Mammo-You, Mammo-Me

Self-check in the shower

Fighting breast cancer, one bath at a time.

Those words carry the latest advocacy of Human Nature as it unveiled its latest product yesterday, the MammoMe Natural Body Wash. Gone are the days when we just have to buy anything that we need without its attached advocacy. Now, natural products of Human Nature, where I am a dealer, carry every now and then a cause that deserves to be supported for. 

From building houses in Gawad Kalinga villages to increasing income of farmers in Camarines Norte, there are lots more of advocacy that HN brings. How I wish one day they can carry our fire safety advocacy too. This time, I appreciate and support the breast cancer awareness carried with the new MammoMe Natural Body Wash.

As I attended yesterday's Magalogue Turnover, the new product, which is MammoMe, brings its care for Filipinas in their fight against breast cancer. There are three main reasons why MammoMe cares:

First, it cares for your skin. It moisturizes and soothes skin with natural glycerin and aloe vera.

Second, it cares for fellow Filipinas. A portion of proceeds for the purchase of every MammoMe Body Wash will go to the Philippine Foundation for Breast Care (Kasuso Foundation) which helps provide treatment for indigent women with breast cancer. 

Lastly, it cares for your health. At the back of the MammoMe Body Wash bottle is a step-by-step reminder to do your breast self examination while you bath, thereby helping you detect the early signs of breast cancer.

Fight cancer. Self-check in the shower.

To learn more about the Philippine Foundation for Breast Care Inc.'s advocacy, you may visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kasusongpinay

To know more (or order) about MammoMe Natural Body Wash, visit HN website at www.humanheartnature.com/buy/index.php/

References: HN website, HN June-July 2014 Magalogue

Oriang: Her Two Marriages and the Katipunan

Dambana ni Oriang, dambana ng Katipunan.
A room inside Bahay Nakpil-Bautista where Katipuneros would meet.

Oriang is the nickname of the wife of Andres Bonifacio. From Caloocan, her real name is Gregoria de Jesus.

Oriang, Gregoria de Jesus, hid under the name Lakambini.

Oriang helped organize the women's sector of the Katipunan. Her first husband was Andres Bonifacio. Their wedding took place in Binondo Church in March 1893. A week later, they were married according to Katipunan rites. After the execution of Andres Bonifacio in Cavite, Julio Nakpil offered protection to Oriang. Nakpil was the composer of the Katipunan's music. They were married in Quiapo Church in December 10, 1989. That was Oriang's second marriage.

I may not be able to recall anymore a lot of our Philippine history but thanks to the Bonifacio Artists who ushered me to Bahay Nakpil-Bautista in Quiapo, Manila. I recalled history as if it was fresh again. I learned more about the said rape of Oriang and Bonifacio's sister by the then Aguinaldo men. Oriang, like Tandang Sora, played a great role in the Katipunan. As wife of Andres Bonifacio, she had the "Sampung Tagubilin sa mga Kabataan" (Ten Advice to the Youth), while her husband had the Katilya ng Katipunan.

In English, I am sharing Oriang's Ten Advice to the Youth, which I obtained from Bahay Nakpil-Bautista. These pieces of advice were written by Gregoria de Jesus in November 5, 1928, can be considered universal and still applicable until today.

1. Respect and love your parents because they are next to God on earth.
2. Remember always the sacred teachings of our heroes who sacrificed their lives for love of country.
3. Do not waste time so as not to serve as a bad example for others.
4. Acquire knowledge diligently in the line or field of work for which you are best fitted so that you can be useful to your country.
5. Remember that goodness is wealth.
6. Respect your teachers who help you to see and understand, for you owe them your education as you owe your parents your life.
7. Protect the weak from danger. 
8. Fear history, for it respects no secrets.
9. Great honor will be his who avoids doing evil.
10. Promote the union of the people and the country's progress in order not to retard its independence.

A treasured piece of furniture where Rizal, Mabini and Bonifacio used
when they formed La Liga Filipina.

For you to know more about Katipunan and Gregoria de Jesus, visit the Bahay Nakpil-Bautista at 432A Bautista St., Quiapo, Manila. You just have to cross the street using Lacson Underpass if you are from Quiapo Church. It is just about two houses or establishments away from Barbosa Police Station. You can also visit bahaynakpil.org

Taking Action on Climate

This is my little way of contributing to the forthcoming Climate Change talk by the United Nations, Climate Summit 2014. I am sharing United Nation's tips on making a difference with climate change together with UN's images on the Summit. You too can do your part by sharing these images and tips. Most importantly, we can do something by looking into the tips and observing them as much as we can.

Let's start by declaring that "I am for climate action." It starts with "me." 

Know your carbon footprint.

Find out how much CO2 your lifestyle produces and the amount of resources it takes to live the way you do. Once you know the impact your lifestyle causes you can start to make adjustments and monitor improvement. Encourage others to do the same. United Nations recommends this link in calculating CO2 emissions resulting from air travel.

Tips at Work and On the Go

• Print double-sided or not at all.
• Always use reusable cups, knives and forks.
• Think before you travel. If a video conference call will suffice, spare the hassle and expense, and CO2 emissions.
• Avoid traffic jams and decrease your personal carbon footprint by walking, bicycling, and using mass transit whenever possible. Consider carpooling with friends, neighbors and co-workers.
• Taking the stairs can sometimes be faster than waiting in long elevator lines. In addition to saving energy, taking the stairs gives you a mild workout which will help keep you healthy.
• Have your business join the UN Global Compact and become part of the solution for two of today's largest scale environmental issues - Climate Change and Water Sustainability.

At Home - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

• Buy minimally packaged goods.
• Recycle, paper, plastic, glass, and metal. Reuse, mend and repurpose things to save money and divert waste from your local landfill.
• Plug air leaks in windows and doors to increase energy efficiency.
• Adjust your thermostat, lower in winter, higher in summer.
• Replace old appliances with energy efficient models and light bulbs.
• Save electricity by plugging appliances into a power strip and turning them off completely when not in use.
• Wash clothes in cold or warm water.
• Run dishwashers only when full and don't use heat to dry dishes.
• Eat less meat, poultry and fish.
• Plant trees - enter tree-planting pledges online, then plant indigenous or locally appropriate trees where you live.

Remember that "a healthy climate is a healthy economy."

...and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon believes so.

Source (text and images): http://www.un.org/climatechange/take-action/

Definitely Japan. Definitely Kojie.san.

There are lots of skin care products in the market today. You see plenty of them in big supermarkets, in flea markets and even in corner stores. Filipinos always get influenced by the Western world which makes them look for branded products. Sad to say, some branded products end up being copied and sold in the market at a lower price. 

Counterfeit items may pose hazards to health of would-be users. Soaps may not have the original contents because chemical components maybe replaced with ingredients unknown and not tested. Who knows those components contain chemicals that are harmful to health? In an aim to look beautiful or maintain youthful beauty, people fond of beauty products may end up suffering from skin disorders or worst, ireparable bad skin condition.

Kojie.san is the first kojic acid soap to be commercially available in the Philippine market. Definitely Japanese, Kojie.san earns the impression of being of good quality. Making it available in the market, you can already obtain your desired beauty soap within your fingertips without the hassle of shipping costs from overseas or worrying your relatives abroad to send you one.

When it comes to your skin care, it is important to use only the original kojic acid soap. Do not buy cheap skin care products when you know that these are fake. Buy only original without compromising your youthful beauty.

Kojie.san has micro peeling effect, which makes it a potent whitening product. The company makes sure that its products are carefully tested to ensure its positive effects to the user. Its micro peeling effect makes the skin tight and younger looking after every use. With its continued use, results may vary when everyone tries to be you.

Kojie.san soap does not contain any harmful chemicals. It contains antioxidants and 100 percent all natural ingredients. With these, a user is sure of a safe beauty habit. Using only the original kojic soap will make it a passion for one to have a younger looking skin. Indeed, "definitely Japan, definitely Kojie.san."

Watch 24 Oras #TheWayYouWantIt!

You will tell me that I would not be needing Skycable just to watch 24 Oras, a primetime news program of GMA Channel 7. To a news-hungry person like me, watching 24 Oras the way I want it will not be enough without supplementing it with news programs from other channels here and abroad.

News is like food to me. To maximize my involvement in our society, I must be informed. 24 Oras is the basic and most important television program to me.

I was born to listening over the radio. In a typhoon-belt area where my family reside, radio was indispensable. Nowadays, thanks to value-added wonders of television - it made news more realistic not just to the ears but to the eyes as well.

Had Skycable been available in our place, I would have chosen the show for kids. My kid's favorite show must be my favorite too. However, unfortunately, my long wait for several years to have a cable line in our street still remains a waiting time until now. My kid still watches VCDs, carton shows from GMA and of course, 24 Oras.

I am based in Quezon City where I work during the day and retreat alone in the same city after work. It is like living a dual citizen - of a city and of a province, where my heart belongs. In the famed City of Stars, who then have not heard of Skycable? It seems everybody knows the brand name already.

Only in Skycable gives one a world of limitless possibilities with its widest selection of channels and different ways to enjoy it. The following four amazing features of Skycable will suit the needs and interests of its user.

1. Enables you to take control of your TV viewing with iRecord.
2. Add channels and packs that you like to your basic plan.
3. The most number of standard definition (SD) and high definition (HD) channels.
4. Get access to special shows and events through Skycable Pay-Per-View and Free View.

A cable company may mean nothing without a television screen.

The third feature best fits me. It reminds me of my travels to Agusan del Sur and the rest of CARAGA Region. I visited the newly established Talacogon Fire Station in 2013 and our firefighters are watching over a black-and-white television. The then noon time show may not be too good to be seen but the laughter reverberates to on-duty firemen as they serve the people of Talacogon town some miles away from their homes. With Skycable's wide-range of TV channels, a cable company have no meaning without a television screen.

Thanks to Skycable's most number of SD and HD channels. I can watch 24 Oras the way I want it. Television time is more fun with more news to watch for.

Of Pork and Being Famous

Perhaps pig turned out to be the most famous animal in the Philippines as the year 2013 ended. It was because of the pork barrel fund scam amounting to about 10 billion pesos. Parody here and spoof everywhere made Miss Janet Napoles to be associated with pig image.

As I visited the Farmers' Congress dubbed as INAHGEN 2014, pig is among the center of attraction together with other farm animals like cattle  and chicken. Of the pig-related things that had caught my attention, I can say that pigs are indeed famous with the following three hits of mine:

Pork in the Barrel booth

1. Pork in the Barrel. A contest in a booth sponsored by Quinomax wherein a guest is given the chance to pick among the toy pigs in a barrel. Every pig in a barrel has an equivalent prize, whether major or consolation. It is one of the pork-related booths that caught my attention when a lot of people queue in for the contest that was fun.

Hair-on pig native leather, Bureau of Animal Industry's exhibit.

2. Hair-on Pig Native Leather. I thought it was a hanging bat. I understood it as a work of art in the first glance. When I got closer, it is a pig - a hanging pig with its face. It is a hanging native pig's leather with hair. Beside it are derived fine leather made from pig skin. 

3. Animals on guard on a seat. With pig always on the scene, a seat is decorated with animals. I also saw real pigs - boar for sale - in the said congress.

Leather derived from pig skin

A pig turns out to be famous always. I eat its meat - pork. People talk about it through the pork barrel fund scam while Percy is the famous pig of Marks & Spencer.

FMD-free certification

I Am Grateful

During my college days, I can only buy second hand paperback for my leisure reading. After 12 years, now I can already buy a brand new book,  a health magazine and Reader's Digest. Time has changed and I am grateful. I still buy used paper back including children's books until today. I am indeed grateful.

If there is one thing you can give to the Philippines, what is that gift?

"Every second of volunteering, every peso, every drop of perspiration counts. But no matter how much we give, there is always a feeling that it does not seem enough. There is a dream to give bigger and to make a difference."

In January, Globe Telecom gives an early gift to bloggers for an opportunity to express what they think of under #GLOBEProjectWonderful2014. It seeks to answer the question:

"If there is one thing you can give to the Philippines, what is that gift?"

In my own little way, let me answer the beauty-queen  question. However, I do not have to be a beauty queen to be able to answer the question. I only have to be a simple working single mom to dream of impossibility of giving a huge gift for the Philippines as what foreign countries had given for Yolanda victims. I only have a dream that you too might dream of one day in the future.

If there is one thing that I can give to the Philippines, that is an insurance policy contract for every family's breadwinner from a reputable insurance company. Sounds funny? I don't care but that is my dream.

To be able to have a solid financial foundation, one must have healthcare and insurance. Insurance serves as replacement in case the breadwinner is gone. Unluckily not every sane Filipino is aware of the importance of insurance. Others are simply cynical about it including my most beloved brother. 

While each breadwinner is striving to work, earn and increase cash flow;  he or she must be protected by insurance. Thanks that the government have a healthcare program for every Filipino under the Philhealth. However, not every family is protected by Philhealth because not everyone is employed - others, underemployed or unemployed. 

I, for myself, am employed which makes me and my kid qualified for Philhealth. Since I cannot have my parents as among my dependents then, I had to pay monthly voluntarily their premium for Philhealth. For this year, the premium has increased and luckily, I paid it in cash until the end of December 2014. While having this as basic protection, it is never enough. The rest, I have to prepare for an emergency fund for obvious reasons - emergencies.

Insurance seems like a wheel chock lock in case the breadwinner dies. On the other hand, while rich people also buy insurance, there are more reasons for the middle income earners like me to obtain an insurance policy. If the middle income earners have to leave for their family a parcel of lot, who will pay for estate tax? Good if the breadwinner is protected by insurance.

We have a lot (or few?) financial advisors in the land. They keep on saying that we should have insurance. Have you read Pisobilities: Gabay sa Buhay Pinansyal by Francisco J. Colayco? Written in Filipino, I find it as the cheapest yet most comprehensive practical guide to financial planning. Or have you heard about a maid or family driver who invests in the stock market? There is one like that, ask Bo Sanchez about it. 

Supposing someone have five thousand pesos, wants to invest in the stock market and then he opens an account. Yes, it is good to invest and at the same time buy shares in mutual fund companies and reputable companies that trade with the Philippine Stock Exchange. Yet it is not good to sell shares when the market is down. What if after six months of investing, the investor breadwinner dies of an accident, what will the family receive? Isn't it five thousand pesos? Had he bought an insurance, his or her family will receive not just five thousand pesos but more than that. 

Photo source: Rappler (see full article here)

"...and if according to my fate, I am to lose my life
please bless with your protecting hand,
my loving family from strife." - Fireman's Prayer

I for myself have more than three life insurance including an accident insurance. However, these are not yet enough to serve as replacement for my income in case I die too soon. Aside from that, while others may think that being a member of the Red Cross means sharing a part some money, they may not be aware that each member is already protected. Apart from helping the needy, a Red Cross member is at the same time protected by insurance.

From having protection of healthcare and insurance, one can move forward to getting out of the debt trap. I thank those banks for disapproving all my application for credit card. It taught me to live a life of cash and e-purse - not a life of monthly credit card bills. With debt management, it is good to set aside emergency fund and then proceed to investment.

We invest for long term or short term reasons. For long term purposes, my ultimate reasons are retirement and child's college education. Others belong to want list - brand new car or house and lot.

With all these things in mind, financial freedom is a dream. Having a solid financial foundation is a key for having peace of mind. Ask me more. If I'd have a dream, I would dream that every breadwinner in every Filipino family be protected by insurance. If there is one thing that I can give to the Philippines, then that gift would be an insurance policy for every person who earns money to support a family.

We may have distinct roles to play in life. You may be a mother, a father, a daughter, son or a single mom like me. You too have dreams that you want to achieve. Having goals in life does not limit your imagination to aim high and dream once for your native land. It does not hinder you from doing little acts of thoughtfulness that contribute to massive acts of love for our country. What if confronted with the same question: if there is one thing you can give to the Philippines, what is that gift?

GMOs place Philippines on global research map in 2013

#YearEnder: GMOs place Phl on global research map in 2013 | http://t.co/GtNhrJ8xkj pic.twitter.com/Ft8YCDSE3o
— The Philippine Star (@PhilippineStar) January 2, 2014

Bob Ong has a new book

#NBSfinds ABA! NAG-REVIEW KA NA BA? by Bob Ong (@sibobpo). Available for P600 in National Book Store. pic.twitter.com/bViMjcvcKV
— National Book Store (@nbsalert) January 3, 2014

Things To Do While Waiting

I waited for almost seven hours today waiting for my number to be called in one single bank transaction. It sounds unbelievable but it is true.Yes, it happens.

I arrived at about 11:45 a.m. and got my number which is 982 while the tellers were only serving at about number 270's. There were two to four tellers in the morning. While the bank's system is slow, an announcement posted on the walls says that they are using a new IT system starting December 2 this year.

When system is not enough, people accumulate
in long queues standing for a long time before they can
fully exercise their right to vote
just like during national elections.

So much about the explanations. Let us go to the question. What should a normal person do while waiting for her number to be called?

The first lesson of the day is patience. If you don't have patience, you will not endure for a second of waiting.

While savoring over your patience, you have to watch your manners. How do you behave in a seat? Do you get irritated to bank personnel? What more else can you do?

Take care of your necessities. When it's time to eat, eat. Comfort rooms can welcome you from time to time. Don't get dehydrated, drink.

While everyone seems too friendly sharing similar dilemma, don't give your entire trust at all. Focus on yourself and on your transaction while enjoying some conversation with your seatmates. However, you can meet new friends in rare occasion from similar branch of services where you belong.

Watch your manners. You may get too sleepy while waiting but don't lay on the benches as if you are on a park waiting for your date to surprise you with a kiss while you're asleep. You can slouch but don't put your feet on the chairs. It's still a bank, not your dining room or your kitchen. Sitting up straight as a practice may be waived on this waiting period. This does not mean however that you will be in a lousy posture throughout your waiting period.

As a busy person, time is important. Bring with you always something to read. Be it a magazine or a business book you're currently reading. Who knows you will finish it in one sitting? I finished one Reader's Digest while waiting for today and it was not even enough. I don't have other more materials to read.

Thanks, I got my pen and my steno notebook. I always bring with me a steno notebook. I learned to use steno notebook way back my college OJT days some about 13 years ago. Until now I still prefer to use it for my drafts. In a bus, when an idea suddenly pops out of my mind, I have to write it before it's gone like a shooting star.

Don't be a disturbance to fellow bank customers who might get irritated of your unlikely behavior. Remember that they are on similar situation as you do.

How about you, how do you manage your waiting time? Just be patient and everything about you follows.

This post has been published in the Yahoo Voices.