Smile Train Philippines Celebrates World Smile Day®.

World Smile Day®, a day devoted to smiles and acts of kindness, will be celebrated by people all over the world on the 2nd of October. Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft organization, through its local entity, Smile Train Philippines, will be hosting an online event to raise awareness for children with clefts. Together with Smile Train ambassadors Marian Rivera, Catriona Gray, and Megan Young, the charity launches #540Today to convey and champion the 540 babies around the world who are born with a cleft every day.

The crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions all over the world, including children born with a cleft lip and/or palate. With the global lockdown pushing for cities to establish stringent rules and regulations, thousands of babies are left untreated. It is estimated that COVID-19 has forced Smile Train partners to put more than 33,000 cleft surgeries on hold this year.

“Despite the pandemic, Smile Train is keen on celebrating all of the people who have contributed to their work and help change the lives of babies born with untreated clefts in the Philippines,” said Smile Train South East Asia Director Kimmy Flaviano. “We’ve adapted various avenues and utilized technology to reach more patients and communities in the Philippines.”

The event, which will be hosted Live on the Smile Train Philippines Facebook page at 4 o'clock in the afternoon, will allow Smile Train to bring more smiles into the homes of the Filipinos. More Smile Train ambassadors such as Tim Yap, Barbie Forteza, and Paul Marney Leobrera will take part in the festivities to encourage people to raise awareness for #540Today. They all share their experiences working with Smile Train and raise awareness for access to proper medical care and financial assistance needed by children born with cleft lip and/or palate.

Smile Train’s Team Empower will also take part in the celebration by inviting everyone to Ride for Smile Train Home Edition. Ride for Smile Train Home Edition is a virtual experience that will utilize two fitness platforms, Strava and Zwift, to challenge, engage, and grow the community of Smile Makers. Moreover, Smile Train long-standing fitness partners, Beyond Yoga and Electric Studio, will be offering classes to help promote the cause. Beyond Yoga will be hosting a free yoga class on Facebook while Electric Studio will offer their Ride, Box, HIIT, Strength, and Flow classes for the benefit of Smile Train Philippines.

Smile Train acknowledges the support and collaboration of its donors, partners, and ambassadors around the world as they continue to transform the lives of patients with cleft and help improve their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. The pandemic may have posed a challenge to the charity, but it is committed to applying sustainable solutions that would be of great help to their beneficiaries.

“Smile Train has always been and will continue to remain steadfast in advocating for children with cleft and to providing free surgery and comprehensive cleft care to them. With the help of all our partners, we can truly make a difference to create more smiles,” shared Flaviano.

For more information about Smile Train’s global efforts and to donate, please visit smiletrain.org. To learn more about Smile Train’s local programs in the Philippines, please visit smiletrain.ph, follow Smile Train Philippines on Twitter and Instagram @SmileTrainPh, and like us on Facebook at @SmileTrainPhilippines. 

#GivingIsBeautiful with NeoCell.

NeoCell has launched its annual fall campaign to raise money for Vitamin Angels, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing lifesaving and life-changing vitamins to children and mothers in need. From October 1 through December 31, NeoCell will donate 25 cents to Vitamin Angels for every product that it ships.

Last year, the same campaign raised $192,000 for Vitamin Angels - that's enough money to help more than 770,000 children. Over the past three years, NeoCell has collectively helped more than a million children through its partnership with Vitamin Angels.

Helping children in need.

"Partnering with Vitamin Angels has become a very important part of what we do as a company," said Jessica Mulligan, NeoCell Vice-President of Sales & Marketing. "Seeing the very real difference that NeoCell's contributions are making in the lives of children in need was one of the best experiences of my life."

 Mulligan met some of the children helped by Vitamin Angels by going with the group to observe vitamin distributions in Peru. They provided life-changing multivitamins to children living in villages as high as 14,000 feet, where little food can be grown.

According to Vitamin Angels, 45% of all child deaths worldwide are caused by undernutrition; that's more than a million innocent lives lost. Millions more will never reach their full physical or mental potential. Many of these children can be saved or their lives dramatically changed through improved nutrition. For just a quarter, Vitamin Angels can provide a young child with two doses of vitamin A - all a growing child needs for an entire year.

#GivingisBeautiful.

"Our friends at NeoCell know the true meaning of beauty," said Howard Schiffer, Vitamin Angels founder and president. "Their wholehearted commitment to our cause is helping those children and moms who are most in need to shine."

During the fall campaign, NeoCell products will have special Vitamin Angels neck tags, and display materials are being made available to retailers. People are urged to help spread the word about the campaign through social media by using the hashtags #GivingIsBeautiful and #NeoCellGiving.

NeoCell is a leading manufacturer of nutritional supplements and the #1 collagen brand. The company's Beauty Bursts, Biotin Bursts, Beauty Infusion, Collagen+C Tablets, Super Collagen Powder, Collagen+C Pomegranate Liquid, Collagen Beauty Builder, Keratin Hair Volumizer, Collagen Sport, Resveratrol Antioxidant and other products are designed to improve health, beauty and wellness - naturally. 

Globe Project 1 Phone | A Call for Good.

How many mobile phones have you owned in the past five years? One? Two? Maybe even five or more? Technological changes sure happen at a very rapid pace these days, especially in the field of telecommunications. Continuous popularity of social networking sites, the high demand for mobile browsing, and the availability of very affordable communications gadgets encourage more people to replace or upgrade their mobile phones almost yearly.

With this development, old gadgets often end up abandoned or worse, thrown into the trash together with drained phone batteries and broken chargers. These obsolete and unwanted electronic and electrical devices add up to millions of metric tons of e-waste disposed worldwide every year which cause toxic metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and beryllium to be released into the air and seep into the ground and waterways.

Through the years - some of the old phones that I have owned.

To combat the dumping of e-waste and promote stronger social and environmental practices, leading telecommunications company Globe Telecom is embarking on the biggest and most ambitious mobile recycling program in the Philippines. Dubbed as Project 1 Phone, it is designed to create awareness on proper e-waste disposal and to promote sustainability.

By donating unused, non-working, or damaged phones and tablets, mobile phone batteries, and even personal computers to the campaign, each Filipino would be able to do his share in minimizing not only the environmental impact of e-waste but also counter its harmful effects on health such as skin diseases and possible damage to vital organs and the skeletal system.

#Project1Phone.

Globe also makes it easy for its customers and other stakeholders to participate in the drive by providing donation bins in participating Globe Stores in various parts of the country (for the complete list, please visit the Globe Telecom website www.globe.com.ph/project1phone).

Schools, corporations, local government units, and other private and non-government organizations may also participate in the program by adopting recycle bins. Interested parties may email Globe at bridgecom@globe.com.ph.

All devices and accessories that Globe will gather shall be turned over to TES-AMM, a leading electronics waste recycler which will take responsibility for at end-of-life products to ensure that they are managed responsibly.

TES-AMM will, likewise, work on recovering precious metals and plastics from the recycled gadgets. Globe has committed to build at least 40 school buildings in the province of Aklan and proceeds of Project 1 Phone will be used to add to the said number since hundreds of classrooms are still needed in the area.

Spreading Hope on Mesothelioma Awareness Day.

Unbeknownst to many, there is a thing called 'Mesothelioma Awareness Day', and it's celebrated every year on September 26.

Meso-what?! Mesothelioma, or more precisely, malignant mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that affects the membrane lining of the lungs and abdomen. Mesothelioma is most commonly caused by exposure to asbestos, and is the most deadly among all asbestos-related diseases.

Symptoms or signs of mesothelioma may not appear until 20-30 years (or more) after exposure to asbestos. Such is the case of Heather von St. James, who was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma in November 2005 - barely three months after giving birth to her child.

When Heather was a little girl, her father worked in a construction company, where asbestos fibers are commonly used. Her dad would come home from work with his coat covered in white dust, and little did the family know that exposure to his clothes would put Heather's life at risk.

Heather was given just 15 months to live, but with proper treatment, support from her husband and family, and with her daughter as her inspiration, she was fortunate enough to make it through the ordeal. It's been eight years since Heather survived the big C, and she has made it a mission to spread awareness and help mesothelioma victims around the globe.

Heather, with her husband Cameron and daughter Lily.

Today, I am joining Heather and her family in raising awareness for mesothelioma. And in honor of Meso Awareness Day, I am giving my voice to the victims of this deadly disease. You too, could help. One simple message could save lives.

September 26 is Mesothelioma Awareness Day. 

Some Facts about Asbestos

- Asbestos fibers are invisible to the naked eye.

- In the US, roughly 30 million pounds of asbestos are being used each year.

- Asbestos remains as the number one cause of occupational cancer in the US, even 30 years after the peak of its use.
- Asbestos was once used in common household items such as toasters and hairdryers, and over 3,000 consumer products.

- Asbestos can still be found in many homes, schools, commercial and industrial buildings.

Adobo Cup and the World Cup | For the love of football.

I have not been getting much sleep lately, thanks to the World Cup. It's either I sleep really, really late just so I can finish the 12 am match, or wake up really, really early so I can catch the first half of the 4 am match. Can you imagine what I have to go through for an entire month every four years? If you're a fan of the sport, I'm pretty sure you can empathize with me.

And as if the action and excitement in Brazil is not enough, here comes the Adobo Cup - a 5-side football tournament organized by Adobo Magazine. Now on its seventh year, this event brings together personalities from the advertising, media, and production industries.

Action at the Adobo Cup.

The 2014 Adobo Cup will take place at the Gatorade-Chelsea FC Blue Pitch at Circuit Makati on June 28, 2014.

Globe Telecom supports this year’s tourney as part of the company’s CSR program “Football Para Sa Bayan,” a grassroots campaign which advocates football as a tool to transform the lives of underprivileged children through by encouraging athletic excellence and providing educational opportunities.

Since its launch in 2013, the program has catered to more than 6,000 children around the country. By including the Adobo Cup in its efforts, Globe hopes to create strong awareness of the program’s cause, particularly among advertising specialists and those within the private sector.

At the helm of Globe’s Football Para Sa Bayan campaign is Chieffy Caligdong, Green Archers United left winger and vice-captain of the Philippine Azkals. Here is a video of Chieffy coming home and giving back to his hometown Iloilo.

In addition, Globe is also donating football training equipment to FutKal FC, the beneficiary of the Adobo Cup. FutKal is a non-profit organization that promotes football in the Philippines at the grassroots level. This year’s proceeds will go to FutKal’s Field of Hope initiative to help rebuild the lives of Typhoon Haiyan survivors.

Text2Teach to boost quality of education in Patikul, Sulu.

Classes have started for most schools in the Philippines, and beginning this school year, the Text2Teach program will be implemented in Patikul, Sulu. A third class municipality, Patikul is also one of the most remote island groups in the Philippines where student dropout rate has reached alarming proportions. This concern is one of the many that the Text2Teach program aims to address.

A collaboration between the private and public sectors composed of Globe Telecom, Ayala Foundation, Nokia, Pearson Foundation, Toshiba, the Department of Education, and the local government unit, the Text2Teach program is set to boost the quality of education in 15 elementary schools in Patikul, Sulu. The program also aims to boost teacher morale and enhance the learning environment in the classroom, with the end-goal of significantly lowering the drop-out rate and significantly increase the learning gains.

Text2Teach launching in Sulu.

Through Text2Teach, the alliance aims to address the lack of appeal of education by providing an abundant supply of teaching resources such as 360 educational video materials on English, Math, Science and Values Education downloaded via Nokia Education Delivery.

The videos which can be played in a 32" LCD TV donated by Toshiba provide a highly-effective visual aid for teachers and create an interactive, student-focused learning environment in the classroom which makes the students eager to attend school. It comes with lesson plans that are fully integrated into the basic education curriculum and created to meet local education guidelines and standards.

Photo credit: Text2Teach.

Meanwhile, Globe also provides pre-paid SIM cards, free P150 monthly load allowance for one year to each beneficiary-school to be used for helpdesk concerns, and an additional P1,000 load if there are new or updated materials to be downloaded using its network.

There are now about 1,054 Text2Teach schools nationwide with the alliance looking to increase count to 1407 schools by the end of the year.

Human Heart Nature Mammome Event.

Last Saturday, I had the chance to swing by the Human Heart Nature Laguna branch and witness the unveiling of the June-July magalogue (it's a magazine and catalogue all in one) plus the launching of new and exciting products from the brand.

All-new, all-organic products from Human Heart Nature.

Headlining the event was the Mammome Natural Body Wash - a paraben-free and phtalate-free body wash that cares not only for your skin, but also for your health. Illustrated in the bottle is a step-by-step procedure on how to to do a breast self-exam (hence the name 'Mammome') - a gentle reminder that can help in detecting the early signs of breast cancer. In addition, a portion of this product's proceeds will go to the Philippine Foundation for Breast Care, Inc. (Kasuso Foundation) which helps provide treatment for indigent women with breast cancer.

Mammome Natural Body Wash.

Another bath and body product introduced to us was the Vanilla Exfoliating Bar. It contains loofah exfoliants, so it's like a body scrub in soap form. The scent reminds me of their Bamboo Body Scrub, one of my all-time favorite products from Human Heart Nature.

Vanilla Exfoliating Bar.

Now I bet you didn't know Human Heart Nature has its own line of men's care products. Well, they do. :) Their men's care line is called 'Pure Strength' - with new products to boot.

There's the Black Diamond Natural Shampoo,  made with nature’s powerful deep cleansing ingredients, Bamboo Charcoal. Known in East Asia as the 'Black Diamond', it acts like a magnet to help rid the scalp of dirt and impurities that may cause dry scalp and itchiness. Then there's the Black Diamond Cleansing Bar that's charged with all-natural ingredients - including the powerful cleansing agent, Bamboo Charcoal.

Pure Strength for men.

Also launched that day was the Mineral ColorShine Lip Gloss, with three different shades to choose from. The latest addition to the Mineral Makeup Line, this lip gloss features enhanced color and spreadability, a creamier finish, and a sleek and classy leak-resistant tube.

Lip gloss love! :)

If you're following me on Instagram, then you may recall seeing these swatches. That's Summer Sunrise on the left, Candy Treat in the middle, and Sweet Heart on the right. I'll be doing a review of these lip glosses soon. :)

Swatches!

Now aside from the opportunity to get first dibs on the latest Human Heart Nature products, we were also served some tasty treats during the event. We had Pancit Wrap, which as the name implies, are spring rolls filled with pancit bihon (sauteed noodle dish). This quirky yet filling snack is a signature dish of Le Manays, a fairly new restaurant that's gaining popularity here in San Pablo City.

Pancit wrap from Le Manays.

There's the pancit inside. :)

And for dessert, we had chocolate and red velvet cupcakes with whipped cream frosting. I tried both flavors, and while both of them were yummy, I find the red velvet ones more to my liking. Oh, the calories. Haha!

Pink cupcakes! :)

Yummy cupcake + the all-new magalogue.

I'd like to thank the lovely ladies of Human Heart Nature Laguna for inviting me to the event. Until the next magalogue turnover! :)

Flu Shots | Better Safe than Sorry!

'Twas like a family outing as my brother, sis-in-law, my niece, and my little man and I trooped to the pedia this afternoon. But don't worry, it's not because the kids are sick or anything. We just paid a visit so the kids can get their flu shots. It's almost the rainy season, after all. And as we all know, the flu becomes prevalent during this time of the year.

Little Miss Maggie (and Yue) waiting for their turn at the pedia.

Influenza, more commonly called as the flu, is a viral infection that affects the respiratory system - the nose, throat, and lungs. It is a serious disease that can lead to many complications, and the best defense against it is to receive an annual vaccination.

Vaxigrip, check! 

The flu vaccine is recommended to everyone, but it's especially important for those in higher-risk groups to be vaccinated. These include:
- Kids 6 months through 4 years old.
- Adults 50 years old and above.
- Adults and children with chronic medical conditions. (such as asthma, COPD, bronchitis, etc.)
- All women who are pregnant, are considering pregnancy, have recently given birth, or are breastfeeding during flu season.
- Residents of long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes.
- Persons who can transmit influenza to those at risk. (e.g., health care workers, household contacts, caregivers)

The best time to get the vaccine for influenza is before the start of the flu season. Since it takes about two weeks after vaccination for antibodies (that protect against influenza virus infection) to develop in the body, it is recommended that people get vaccinated before influenza begins spreading in their community.

In the Philippines, the flu season coincides with the rainy season. It is best to get the vaccine during the summer months, between March and May. You may still get the vaccine outside these months, because getting a shot later in the season is still better than not getting the vaccine at all. The immunity lasts until the year's flu season (because of the change in the prevalent strains of the virus every year). Hence, the vaccine must be given every year.

Mommies, have your kids received their flu shots this year? Do you get flu shots, too?

Get your bikes ready for the Globe Cordillera Challenge 5!

The race is on!

On Saturday, May 10, 800 biking enthusiasts will gear up for the Globe Cordillera Challenge, which promises to be the biggest off-road charity mountain bike ride in Northern Luzon to date. This event aims to promote the need to rebuild the forests of the Cordilleras, which have suffered from prolonged environmental destruction. Reforestation of the Cordilleras currently faces several challenges such as the lack of water efficient trees and the huge cost of buying and hauling saplings to remote areas.

Photo credit: Cordillera Conservation Trust.

In addition, the event aims to raise at least P1.8 million to complete the needed establishment of 100 seedling nurseries in the Cordillera mountain range by yearend under the Roots & Shoots program of the Cordillera Conservation Trust (CCT), event partner and beneficiary.

Charmaine Pamintuan, Globe VP for Enterprise Marketing talks about this year’s
Cordillera Challenge 5 during the weekly PIA-CAR Kapihan sa Baguio.
Together with her are Fernando Esguerra, OIC, Globe Corporate Social Responsibility (right)
and JP Alipio, Executive Director, Cordillera Conservation Trust (left)

Globe continues to call for donation for the activity either through Globe G-Cash (text DONATE AMOUNTMPINCORDI and send to 2882) or via direct deposit to the BDO Account of the Cordillera Conservation Trust, partner-beneficiary of the event (Account Name: Tignayan Para Iti Konserbasyon Ti Kordilyera; Account Number: 5180031673). A copy of the deposit slip with the name of the donor may be sent to bridgecom@globe.com.ph.

Wordless Wednesday #80 | Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day, Earthlings! :)

And here's my #GlobalSelfie as part of NASA's Earth Day 2014 campaign!
Hello, NASA! I'm in our garden here in Laguna, Philippines! :)

Social Enterprise Products | Purpose Beyond Profit.

Remember the launching of the Human Heart Nature Laguna Concept Store that happened two Saturdays ago, and how impressed I was with its posh, new look? Here's another thing that really blew me away.

The 'Social Enterprise' wall!

Food products! Lots and lots of food products!
There's Enchantea, a bottled drink made from these five ingredients: lemongrass, duhat, pandan, and calamansi.

Enchantea, Php 35/bottle.

This all-natural and healthy beverage is co-designed, brewed, and bottled by the residents of the Gawad Kalinga Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan.

Goodness you can drink!

Also from the same farm are these Golden Eggs.

Golden Eggs, 6 pieces at Php 140. 

Instead of the usual red, these salted eggs are dyed in turmeric yellow - the color of hope for Gawad Kalinga. Food-grade and all-natural dyes are used to color these eggs, making them safer and more fit for consumption.

Cafe de Sug, Php 250/pouch.

Cafe de Sug, on the other hand, is more than just coffee. It's also an attempt, a continuous effort to change the negative mindset about Sulu.

Instead of being in the spotlight for rampant killings and terrorist attacks, Sulu is slowly becoming known as home to this bold and flavorful coffee.This Tausug brew is made with whole roasted, premium Arabica beans grown by the Gawad Kalinga Sulu Sibol community. 

Theo & Philo Artisan Chocolates, Php 100/bar.

Craving for chocolate?

Have a bar or two of these artisan chocolates from Theo & Philo - the only bean to bar chocolate from the Philippines. Made from Davao cacao beans, each bar of Theo & Philo is infused with creative and uniquely Filipino flavors.

Dark Chocolate with Siling Labuyo on the left, Dark Chocolate with Green Mango and Sea Salt on the right.

70% Dark Chocolate.

Note that these products do not come from the normal enterprise. Like Human Heart Nature, these brands have more than just profit in mind. They are what we call the social enterprise - a social economy that  operates like a business, produces goods and services for the market, but manages its operations and redirects its surpluses in pursuit of social and environmental goals*.

An equally noble goal of social enterprise (aside from generating income to pursue more of a non-profit's mission) is the involvement of the marginalized - thus creating capacity and self-sufficiency for individuals, and impacting their communities and lessening reliance on the social safety net (eg. the Enchanted Farm, the Sulu Sibol Community). 

So next time you take a sip of Enchantea, or enjoy a cup of Cafe de Sug, or satisfy your craving with Theo & Philo, keep in mind that you are not just delighting your appetite. By supporting these brands, you are - in your own little way - also helping to build a more sustainable economy and a stronger nation.

Enchantea, Golden Egg, Cafe de Sug, and Theo & Philo are also available at the Human Heart Nature Flagship Store in Quezon City. Cafe de Sug can also be ordered online.

*Defining the Social Economy, Fiona Salkie.


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Campaigns and Causes | Dream Big for Africa!

Malaria robs more children of their dreams than any other disease in Africa, killing a child every minute. But now, Smash star Katharine McPhee shares a dream with Malaria No More and that’s to end malaria deaths in Africa. She’s joined the fight by hosting the “Dream Big for Africa” campaign to give one of her fans the chance to accompany her on a trip to Africa! While there, you and Katharine will help deliver malaria prevention tools.

From now until February 16th, when you text the word “DREAM” to 85944, you’ll donate $10 to Malaria No More and begin your entry for a chance to travel to Africa with Katharine this spring*. Within 24 hours of donating, you’ll receive a follow up text message with a special link to an online form where you’ll enter your contact information and one sentence on your DREAM for Africa. On February 24th, 10 finalists will be notified and asked to submit a 300-word blog post and a simple 30 second video on why you’re the best person for the trip. The best blog post and video will be named the winner on February 26th.

Don’t wait to participate! You only have until February 16th to text. Details about the “Dream Big for Africa” campaign are here: www.MalariaNoMore.org/Dream

I'm sharing this with everyone because I'm a Social Good Mom, and because I care. :)