GLOBE Project Wonderful 2014

Illustration by:  Noelle Aguilar

I am a dreamer… and I’ve been one ever since I was born 44 years ago. It’s easy for me to imagine the impossible coming to life.  

Ever since I graduated from college and started to earn my own keep, I have developed this desire to do something about the plight of our street children and contribute something (tangible items and non-tangible items) to an orphanage. Orphans and abandoned kids have a special place in my heart maybe because I'm an orphan myself. When I was still single, I would join my brother and his family to a Noche Buena food-giving project to street children or to those just living in a "kariton". Soon after, I organized a similar project, this time, with my yuppy friends, right before Noche Buena. There's always this feeling of blessedness when I'm involved in doing some acts of charity and kindness.  

 

Illustration by:  Nala Aguilar

When I got married and have kids, that dream of building an orphanage has taken a backseat but I still carry that in my heart.  As a parent, my plans and dreams right now revolve around my family, most especially, our 3 daughters.  But indeed, my dreams of building an orphanage has never left me.  In fact, during my daily walks, whenever I see a loose coin along my way enroute to wherever I'm going, I never hesitate to pick it up.  It started with just a single coin, of course, and after about 3 years, I see my collection growing. I call them my “lucky coins” and keep them in a wallet given by an officemate, an LV (Lucky Vivian's).  I am not at all superstitious but I really don't know why these coins fascinate me and why I have tagged them as "lucky". I'm thinking maybe, I will have these coins buried in the soil during the ground-breaking rites where I will put up my future children’s orphanage. These coins will symbolize the journey I took in fulfilling one of my dreams.

I know putting up an orphanage involves a lot of money. But I am inspired by the story of George Muller, a Christian evangelist who in the year 1836 put up an orphanage in Bristol, England.  This orphanage was built by prayer and it cared for a little over 10,000 orphans.  If there is one thing I can give to the Philippines, I will give a building to house orphans and abandoned children.  It will be more than just a building.  It is a gift of hope for the Filipino children who have been neglected,  have lost their loved ones, or in one way or the other, have been left on their own.  This orphanage will provide the basic needs of a child from food, water, clothes and education.  But more than these, this children’s orphanage will provide them with love and care just like being in a family.  In the confines of this building, they will never feel alone or abandoned or worthless.  Here, they will feel special and precious.  After all, they really are.  Here, the children will learn to pray,  experience God’s love and provision.  Here, they will know Jesus.  I want to give the Philippines a children’s orphanage that will center on Christ and depend on God alone.
 

Noelle's drawing of a children's orphanage

And when the children are ready for adoption, they will leave the orphanage equipped with Godly-values and prepared for the world.  These children will have a strong sense of compassion. They will share their joy and love with others who are like them.  They will make a difference and they will be the difference that the world wants to see. 

Nala's drawing of a family (night time)

I have big dreams for this children’s orphanage and for the children themselves. My prayer is that while inside the confines of this building, their lives will be impacted and once they get out, they in turn will impact the lives of others.

Maybe you will ask why an orphanage? Why not something that will benefit the majority or will help develop the country or translate to economic growth?  Having been orphaned at an early age, I know how it feels to almost give up hope.  Losing my parents at a young age is like losing everything.  Everything about a little child speaks of innocence and trust.  Children have pure hearts and can love with all their heart.  This love inspires us to see God’s unconditional love.  I want to preserve the purity of their hearts to love and accept love, if only I can.  Even Jesus said, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for such is the kingdom of heaven.”

A drawing of a family (day time) collaborated by Noelle & Nala

Maybe joining the #GLOBEProjectWonderful2014 contest will be the start of it all, the start of something wonderful. 

(James 1:27) “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:  to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world”. 

 

Should you be given an opportunity to give one thing to the Philippines, what would that gift be?  I would love to know, please share it with me.

Wear It Your Way with Wacoal

I love Wacoal!  Nothing beats their quality undergarments which you can wear for years and years.  The durability of their products are undeniably superb and I can attest to that.  Another thing that's great about Wacoal bras is its versatility.  

With Wacoal's Wear It Your Way Bra, I can fashionably wear my strapless beach wear, my halter cocktail dress or my one-shoulder blouse.  It's a clever way to save money since I don't have to buy a bra for each attire, right?  Just like the one pictured below. 

I say,  you can never go wrong with Wacoal.  

 http://www.wacoal.ph

Transform yourself with Schick

Never have I watched as many superhero-related movies in the last twenty-years combined than in the past two years.  Is it because today's generation is dying to meet a true-to-life superhero or is it because the world badly needs one? Whatever the reason is, superhero movies are exciting to watch.  It somehow reflects what is deep down inside of us.  Remember what Aunt May said to Peter Parker, "There's a hero in all of us..."  I believe that to be true. 

If we were to rank all the superheroes we know, who would you think is the top favorite?  Most popular?  Most well-loved?  I think, Superman will outrank them all in all three aspects.  

Superman is the first superhero movie I watched and I was in awe of his overwhelming powers.  The fact that he can fly, is "faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound" (remember the cartoons?), can literary carry the weight of the earth and even spin it around and around was simply awesome!

Now, given the powers of Man of Steel for one (1) week, how would I use it?   

My only agenda for this one-week period is to set out my ultimate goal of making this world of ours the best place to live for everybody.

     Day 1:  Since I am well-aware of Superman's Superhuman Intelligence and Eidetic Memory enabling me to speak in different languages, I shall use these powers to convene the leaders of the world.  But, I'm not sure how I'd be able to gather them all together in one place with all their security and entourage. Plus, their many demands -- we're talking VIP treatments here. Aaagh. But, hey, I'm Superman with Superhuman Intelligence... I can figure it out just as quickly as the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog. 

     Or maybe, just to be more practical, I can transport each of the leaders one by one by letting them ride on my back (Flight power).  That is, if they're not afraid of flying and heights. If Lois Lane was able to hold on to me while enjoying the fantastic view of the city, and that was even at night, then I don't see why our leaders will refuse.

      Or the easiest way I could reach out to them is by holding a press con which will be aired via satellite. But, that's too impersonal.  Maybe, this will be okay as a follow through after the face-to-face discussions with them.

      I want everybody to be involved. I want the leaders to feel my passion and burning desire to make this world better for our children. I will enjoin them to be one with me in my plans and empower and rally them to lead their respective countries and people with integrity. 

      Then, after the convention, we'll have cocktails and socials to get to know each other on a personal level. They can go back to their respective countries at their own expense afterwards.

      Day 2: With my Telekinetic Power, I will repair the ozone layer and duplicate nature's role in fixing the holes in our ozone layer.   

      Day 3:  No more wars! With my Superhuman Strength, I will destroy all weapons of war (nuclear, armaments, etc.), weapons of mass destruction and naval bases all over the world. Of course I know where these weapons are being safe-kept. Nothing is hidden from me.  Take note, I have Super Vision with X-ray Vision and Super Hearing.  And yes, I can even smell evil from afar... thanks to my Super Olfaction,  Hahaha! 

     Day 4:  I will put my Superhuman Breath to good use by making super giant ice cubes.  This will solve our melting-glacier problems and reduce the effects of global warming. To preserve the marine life, I will clean the seas, get rid of all garbage found over and under the seas and along the shores and pile them up somewhere where I can destroy them through my Heat Vision.  I will likewise, put up coral reefs which my Enhanced Lung Capacity will enable me to do. 

     Day 5:  This day will be devoted to making our mother Earth greener by planting millions of trees, prioritizing those flood-prone countries, like ours. With my Super Speed power, I can do that in a jiffy.  This will eventually eradicate pollution and will greatly aid in keeping flood at bay.   

     Day 6:  I will set up a Call Center Headquarters which will respond to the people's calls and monitor all parts of the world.  I will need the help of my Super Friends, DC Superheroes, The X-Men, and even The Incredibles, Jack Bauer, Rick and Daryl and Michone who are great zombie-killers, and many others to establish this headquarters. We will all be allies in making planet Earth the best place for everybody. It's my convincing power that will help me to do this. 

     Day 7:  More than the action-filled days I lined-up for myself, day 7 will be devoted to acknowledging my Ultimate Power from which all my powers are sourced from - God.  Without Him, I am nothing.  It is through Him that two of my best powers are manifested - Love and Compassion.

I may be the Man of Steel but I don't want to be the last man standing out there. We all need each other and together, we will all establish a New Earth for us and the generations after us to enjoy.  It's not difficult as it seems.  All we need to do is to make that first step to unleash the "hero" within us. 


How about you, care to share your 7-day agenda if you possess the powers of the Man of Steel?  Why don't you plot your plans and join Schick’s Superman promo contest now and win movie tickets!  


For more details visit Nuffnang or click this link:

http://blog.nuffnang.com.ph/2013/05/24/schick-philippines-and-nuffnang-bring-you-man-of-steel/
            

Schick. Free Your Skin.

 Per DTI-NCR Permit No. 1843 Series of 2013. 

 

Oh Wow, SM!

I still remember the first time I set foot on SM Store Cubao. It was more popularly known as Shoe Mart at that time and not yet called by its now very famous 2-letter initials. I was no more than 7 years old when I first stepped into that mall that I thought sells only shoes and nothing but. As a young and gullible child, I easily took everything at face value. It was called Shoe Mart so I thought it should be selling just that or else they should call it Shoe Mart and a Lot More Mart (SMLMM). Okay, Shoe Mart is a lot easier on the tongue.

I remember that time when my mom brought me there the first time to buy me a pair of black shoes. I was amazed at the many shoes on the display racks.  It wowed me. I was just as excited as my mom who was also a lover of pretty shoes. This was the place where I bought most, if not all, of my school shoes during my elementary days.  

I do not know the exact date when SM Megamall came into existence. All I know was that everyone was looking forward to its opening. And when it finally opened its doors, I was among those who could not wait to check out what the fuss was all about. I was awed by its size and splendor. It was really SM’s Megamall with a capital “M”.

SM Megamall started a new trend in mall shopping. I believe it is where the word “malling” originated from.  I was a young executive when it became a phenomenon. SM Megamall was in the center of everything. It has become “the” landmark. Everybody converges to Megamall: young, old, rich, poor, celebrities, feeling-celebrities, yuppies, bum.
 

When my brother with his wife and family from the U.S. came to visit us here after more than 10 long years, we brought them to Megamall and they were awestruck with the place. Never had they been to any shopping mall as big as Megamall. My brother even commented, “We don’t need to bring anything from the U.S. because everything is already here at SM.” And this remark came from someone who had not yet heard SM’s jingle ad. Indeed, SM’s slogan rings so true, “Here at SM, we got it all for you.” Whoever thought about this slogan is a genius.

SM Megamall has been our Sunday habit. After attending our worship service at a nearby church, this is where you could find us.

But whether in Megamall or in any SM Store branch nationwide, Toy Kingdom is my husband’s and our daughters’ first stop.  While me, I am a fan of any SM supermarket where the cut and pre-packed fruits and vegetables first became a hit. Up to this day, I look forward to having my grocery shopping at any SM supermarket.

But one more thing that continues to excite me about SM is that of its department store.  Yes, I definitely love to shop at The SM Store. With its classy, trendy, fashionable and yet affordable selection of clothing wear, you can never go wrong.  The layout of the entire store is even more fantastic. 

 

It’s a breath of fresh air.  It’s young, vibrant and fun to shop here.  No wonder my daughters as young as they are, enjoy shopping here, too. It is my go-to-place when I am looking for nice outfits not only for me but for my little girls, as well.  And yes, without that hefty price tag.     

 

SM Sale Events are as exciting as ever.  I have been part of many SM sale events ever since.  When an SM Store holds a sale, there is a promise of big savings.  I have in my possession some of my SM Store fashion finds and I’m just so happy to have them.  I wore them, either separately or all together, in many occasions, events and celebrations.  The SM pieces I have are very versatile.  And because I want to share my SM Dept. Store fashion finds, I make it a point to bring “balikbayan” relatives and friends to any SM mall branch and shop with them. The vast selection and great finds surely make them go wow!  

 

One SM store that never fails to elicit a wow factor to my balikbayan relatives and friends is SM Mall of Asia.  This has become not only a shopping destination but also a tourist attraction of sorts and a must-visit destination for them, as well. With its grandeur and perfect location, it is the ultimate “pasyalan” and shopping mall by the bay. The first time I stepped on its grounds, all I could say was “Oh, wow!”    

From the very first time that I entered an SM store and up to this day, SM continues to wow me.        

From the school shoes that my mother used to buy for me in SM and now that I have my own kids, it’s still SM shoes that I patronize…for me and my kids.  Only this time, it’s not only their shoes but a lot, lot more.  And that is just WOW!           

And here are some of my fashion finds in The SM Store:   

 

Don't you just love to shop at The SM Store? Well, I do. 

 

 

 

Camp John Hay's Le Monet

Ahhhh, how shall I start this post?  I cannot count the ways....

For the longest time, I have been wishing to experience Camp John Hay's Manor Hotel with my family and do some strawberry picking with my girls at the Strawberry Farm in La Trinidad.  Well, both my wishes came true last April.  Well ok not exactly... but it was very close to what I thought I really wanted. We stayed in Le Monet and it was perfect.

This was sort of a spur-of-the-moment thing. I just got us a winner of a deal from my Metrobank Card and voila! We were booked for 3d2n at Le Monet.

We couldn't be happier with our hotel and our room. We had a big room with a balcony. The room is equipped with two queen-size beds with four big, fluffy pillows on each. 

The room is so right for the five of us. We just love it!

We had a modern bathroom, too.

They also have a pretty garden.

 

 

 

If you want to go around Camp John Hay, the hotel has a complimentary shuttle service for their guests.

This is the view from our balcony

And just look at the comforters. They were really soft and so comfy.

The price we paid for our stay here was so worth it. In fact, I wanted to book for another 3d2n here as soon as we got back to Manila. But, I guess that was too soon.  Oh well, maybe next summer.




             

               

Our Graduates

We have two graduates in the house! We're so proud of our babies.

Nisi in her gala uniform during her graduation day

Nisi graduated elementary while Noelle finished pre-school.

Noelle, proudly showing off her diploma

 

But wait, we have another reason to celebrate -our youngest, Nala, will start schooling this June. She's been excited eversince she found out (which was a few months back) that she'll soon be attending school. And we're doubly excited for her.

Nala, our excited baby girl who will be attending school this June

We had a graduation lunch celebration for Nisi at Yang Chow along Marcos Highway but I wasn't able to take pictures.  Her wuwu and wuwa gave her a graduation cash gift which she gave to me for safekeeping.


Noelle with her little sister, Nala, during her Moving Up Day

Noelle, on the other hand, just wanted to spend an afternoon with us at Starbucks and have her fave cinnamon roll with butter.

 

This school year, we have our 3 girls going to school which will cost a lot.  I thought about homeschooling Noelle and Nala before when the prospects of migrating to Malaysia was high until husband came home.  Well, I'm still open to homeschooling our 2 little girls.  But that would entail that I stay at home and quit my job.  If homeschooling is in His plan for me, then I know He'll let me know and prepare for it, soon.

Right now, I am just as happy with what our children have achieved and learned. A big thanks to their Assumption Antipolo education, for bringing out the best in them and their preschool, Integrated School for Young Children (ISYC), for preparing them for the challenges and demands of big school.  Still a long way to go for the 3 of them (and also for us, parents), but only with God's goodness and grace can we achieve what God intends for us to achieve.  

Sun Cellular, The Good Choice in Postpaid

I've heard about it and believed it to be true!  Sun Cellular Plan 600 and  Plan 999 is not just a good choice but is THE Good Choice in Postpaid.  With the features of Sun Cellular's Plan 600 and Plan 999 as follows, who wouldn't agree?

 

Plan 600 

You may choose from the following Profiles:

Call & Text Unlimited
Get the following:

• Unlimited Calls & Texts*
• P250 Consumable** (except International/Domestic Operator-assisted calls)
• 350 FREE SMS to other networks

Text Unlimited
Get the following:

• Unlimited Texts*
• P450 Consumable** (except International/Domestic Operator-assisted calls)
• 350 FREE SMS to other networks

Fully Consumable
Get the following:

• P600 Consumable** (except International/Domestic Operator-assisted calls)
• 350 FREE SMS to ALL networks

* Local Sun-to-Sun Calls and/or Texts only.
** Consumable may be used for the following:

• Sun Cellular calls to other networks – including NDD & IDD
• Sun - to - Sun MMS
• SMS2Email

Plan 999 You may choose from the following Profiles: Call & Text Unlimited Get the following: Unlimited Calls & Texts* P250 Consumable** (except International/Domestic Operator-assisted calls) 350 FREE SMS to other networks Text Unlimited Get the following: Unlimited Mobile Internet Unlimited Text to Sun 4 Hours Calls to Sun