event, Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day. After last year’s successful 9.9 event which saw a three-fold uplift in orders and a five-time increase in traffic, Shopee is upping the ante this year with an 11-day mega shopping event from 30 August to 9 September. With over 500,000 sellers, around 800 brands and more than 60 partners onboard, users can expect up to 99% off from the largest collection of deals and massive giveaways worth over ₱15 Million.

“Shopee has grown tremendously in the past year. We now boast around 160 million users across the region, including over 16 million in the Philippines. At the same time, the number of sellers on Shopee has more than doubled to over 500,000 in less than a year, showing how we are quickly becoming the online shopping destination of choice for both shoppers and sellers in the region. To thank all our users for their continued support, we extended this year’s Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day to feature almost two weeks of non-stop promotions across all product categories. We have also continued to strengthen our ties with leading brands and partners to bring our users even more exclusive deals and promotions on Shopee,” said Terence Pang, Chief Operating Officer of Shopee.


Super savings on super themed days

Starting 30 August, users can participate in a 11-day shopping marathon, featuring different back-to-back themed days every 24 hours in the lead up to the peak of Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day on 9 September. Users can also look forward to free shipping with lowered minimum spend every day during this period. Key highlights include Super Flash Sale Day on August 30 featuring flash deals as low as ₱99 happening nine times over the course of the day; and Super Vouchers Day on 3 September with a total of over ₱900,000 worth of vouchers to be redeemed.

On 5 September, Shopee will also be teaming up with hundreds of leading brands including giants P&G, Maybelline, Samsung, Colgate - Palmolive, Oppo, Asus, and more to launch the first-ever Super Brand Festival, comprising the largest collection of deals from major brands on Shopee Mall. Users will get first-hand access to thousands of products sold by their favourite brands across all product categories including Electronics, Mobile and Gadgets, and Health and Beauty.

Shopee Shake, the highly popular in-app game that has since clocked over 70 million plays by users across the region, is making a comeback, this time with a new group mode where users can invite others to play at the same time to earn bonus coins, and a supersized coins pool of over 9 million Shopee Coins up for grabs. On Super Shopee Shake Day and Super Shopping Day on 8 and 9 September respectively, users can play up to 18 times in 48 hours for a chance to win Shopee coins, vouchers and prizes.


Take part in the nationwide Shopee Dance competition to win super giveaways

In line with Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping day, Shopee will also be launching a nationwide Shopee Dance competition called Shopee Dance to Win with prizes including an Ace 50” TV and up to ₱100,000 in cash to be won. The dance is featured in Shopee’s second television commercial starring Shopee Philippines’ brand ambassador, Anne Curtis.

Presenting @annecurtissmith doing the latest @shopee_ph dance 💃 #AnneCurtis #shopeeph #supershoppingday

A post shared by Claire Santiago (@kl3yrr_santiago) on Aug 29, 2018 at 4:48am PDT

To qualify, users will need to post a video of themselves doing the Shopee Dance on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #ShopeeDancePH. The competition will run from 31 August till the end of Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day. Winners will be announced on Shopee’s social media pages on 9 September.

Join us for this year’s Shopee 9.9 Shopping Super Day

This year’s Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day is co-presented by more than 60 partners, including Grab, Cebu Pacific, BPI, SM Advantage, ABS-CBN Publishing, and ABS-CBN Store. Joining Shopee in its biggest sale of the year, Grab will be giving ₱9,000 worth of Grab rides each to 99 Shopee users; while Cebu Pacific will be giving round trip tickets to Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Bali and Siem Reap. In addition, the campaign is also supported by its official partners Black Arrow Express, Freenet, Citibank, Maybank, PNB and Robinsons Bank.

“We have packed Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day with a comprehensive suite of deals and promotions tailored to our users’ varying needs and preferences. With the strong support of our sellers, brands and partners, we are confident that shoppers will enjoy an unmatched online shopping experience at our largest annual regional shopping event,” Pang concluded.

Shop the biggest sale of the year, Shopee 9.9 Super Shopping Day. Visit https://shopee.ph/99 from August 30 to September 9.

For more information on Shopee Dance competition, check out Shopee’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ShopeePH/.

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Vivo endorsers are dropping hints on next flagship

Are these photos a hint of Vivo’s next flagship smartphone?

Paparating na ang bagong aabangan. #GoBeyond @Vivo_Phil — Daniel Padilla 

(@imdanielpadilla) 

On August 24, 2018, Daniel Padilla on Twitter teased fans with a new visual and it immediately gathered 5.3k retweets and 31k hearts.

Vivo’s Filipino endorsers have been throwing hints on their social media accounts that something new is coming soon.

Teen King Daniel Padilla posted a photo of himself with a gradient pink and blue background and the words “Go Beyond,” tagging Vivo Philippines' account.

Other Vivo endorsers Darren Espanto, Julie Anne San Jose, Maymay Entrata, Maris Racal, and Paul Salas also posted the similar photos on their Instagram pages.

 

 

Vivo endorsers hinted online that something new from the smartphone brand is arriving soon.

TJ Monterde, KZ Tandingan, and Iñigo Pascual also posted photos tagging Vivo Philippines on IG. This time, their photos showed colorful backgrounds or lighting.

 

Do these photos tell something about the next Vivo flagship smartphone?

Vivo ladies Kira Balinger, Joyce Pring, Loisa Andalio, Elisse Joson, and Sassa Dagdag posted closeup photos tagging Vivo Philippines, as if to emphasize their makeup.

 

 

What is common in these photos? It's the theme...

In the past week, Vivo has been dropping hints on its social media accounts. It kicked off with a video of a fingerprint depicted like a spiral galaxy in an apparent reference to its pioneering In-Display Fingerprint Scanning Technology. Its second teaser was a video of a launch of a space rocket. The third one was another video of the moon with a curved line emphasizing its shape.

In this case, Vivo seems to be getting a lot of inspiration from the cosmos for its next smartphone. What do you think will Vivo post next? Best to keep watch on its social media pages.


About Vivo

VIVO is a global smartphone brand focused on introducing perfect sound quality and ultimate photography with cutting-edge technology, Vivo develops innovative and stylish products for young people. We now have over two hundred million users and are one of the preferred brands of young people around the world. As an Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup™, Vivo believes in the importance of encouraging young people to embrace self-expression and an energetic lifestyle. In the Philippines, Vivo is the top 3 smartphone brand in terms of market share with 1.5 million users nationwide.

For inquiries about Vivo, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vivophil), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivo_philippines/), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivo_phil) accounts.

Why we should encourage the kids to #EatLikeAPRO

As parents, how do we make sure that the whole family especially the kids are always in the pink of health? No matter how busy our schedule might be, we parents have the prime responsibility for the holistic growth of the kids.

Fruits and vegetables provide a myriad of health benefits that can help protect your kids against all kinds of diseases. Eating a diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables has been linked to improved health. Veggies and fruits are loaded with vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, which have been shown to protect against chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. By starting a healthy lifestyle during their formative years, your kids can have long-term advantages that they can hold onto later in their life.

In promoting healthy eating habits, Beko, the Official Partner of the Everyday, launches its Eat Like A Pro advocacy in the Philippines. The campaign aims to help parents feed their children healthier food. This effort is in support of the company’s current global initiative of inspiring and educating families, especially the young ones, on the importance of a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

To help eliminate poor eating habits, Beko listed some of the benefits of encouraging your child to #EatLikeAPro.

Boosts immune system. The first step to having a strong immune system is nutrition, and a well-balanced diet will do the trick at providing your kids with the proper nutrients they need. Fruits and vegetables offer different vitamins and minerals, so it is important that you round up your kids’ plates with a variety of it. In particular, tomatoes, carrots, citrus fruits, berries, and dark green leafy vegetables, are abundant in immunity-boosting phytonutrients, which help the body create more white blood cells responsible in warding off infection and illness.

Fewer calories compared to processed or fast foods. Replacing unhealthy sugary snacks and fat-laden foods with fruits and vegetables can help reduce the risk of obesity among children. That is why it is important to encourage your kids to develop good eating habits by finding ways to make their favorite dishes healthier. It is especially crucial since the number of obese children and adolescents rose to 124 million in 2016—10 times higher than the 11 million considered as obese 40 years ago, in 1975, as revealed by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Helps improve academic performance. Children with bad eating habits or imbalanced diet are more likely to perform poorly in school. Failing to get the required amount of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients for health could lead to focus loss, fatigue, and a loss of concentration. On the other hand, a study conducted by the Journal of School Health suggests that good nutrition impacts children’s academic performance by identifying specific dietary factors. Particularly, students with an increased fruit and vegetable intake and lower caloric intake of fat were significantly less likely to fail a literacy assessment.

Fruits and vegetables are important part of a well-balanced diet. However, a report recently released by Food Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) revealed that Filipinos’ intake of fruits and vegetable is declining while their consumption of meat and eggs is increasing. Kids are among those who are most affected by these habits, especially that they are passed on to them.

To jumpstart its advocacy, Beko is set to conduct Eat Like A Pro: The Cook-Off, a contest for a parent-child tandem, which will show how they can work together in preparing delicious, budget-friendly, and healthy meals for the whole family.

Beko's Eat Like a Pro advocacy launching

Participants should bring their preferred healthy dish, which will be tried by designated judges who will select the final 8 tandems. They will be required to bring the dish recipe together with the cooking procedure.

The Eat Like A Pro champion will be determined via cook-off, which will happen on August 31, 2018, from 10 am to 7:30 pm at SM Southmall, Activity Center.

To know more about Beko’s #EatLikeAPro advocacy and Beko Philippines, like the Beko Philippines fan page (@BekoPH) or visit the website at www.beko.ph

LIVE X DESIGN Launch in SM City Sucat

Shoppers of SM City Sucat were given a glimpse of how millennials transform humdrum living spaces into livable, pleasant, inspired, and impressive homes with the launch of Live x Design, a special exhibit showcasing the works of students from the country’s premier design school, the prestigious Philippine School of Interior Design, last August 24, at the Atrium A.

Ribbon cutting ceremony was graced by Ms. Nelicia Torres- Asst. Mall Manager SM City Sucat, Ms. Kat Mendiola- Marketing Officer Davies Paints, Mr. Allan Brosas- SAVP for Operations Central Region, Mr. John Brian M. Tarnate- Regional Operations Manager of Central 5 Region.

BEDROOM
- The design concept is composed of using design elements of natural materials, pale colors and minimalist shapes from Scandinavian design with a mix of Minimalist design elements such as the use of industrial materials and geometric forms in an open-concept space. The combination of the two styles give off a laid-back feel and simplicity but also shows off a bit of sophistication.

BEDROOM GROUP
- This group consist of Dani Pangalangan, Sophia Gandionco, Edraline Pingol, and Angel Co

DINING ROOM
- The theme is Memphis - design movement founded by Ettore Sottsass. Characterized by playful design with the bombardment of colors, asymmetrical shapes all put together

DINING ROOM GROUP
- This group consist of Angelie Cadayona, Michelle Del Agua, Cerlin Anne Lim, and Katia Marie Toledo

HOME OFFICE
- The booth design centers on wall with abstract geometric patterns. IT conveys energy and motion. The wall has hues of blue and orage which are complementary. A small space with the right connection to the owner's surroundings can help him achieve a lot at his home office.

HOME OFFICE GROUP
- This group consist of Jonjon Jardenil, Leo Jardenil, Pamae Caminero, Mariel Consolacion, and Cee Raganon



LIVING ROOM
- The booth design is Tropical Living Room. They used bright and light colors to create an illusion of bigger space and they made us of dead spaces for storage and shelving units to maximize the space.

LIVING ROOM GROUP
- This group consist of Jenevive Javier, Thea Perez, Kaye Tumbaga, and Bettina Rellosa

Vivo ready to wow the world with an all-new screen design

Global smartphone brand Vivo has been known for its high-technology innovations that have wowed the world several times over. But it has also been a pioneer of various consumer-centric smartphone designs.

Starting August 20, the fastest growing smartphone brand has teased tech savvy followers with a series of mysterious videos posted on its social media pages. The latest was a video of the moon with its shape emphasized by a curved line, a hint of the look of the next flagship smartphone.

For its latest smartphone releases, Vivo has pushed the boundaries of the screens based on various studies and insights on what its consumers want.

In 2017, Vivo released the V7+, which has a 5.99-inch AllScreen Display that offers a wider visual experience without compromising a comfortable grip. This gives those on the go a chance to enjoy a bigger screen for gaming, reading, or watching videos.

Vivo followed up the V7+ with the release of the V9 in 2018. It was their first flagship smartphone for the year with the notch. The V9 features the new 19:9 FullView™ Display that has a massive 90% screen-to-body ratio that gives users a wider look into the digital world. The Vivo V9 may be as compact as the 5.5-inch phone, but it was able to attain a 6.3-inch screen.

Halfway through the year, Vivo released the Vivo X21, its first X-series smartphone in the Philippines. It still has a the iconic 19:9 FullView™ Display. But it has a bigger screen-to-body ratio of 90.3% to provide a more impactful visual experience for gamers and video hoarders.

“The galaxies coalesced. Prepare for something greater. #GoBeyond,” Vivo wrote in its latest post.

But Vivo was able to get closer to its target when the Vivo NEX was released in some markets in June. The NEX introduces the Ultra FullView™ Display experience with a whopping 91.24% screen-to-body ratio. Vivo was able to achieve this by pioneering the 8-megapixel Elevating Front Camera that hides in the body when not in use. It also introduces the Screen SoundCasting Technology that replaces the traditional earpiece speaker entirely and cutting the bezel size.

With these releases, Vivo has proven that the window to the digital world has no limits. What barriers will the brand break next? 

About Vivo

A global smartphone brand focused on introducing perfect sound quality and ultimate photography with cutting-edge technology, Vivo develops innovative and stylish products for young people. We now have over two hundred million users and are one of the preferred brands of young people around the world. As an Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup™, Vivo believes in the importance of encouraging young people to embrace self-expression and an energetic lifestyle. In the Philippines, Vivo is the top 3 smartphone brand in terms of market share with 1.5 million users nationwide.

For inquiries about Vivo, visit the Vivo website at vivoglobal.ph or check out their Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vivophil), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/vivo_philippines/), and Twitter (https://twitter.com/vivo_phil) accounts.

The Freelancer Fair 2018: Helping Freelancers Up Their Game

Freelancing is a form of self-employment wherein a person offers services to clients, and often to multiple clients at a time. Freelancing is an attractive way of life. The independence, autonomy, flexibility, and unlimited financial potential are incredibly inviting but it's not that easy to do freelance jobs.

What exactly does it mean to be a freelancer? What does an aspiring freelancer do? Is it for me? How would you scale and brand your business? These questions are major roadblocks for many who want to become a freelancer. 

"My #1 tip for freelancers is to NETWORK!" - Marvin de Leon. 

We strive to build a community of support and networking who can guide you through your road to becoming a freelancer. Well, you're in luck! The Freelancer Fair is here to give you tips of the trade to make sure you UP YOUR GAME this 2018. Who knows you can meet your future business partner or long-term friend here too.

The Freelancer Fair is here to shorten the learning curve of becoming a freelancer and ultimately give you the guide to achieve FREEDOM as a freelancer. Freelancers have the flexibility of creating their own schedule, removing the boring '9-5' corporate job, and increasing potential to become a top earner in your field. Freelancers are their own boss, which can be a pro or a huge con. You have a major responsibility to yourself to always grow your brand.

Here are some amazing topics we will cover this year
● The evolution of a freelancer: From Newbie to top earner
● Maximizing online tools for freelancing, ie Social Media
● Design excellence
● Achieving success and happiness in freelancing
● Time management
● How to manage and juggle time on a being a mom, a wife, and a freelancer

This year, Manila Workshops, with the support of the Department of Information Communications and Technology (DICT) and Digital Career Advocates of the Philippines (DCAP), will be holding the 3rd Freelancer Fair on August 25,2018 starting at 9am, to be held at the Metrotent, Metrowalk commercial complex, Meralco Ave. Ortigas, Pasig City. The theme for this year’s full-day event is UP YOUR GAME. As its the third year of the Freelancer Fair, we believe the Filipino freelancers are prepared to elevate their skills and be ready to compete in a global scale.

"Visibility creates opportunity. The day you accept this and take action will be the day EVERYTHING changes for you." -Nix Eniego, Social Media Academy

We challenge you to come to the event and expose your brand. Position yourself with positive, amazing people who have raised their game to the highest potential. Want to know how to get on your A-game, then purchase your ticket now. Manila Workshops contact@manilaworkshops.com Press Release Date of Release: August 2018

We strive to build a community of support and networking. Who knows you can meet your future business partner or long-term friend here too! Come and absorb the great positive culture at The Freelancer Fair.

For tickets click here, please visit http://thefreelancerfair.com

Don't forget if you bring a friend or group you will receive a deep discount. Online tickets will be available until Thursday. Walk-in attendees will be accepted (only regular ticket rates will be available for purchase). There will be a play area for entertainment for the kids sponsored by Kara Mia. Just in case you would like to read more about freelancer, here is a great article to read before the fair!


About The Freelancer Fair:

The Freelancer Fair is an annual event started last by Manila Workshops, headed by the team’s CEO – Ginger Arboleda, a former employee, freelancer and now a serial entrepreneur / technopreneur, and mom blogger. The Freelancer Fair was built especially for aspiring and existing freelancers, companies, brands and organizations who want to support the Philippines’ freelancing industry.

Bantay Bata 163 Children's Village Relaunch, to provide a Better Future to more Filipino Children

The relaunch of the Bantay Bata 163 Children’s Village this year promises more children with greater love, better care, and more hopes for a new beginning.

Since 2003, Bantay Bata 163’s halfway house for rescued children has served as a home for over a thousand of young Filipinos, providing them a shelter where they can heal and recover from trauma of abuse and exploitation, and build a better future for themselves.

The Bantay Bata 163 Children's Village in Norzagaray, Bulacan

With improved facilities and an enhanced program, the Children’s Village is now more equipped to help victims of child abuse become more resilient and empowered members of our community.

“Through the kindness of our donors and partner organizations such as the local government of Quezon City, Bantay Bata 163 is now able to provide a better home for children who have suffered from different forms of abuse and are in need of love and care to move forward in their lives,” said Jing Castaneda-Velasco, Bantay Bata 163 program director.

Jing said the Children’s Village, which is located in Norzagaray, Bulacan, can house and provide holistic healing for at least 120 abused children through physical and psychological means, in a structured, therapeutic family-like environment. Social workers, health care professionals, and house parents will look over the children in the complex, which has an administrative building, multi-purpose hall, and cottages, where children stay.

Jing Castañeda, Bantay Bata 163 Program Director

The Village also has a meditation room, music room, arts and crafts room, and library. It also has an in-house kindergarten play area for pre-schoolers, while older children go to nearby schools.

Bantay Bata 163 will also equip older children with necessary life skills in preparation of their reintegration to the society through new programs like the Resilience Program, Productivity Skills Training and Livelihood Development Program. Values Formation support will also be given to parents and families of the abused children to help them heal and move forward as well.

During the press conference for the relaunch of the Children’s Village, a beneficiary of Bantay Bata 163 shared how the continued monitoring by social workers and educational assistance from Bantay Bata 163 has given her confidence to carve her own future.

ABSCBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation Inc. Managing Director Susan Afan, Jing Castañeda - Velasco, Estrelita Turingan, Dale Jimenez, and event host Winnie Cordero

“Len” suffered abuse from her own relatives growing up but is now pursuing a degree in Education in college. “The love and support that Bantay Bata 163 has given to children like me has enabled me to develop strength and self-confidence to stand on my own,” she said.

As Bantay Bata 163 celebrates its 21st anniversary this year, Jing said the ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation’s child welfare and protection program will continue to evolve as it remains in the service of the Filipino children.

“Aside from maintaining our core services in protecting children at risk and are disadvantaged through a nationwide network of social services and our Children’s Village, Bantay Bata 163 is also gearing towards protecting the country’s future generation from online abuse and exploitation,” she shared.

With 80% of children and youth experiencing some form of violence - whether physical, verbal, sexual or online - in their lifetime, as reported in the National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children in the Philippines conducted by UNICEF among 3,866 respondents across 17 regions, it is has never been more vital for child welfare organizations to adapt to an ever-changing landscape of abuse.

In fact, 43.8% of the children in the study conducted by UNICEF experienced some form of online abuse such as sexual violence and cyberbullying.

Bantay Bata 163's transformative approach does not only lie in its capacity to change the lives of these children in need, but also applies to its operational vision as it endeavors to find new ways of combating abuse while remaining at the forefront of child welfare and protection in the country.

“Child abuse is a continuous, ongoing issue,” said DSWD-NCR psychologist Estrelita Turingan. “DSWD has many centers catering to children with all sorts of backgrounds and situations, but the Bantay Bata 163 has stepped in to help us handle cases like these where children can get the help they need.”

Through capacity-building programs aimed at educating community leaders on abuse and the intrinsic rights of a child both online and in the real world, it empowers citizens to become game-changers in the fight for children's rights.

It is this transformed society that Bantay Bata 163 envisions, and one that it hopes to inculcate through its holistic services in the Children's Village and its other services - a vision that takes the support of the whole community.

For more information on the Bantay Bata 163 Children’s Village log on to www.abs-cbnfoundation.com or follow @abscbnfoundationkapamilya on Facebook. For updates, follow @abscbnpr on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram or visit www.abscbnpr.com.

Be keen in choosing the right laundry detergent for your little ones

Before we go on to our main topic, let's absorb some knowledge first.

►What are detergents? 

They are water-soluble cleansing agents that combine with impurities and dirt to make them more soluble and differ from soap in not forming a scum with the salts in hard water. Some terms that are related to detergents are cleaner, cleanser, cleaning agent; soap, soap powder, dish soap, or soap flakes.

►What are laundry detergents?

Laundry detergent, or washing powder, is a type of detergent (cleaning agent) that is added for cleaning laundry, commonly mixtures of chemical compounds including alkylbenzenesulfonates, which are similar to soap but are less affected by hard water. While detergent is still sold in powdered form, liquid detergents have been taking major market shares in many countries since their introduction in the 1950s.

Now, for the main topic - let's discuss how to choose the right laundry detergent for babies.

Your baby may be small, but the heap of laundry he can create is far from it. To clean all this, you need a special baby laundry detergent that doesn't irritate your baby's sensitive skin. 

The skin thickens with age, so naturally, babies have extremely thin skin, making it very delicate. Because the skin is so thin, it makes it very sensitive and easily irritable.
First, avoid dyes and fragrances.
Detergents with fragrances and dyes can be very irritating to the skin. Usually, detergents will tell you right on the bottle if they're free of these chemicals, but sometimes you might have to go digging. Be sure to look at the ingredients before you buy.

Second, it should be hypoallergenic
Although very rare, some babies -- especially those with eczema or other skin conditions -- can have allergies to some of the chemicals in regular detergent. "Hypoallergenic detergents have fewer things in them that will trigger allergic reactions. Better safe than sorry - whether baby is prone to allergies or not, choose the hypoallergenic brand.

Finally, choose liquid. 
Liquid laundry detergent is always better than powder. It is more effective on food and greasy or oily stains. It also dissolves well on water and doesn't leave residue on clothes. Liquid detergents typically rinse out better than powders, which can leave behind residue that may irritate your baby's skin. 

The new Johnson's Baby Laundry Detergent in Ultra gentle and Active Clean

All the said characteristics can be found in the new Johnson's Baby Laundry Detergent. It was designed to ensure effective yet ultra-gentle cleaning of your little one's clothes. It was also developed by dermatologists for every baby's age and stage.

It comes in two variants. The Ultra Gentle which is recommended for use on the clothes of 0 - 12 months old babies, rinses clean so no harsh irritants touch newborn's delicate skin. It has silk protein softeners and is mild enough for newborn skin.

The Active Clean is for use on the clothes of babies 12 months and up. It effectively cleans germs and 9 tough stains with natural propolis and green tea.

Both variants which are available in 1 liter and 500 ml refill are free of phosphate and have no addition of fluorescent, bleach, and colorant.

Let's not settle for anything less. Let's not sacrifice the safety of our little ones. Let's choose the right laundry detergent for our baby's clothing because as parents our main responsibility is to ensure their safety and comfort at all times while they are young.

Watch out for The Last One Standing, a UAAP Season 81 pre-season event at the Mall of Asia

Calling all certified ballers and UAAP fans! Rally for your favorite UAAP basketball star players as host school National University gears up for the first ever Season 81 pre-event The Last One Standing: 1-on-1 Hoop Challenge, happening on August 17 at the Mall of Asia.

“We are thrilled to give our fans a jumpstart of the upcoming UAAP Season 81 as we showcase the players’ individual skills at the first ever 1-on-1 hoop challenge,” said Nilo Ocampo, President of the Board of Managing Directors of UAAP.

The one-day basketball tournament will pit players of participating UAAP teams against each other on a 1-on-1 basketball challenge. Aside from the tournament, there will also be a Slam Dunk Contest, a 3-point shootout and a Skills Challenge. All competitions will have a men’s and women’s division, except for the Slam Dunk Contest which is for men only. With 8 participants per division split into two groups, the tournament will have a single round robin format with the top two players of each group advancing to the semi-finals. The last two players standing will play in the finals. Winners will get up to Php 20,000 worth of products and gift certificates from SM Supermalls!

Full schedule of the event

Don’t miss out on other fun activities this season! Show off school spirit at the UAAP Season 81 opening at the MOA Arena with special performances from James Reid, Spongecola, and surprise foreign artists!

Visit https://smtickets.com/ for updates on UAAP Season 81 tickets.

Lazada Wild Wednesday: Flash Sale for as low as P25

Lazada, the country’s leading online shopping and selling destination, is launching its biggest series of Flash Sales this August 15, dubbed as “Wild Wednesday.” With big discounts of up to 88%, these deals will be spread out among three Flash Sales which will happen in the morning, at noon, and at night.

Over 100,000 Items Up for Grabs

Don't miss the chance to buy some of Lazada’s novelty items such as umbrellas and necklaces for as low as Php 39. Top tech items such as power banks, wireless mouse and electric drills are also up for grabs, for up to 50% off.

Some of Lazada’s bestselling beauty products will catch your attention too. Among these include Precious Pad Nature’s Lemon Spa and Noni Soap for just Php 25, Aztec Clay for Php 39, and Ever Bilena’s City Romance Liquid Lipstick Beauty set at over 60% off.

Over 300,000 Flash Sale Fans

“Lazada has been working closely with its brands, sellers, and customers to provide the best online shopping and selling experience. For our sellers, Wild Wednesday is a great opportunity for better visibility and store ratings. With over 300,000 visitors each flash sale, the platform really is a wild win for everyone.” said Lazada CEO, Ray Alimurung.

Nationwide Free Delivery

It doesn’t stop at discounts. Lazada will also offer nationwide free delivery for any flash sale purchase this coming Wild Wednesday. Mark your calendars and gear up for the wildest Wednesday online shopping has ever seen. Visit www.lazada.com.ph or download the Lazada mobile app for free today to join the hump day fun.

Get Ready for #SINAG Year 5

Every now and then, we've heard of the term Financial Literacy. We were always told that it is the way to financial freedom and is an effective tool for success. But the definition is so broad that it still leaves us clueless about its real meaning and purpose.

Financial literacy is simply the education and understanding of various financial areas including topics related to managing personal finance, money and investing. This topic focuses on the ability to manage personal finance matters in an efficient manner, and it includes the knowledge of making appropriate decisions about personal finance such as investing, insurance, real estate, paying for college, budgeting, retirement and tax planning.

Sun Life Financial is one of those major institutions in the country which helps people understand the term "Financial Literacy" better and more precise. To propagate awareness about it, Sun Life is once again launching its #SINAG Financial Literacy Digital Journalism in the 5th year. #SINAG Financial Literacy Digital Journalism is again inviting bloggers and digital influencers to help and inspire Filipinos to be financially responsible towards a brighter future, through their writings.

Bloggers and Digital Influencers' workshop for Sinag 2018

OBJECTIVES:
1. To enjoin digital influencers in encouraging every Filipino to become more financially prepared and break free from the bondage of ignorance, worry, debt and financial dependency.


2. To enable digital influencers and bloggers to be a catalyst of change that can bring about a future-ready Philippines.

3. To empower digital media to propagate Sun Life’s financial literacy advocacy.

To all digital influencers, whether you focus on life goals such as growing your money, taking care of your family, nurturing your health or enjoying your retirement - you can always have a piece of writing about it for the Sinag 2018.

Cash prizes and other exciting recognitions await the winners for this year's competition. Full mechanics will be posted here soon. Watch out for the update via this blog.

LBC Moves Filipino Lives Better with the Introduction of Two New State-of-the-art Services

For over 7 decades, LBC - the Philippines leading logistics company - has been moving Filipinos lives. Started as a brokerage and air cargo agent, LBC pioneered time-sensitive cargo delivery and 24-hour door-to-door delivery in the Philippines. Today, it is the most trusted courier, cargo & logistics, and remittance service provider of the Global Filipino. 

Today, LBC's lifelong mission took another milestone turn as it launched two new services that promise to change the face of e-commerce. Together with the company of online partners, media, bloggers and LBC officials, LBC introduced Cash on Pick up (COP) and Cash on Delivery (COD) aimed at addressing the growing market trend of online and e-commerce business.

COP and COD utilizes two of LBC's core services : as a courier of parcels & boxes, and as a payment collection channel. As a trading place of the buyer and the seller, LBC's COP guarantees convenient and seamless transactions between seller and buyer. With this, buyer can now add LBC as pick-up point, instead of the traditional delivery scheme - like delivered at home, office, or meet-ups. The online transactions are also guaranteed safe and reliable sellers are assured that he or she will get paid, while the buyer will get the products in mint condition. LBC's wide network and serviceable areas also allow for buyers to shop from anywhere in the Philippines and reach more customers nationwide. LBC's rates have promised to be more competitive as it hopes to provide value for money for every buyer and seller. For LBC's COD, on the other hand, the buyer simply pays the item ordered online upon delivery and LBC takes care of remitting the payment to the seller. The best thing about Retail COP and COD is that sellers only need to go to any LBC branch. They don't even need to register their business to start availing of the services right away.

Oliver Valentin, LBC Express Ph Retail Operations Senior Vice-President said: "THis service targets both small and online sellers like stay-at-home Moms, students, and starting entrepreneurs. On the side of online buyers, LBC aims to enable customers to enjoy and maximize their shopping experience, with just a few taps on their mobile phones or computers. The entry of COP and COD is a testament to how LBC is willing and able to answer the new demands of the digital age - as well as the ever-evolving needs of the market. With these new services, we are committed to providing the Filipino market with the same brand of reliability and convenience that LBC has long been known for."

Very rare chance to be with the SAHMs/WAHMs/Entrepreneurs/Mommy Bloggers - all LBC customers

NANKID's Parentology Helps Parents Raise Well-Rounded Kids for the Future

Raising kids nowadays is truly challenging. Parents always worry about how to make sure that their children grow up ready to face whatever the future brings.

Today’s fast-paced lifestyles are demanding more time from parents at work. School environments are also being driven by technological shifts that young kids have to keep up with. This leads children to lifestyles with little focus on physical activity and exercise. All things considered, nutrition has also been compromised in lieu of food that’s easy and convenient. As a result, many children grow up facing issues such as obesity, social difficulties, attention problems, and learning deficiencies.

These new challenges that parents have to contend with can be overwhelming. That’s not to say however, that you can’t do anything about it. With consistency, dedication, patience, and a little guidance and support from fellow parents, experts and Parentology+, powered by NANKID, it’s entirely possible for parents to ensure that their kids are future ready.

The Future Starts at Home

As parents try to navigate the new challenges presented by changing lifestyles and technological advancements, Parentology+, powered by NANKID, is making sure that parents are empowered with the tips that will help reshape their children’s future.

Launched earlier this year, Parentology+ is anchored on three pillars—proper nutrition, active lifestyle, and high social quotient. “The success of Parentology+, gave parents an opportunity to address challenges presented by modern parenting. We would like to go deeper into these issues and really flesh out the importance of these three pillars, as well as give parents the tools to establish this at home,” exclaimed Jean Espino, Vice President for Marketing -Premium Milks of Nestlé Philippines.

Understanding that parents seek guidance and tips from people they trust, Parentology+ sought the help of various experts to weigh in and give advice for the three pillars, partnered with the NANKID ambassadors.

Cat Arambulo-Antonio is skilled at juggling relationships in different situations, and with clinical psychologist, Dr. Cely Magpantay, the two believe that in order to help your child socialize, it’s important to put your child in new situations where they can learn and listen to others. To better encourage kids to socialize with others, Dr. Cely says, “Warm up, be present at first, then be invisible during playtime. Join them during the start of the activity, and eventually let them be. Be a role model to them.”

In the event, they have also prepared an activity that lets moms and kids do work together to see what traits their child already possesses and how they can further build on them to make them more socially competent.

Nutrition can be challenging for parents, especially when kids need around 3,000 calories a day. However, Joy Sotto and Ms. Aleli Magtibay, Nestle’s own Nutritionist, say that it can be done with moderation, balance and variety of food options. Ms. Aleli further advises parents, “Follow portions by making sure to give a combination of go, grow, and glow foods in every meal, and practice variety, in terms of flavor, texture, color, and food preparation.”

For Parentology+, a kitchen set-up was created for kids to be able to select different food in the pantry to create a balanced meal which will then be verified by an interactive nutrition guide and scanner.

Play time may seem like a regular activity for children, but its benefits on the child’s physical health is hard to ignore. Anton Del Rosario and Dr. Edgar Eufemio, an orthopedist specializing in sports medicine, want parents and kids to realize that some activities are better than others. Through a fun goal kicking challenge, kids learned the different traits that are beneficial to their physical development and lifestyle.

When asked how to encourage kids to be more active, Dr. Edgar says, “Give them a taste of success by giving words of encouragement. Be supportive of your kids’ activities, so they would just continue doing what they love to do. Also, play with them. If you expect them to be disciplined and grow up a certain way, do it with them.”

Parents are encouraged to be a role model for their children, and participate in their various activities, may it be socializing, eating healthier and staying active. Through learning the style of modern parenting, Parentology+, can help parents create a customized model that can help reshape their child’s future. These three pillars are essential to the development of a healthy, well-rounded child that’s ready to take on the challenges the future holds.

The ambassadors and experts all encourage everyone to drop by Parentology+ to learn more about the three pillars, and how they can make their own home, a home of the future. With the different activities that await participants, exciting prizes such as digital instant cameras, premium tumblers, and other exclusive NANKID items can be won when they post their experience at Parentology+ on social media using the hashtags: #NANKID #PARENTOLOGY #ReShapeTheFuture.

#NANKid Optipro Four has changed! It now comes in a new Teal pack, yet still loaded with the benefits and nutrients to help your kid be future ready! #NanKidPH #ReshapetheFuture

A post shared by Claire Santiago (@kl3yrr_santiago) on Aug 9, 2018 at 4:46am PDT

Parentology+, powered by NANKID, will also coming to SM City Cebu on August 11-12 and Abreeza Davao on August 25-26.

For more details, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NANKIDOPTIPRO/

Kawit, Cavite - a glimpse of history, culture and people

Cavite is one of those provinces in the Philippines with a very rich history and culture. For over 300 years, the province played an important role in both the country's colonial past and eventual fight for independence, earning it the title "Historical Capital of the Philippines". It became the cradle of the Philippine Revolution, which led to the renouncement of Spanish colonial control, finally culminating in the Philippine Declaration of Independence on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite. The old provincial capital, Cavite City also hosted docks for the Manila galleon, becoming an essential part of the commerce between Asia and the whole world.

View from the terasa on the 5th floor of the Aguinaldo Shrine

A few days ago, I got the chance to tour around Kawit, Cavite and witness stories told and untold. It was an overwhelming experience to discover more about the Aguinaldo Shrine and the history behind the life of Emilio Aguinaldo,  the president of the First Philippine Republic and his family. The experience as I walk through the roads surrounded with the Philippine flags, swaying as the wind softly bows, is really moving and it gave me feeling of greater hopes despite all the challenges our country is facing right now.

As the tour continues, we also visited the church of St. Mary Magdalene,  the parish church of the municipality of Kawit, Cavite and one of the oldest churches in the country which had its groundbreaking in 1624. Emilio Aguinaldo was baptized in this church, his birth certificate is kept on the left side of the altar. The church is known for healing and resolution to personal problems.

St. Mary Magdalene parish

The best part of our tour is meeting the people behind T.R. Santi Enterprises, the industry leader in custom metal arts and crafts in The Philippines. They have been crafting world-class metal products since 1906! Wow they have been in the industry for 112 years! T.R. Santi Enterprises is the most experienced maker of class rings, pins, medals and other metal artisan crafts in the Philippines.

Sample metal products of Santi & Sons

That was the time I realized how much effort, hardwork, and dedication has been given to every piece of medals, pendants, metal badges and other metal crafts that we use today as presents, tokens, decorations or accessories. I witnessed how the people from the factory precisely do each of the processes. I also knew that Santi & Sons is currently rising from the ashes but with the help of their dedicated employees, they were able to establish the venture again.

Since the unfortunate event that happened in 2016, Santi & Sons is now more than prepared to conquer the world, and to do so they are partnering with 024 Digital Media to expand to several leading markets in the world. Very soon, they will be launching an array of digital assets such as a device responsive website, eCommerce store, blog and SNS platforms among others.

With the use of today’s digital technologies and strategies from 024 Digital, their artistically crafted metals will soon be introduced to the whole world and they are hopeful that their products can penetrate and compete with the international scene because each metal craft is a product of quality combined with honesty and passion to deliver the best for the customers.