P&G and Whisper Philippines donate period pads to support over 25,000 girls.

More than 25,000 girls in underserved communities across the Philippines will get access to period pads and menstrual hygiene management information and educational materials through a donation by P&G Philippines and Whisper in partnership with World Vision Philippines.

This is part of Whisper Philippines’ #ShareTheConfidence campaign, in partnership with World Vision Philippines and Shopee Philippines, to advance menstrual hygiene education and improve access to period products to girls in underserved communities. Earlier in June, Whisper pledged to match every Whisper pack sold on Shopee and is now fulfilling the said commitment. P&G Philippines will donate Whisper packs to World Visions’ girls’ communities in Laurel, Batangas, Rosario, Batangas, Baseco, Manila, Malabon, Quezon City, Misamis Occidental, and Zamboanga del Norte.

Reports from the organization Save the Children Philippines noted that the pandemic has exacerbated the challenges in managing menstruation, due to an increased absence of adequate resources and support. Furthermore, according to the results of a 2019 study from the World Bank, 8% of girls in the Philippines reported missing school because of menstruation. Through the donation, P&G hopes to increase access to period products and fight some of the challenges surrounding menstruation, allowing young girls to always be at their best.

“Whisper’s purpose is to unleash women and girls’ confidence so they can be whoever they want to be, and our brand’s responsibility is to help create a world where everyone is empowered to manage her menstruation safely, hygienically, and with dignity,” shares Charm Banzuelo, P&G’s Communications Leader for Corporate, Baby & Feminine Care. “For us, this starts with engaging families and schools where young girls are able to first learn about menstrual health. We want to help give adequate access to products and right information that they will carry with them as they grow up,” she states.

Partnering with World Vision Philippines also enables P&G and Whisper to reach communities that need assistance the most. Working with some of the most vulnerable communities in the country, World Vision allows the company to benefit those in underserved areas, who have less education and awareness surrounding menstrual hygiene.

“We’re thankful to work alongside companies like P&G and Whisper who truly advocate for female empowerment,” says World Vision Philippines Director Jun Godornes. “At World Vision, we celebrate our girls’ strength and determination. We hope that when these small actions with P&G are pooled together, we can create waves to transform lives one girl at a time,” he ends.

The 5 Voices in Your Head That You Immediately Need to Shut Out.

People tend to remember negative words more than their positive counterparts.

From a psychological standpoint, this is referred to as the negative bias – where people gravitate towards negative information even if something positive is equally or more present. Eventually, these words evolve into internal voices that induce doubt, anxiety, panic, and other unpleasant emotions that keep a person from living her most authentic self.

While having negative thoughts circling the mind is natural, it also tends to erode one’s own self-esteem, eventually affecting one’s ability to function properly. Acknowledging them when they surface is an ideal first step towards shutting them down.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, here’s a list of the most common intrusive thoughts that most women deal with:

Photo credit: Artem Kovalev on Unsplash.

1. I don’t fit here!

Growing up has people searching for the best social circle to fit in, but sometimes there are children who seem to have their own personal problems and suddenly decide that other kids are not up to their standards. They end up teasing their peers for their physical characteristics, mannerisms, what they brought to lunch, or whatever minute detail that comes to mind. This social trauma often manifests later in adulthood which makes one avoid meeting new people for fear of being judged or simply not fitting in. This is not your voice; it’s from that childhood bully.

2. I can’t do it!

Remember in your younger years when you wanted to try out for the school varsity, and your guardian immediately said no, because you’re just a girl? That memory may later manifest into hesitation to try out experiences and assert oneself, especially in activities that are traditionally dominated by men. Having the need for validation to do something can pull you from exploring what life has to offer. This is not your voice, it’s from that guardian.

Photo credit: Morgan Petroski on Unsplash.

3. I am not enough!

It’s hard enough to juggle relationships, family, and personal goals, more so if you’re a woman. You encounter voices from all fronts, telling you you’re not enough as a mom, not enough as a wife. This is more prevalent at work, with voices telling you you’re not enough as an employee – pushing you to work harder than your male counterparts. When others disregard your efforts in whatever you do, it lowers your sense of accomplishments, more especially if it’s being done in a team setting. This is not your voice, it’s from those colleagues

4. I’m too fat/too thin!

While some family gatherings present an opportunity to reconnect with relatives, there’s always that one nosy relative who always has an opinion on your personal life—most especially how much weight you have lost or gained. Regardless of whether it is true or not, the tumataba ka comment is something most women dread because it’s pointing out something that a woman already knows but can’t change in a snap. Soon, this turns into an insecurity, affecting how she carries herself. This is not your voice, it’s from that tita.

Photo credit: Aman Upadhyay on Unsplash.

5. I can’t be happy on my own!

Ending a romantic relationship unravels a whole lot of emotions. Sometimes it’s best for both people involved, especially if there are irreconcilable differences. Unfortunately, there are exes who are so full of themselves that they will say you can’t be happy without them; that being alone will get to you eventually. Being single or in a relationship should have nothing to do with a woman’s self-love. And when someone tells you that being alone will damage you more, don’t listen to that. This is not your voice, it’s from that ex.

I Do Me

Whenever these voices cloud your thoughts, it pays to remember that these voices are not yours—they are from those whose opinions should not have any bearing on your worth.

Avon celebrates International Women’s Day by reminding women that they always have the power to silence these intrusive voices and when they do, they can find their own voice – the one that will make her love herself and empower her to achieve greatness.

As the brand that continues to stand for women for over 135 years, Avon encourages women to build their confidence and say “Let me be. You do you and I’ll do me”.

Nothing should hold you back from achieving your full potential—not society, not your social media feed, and most especially not what these voices might say.

Avon as a brand and through its products, encourages women to silence the negativity to grow and flourish. Because women owe it to themselves to bloom where they are planted.

Follow Avon Philippines on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok to learn how women are shutting out negative voices as they assert their worth.

#StrongerNow Than Yesterday: Inspiring Stories of Great Hair Days.

There is no denying that hair has always been a significant symbol for women. As they say, “Hair is your crowning glory” and it’s not just because hair sits right on top of your head. Hair can contribute to a woman’s identity and can affect how confident they feel. While hair can look different from day to day, in moments they need to feel most empowered, a great hair day might just be the boost that they need.

Great hair days can transform ordinary moments into moments of empowerment that some can only dare to dream of. Here are some great hair day stories from local stars that many Filipinas can relate to and use as their inspiration.

Photo credit: Pinky Webb on Instagram.

Pinky Webb finally opens up on her recent iconic hair flip moment. “Looking back as I faced a difficult situation, feeling the tension and pressure about to get to me, I chose to remain calm and unintentionally did, well, a hair flip. Luckily, I chose to wear my hair down that day. Even better, I felt empowered with my Salontastic hair!”

Photo credit: Anne Curtis Smith on Instagram.

“No matter the length, style and colour of my hair Pantene shampoo and conditioner have made my hair look amazing, making me feel empowered. At the moment I’m loving the Pantene salon inspired conditioners!” Whether it be on stage as a host or performer, on screen as an actor or just at home as a mum and wife, Anne Curtis shares that Pantene has made her feel empowered through making her hair look amazing.

Photo credit: Gabbi Garcia on Instagram.

With so many tasks at hand from conceptualization to shooting vlogs, Gabbi Garcia talks about how challenging and fulfilling it is when she works on her content. “I feel more in control and empowered. Just like how Pantene empowers me to be more confident with my crowning glory, that even if I give less effort to my hair, it always stays Salontastic! Because with Salontastic hair, I feel empowered to own those challenging moments.”

Photo credit: Kylie Versoza on Instagram.

“Looking back at my my achievements takes me to a place of gratitude.” Kylie Verzosa shares, as she flashes back to memorable moments, such as when she represented the PH and won the Miss International crown, became a mental health advocate, and when Mental Health Matters — her own mental health organization was recognized by international organisations. “It was always a dream and accomplishment of mine. I feel more confident that even If I give less effort to my hair, it always stays to be Salontastic!’

Photo credit: Sofia Andres on Instagram.

“I think the most challenging part of being a mother is to embody the values we want to impart our children. It is not enough to teach or tell them what is right but we also have to show them that we practice what we teach them. Truly motherhood changes your ways, the way you see things and even how you think…” Sofia Andres shares how some parenting moments have provided her the empowerment she never realized she would have found as a mom. “If you are a mom and you are afraid too, just be the woman you want you children to be. In the little things like when our children play with our hair, we can stay confident that it will always stay Salontastic. Because with Salontastic hair, I feel empowered to own those moments.”

What’s their secret? For #StrongerNow defining hair moments, the Pantene Long Hair Solutions with Pro-Vitamin Formula & Japanese Rice Oil Essence Shampoo has your hair covered. It helps your hair grow longer with Tocotrienol—a super Vitamin E, which has 50X anti-damaging benefits, while Japanese Rice Oil Essence fortifies the outside. This ultimately repairs damaged hair and keeps it protected from external factors, allowing the hair to grow longer, stronger, and beautifully smoother.

To cap it all off, strengthen your hair against breakage with the Pantene Hair Fall Control Miracle Conditioner for 98% less hair fall. This smoothens 3 months’ worth of damage in just 3 minutes with the Pro-V formula. It also nourishes hair for added strength and shine so you can be #Salontastic, even without going to the salon.

With so many stories of inspiration and empowerment, who knew that hair actually contributes to women’s confidence? If you’ve been reluctant to change your hair routine, it’s high time to embrace the change and #PushMoLong just in time for Women’s National Month. Take on the challenge of being #StrongerNow than ever before and look forward to great hair days with Pantene.

Pantene allows your hair to be at its best condition yet so you’re able to experience empowering, great hair days.

Start your Pantene #StrongerNow journey now by checking out through the P&G Shopee Mall store.

Signs of Happiness | Coca-Cola's 5by20 Campaign.

If you've been wondering why I have not been blogging very often these days, it's because I'm pretty busy (too busy) with stuff at home. You see, my aunt, uncle, and cousins are home for the holidays. This is the first time they're celebrating Christmas here in the Philippines after they migrated to London ten years ago, and we (my siblings) want to spend as much time with them as possible. It may take awhile for this kind of reunion to happen again - after all, plane tickets don't come cheap.

Speaking of reunions, no party or family gathering would be complete without everybody's favorite drink - Coca Cola. When my cousins arrived last week, the first meal that they had were buckets of fried chicken from the local fast food chain (which they do not have in London), partnered with ice-cold bottles of Coke. Ah, happiness!

We never run out of Coke here at our place, as we have a sari-sari store in our compound. My aunt used to own that sari-sari store (which is now managed by my grandmother's relative), until she finally decided to go back to the nursing profession and try her luck in London. Back in the days, I would help my aunt tend the store by doing simple tasks like taking payments (bayad) and giving change (sukli). It was a lot of fun, and I think my people skills were actually honed by helping out in the store and attending to my aunt's loyal customers (suki).

And this is why Coca-Cola's latest video ad is close to my heart. In this video, Coca-Cola focuses on the power of women entrepreneurship, and how small businesses contribute to the growth of the community in more ways than one.

Take for instance Mercy's Sari Sari Store, which is not only a sari-sari store, but also a hangout for the local 'homecourt heroes'. (In my aunt's case, her sari-sari store is like the employees' lounge of the motor shop across the street.) There's also Elvira's Carinderia, which is not only a place for people to dine, but also a place for people to hang-out, spend time, and have fun with friends.

This video ad is part of Coca-Cola's 5by20 Campaign, which aims to empower women and help improve lives. Through 5by20, Coca-Cola aims to address the most common barriers to success that women face. This can be achieved by giving women entrepreneurs access to business skills training courses, financial services, and connections with peers or mentors.

Why 5by20, you might ask. It's because the goal is to empower 5 million women micro-entrepreneurs by the year 2020. Hence, 5by20.

5by20.

And with that, let us all continue to support every business woman out there - the way Coca-Cola does. Because when a woman owns a business, you can count on them to open happiness as well.

Click here to learn more about 5by20 Campaign.

*This is a sponsored post. Thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.