We hope to see you then!

On December 15, 2018, four countries in Asia - India, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand - will simultaneously mount a benefit sale of American Standard GENIE Hand Showers with 100% of proceeds to be donated to the LIXIL-UNICEF ‘Make A Splash’ program. In India, all proceeds will be donated to the UNICEF India WASH program. Fittingly named ‘Shower For Good’, consumers who buy a GENIE Hand Shower will be able to enjoy a great shower experience and at the same time help children live healthier lives through access to basic sanitation.

As the world’s biggest player in water technology, LIXIL leverages its expertise as it teams up with UNICEF, who works in over 100 countries worldwide to improve access to clean water, basic toilets and good hygiene practices. Through Make A Splash, the two organizations aim to promote local sanitation markets, by creating demand for sanitation products like toilets, improving supply of such products, and supporting opportunities for affordable finance.

As part of the LIXIL Group, American Standard brand aims to sell 1000 units of GENIE Hand Shower in each of the 4 participating countries – India, Indonesia, Philippines and Thailand - at the ‘Shower For Good’ benefit sale, with all proceeds going towards the LIXIL-UNICEF ‘Make A Splash’ program. In India, all proceeds will go towards the UNICEF India WASH program. What’s more, GENIE Hand Showers will be sold at a specially discounted price at P595 each. For the convenience of the public, everyone can pre-order online. Simply click the link https://americanstandard.com.ph/shower-for-good/.

In the Philippines, ‘Shower For Good’ uses the holiday season as a fitting backdrop for the benefit sale. The public and invited guests at the Eastwood Mall Central Park Open in Libis, Quezon City will be treated to a Chorale fest as the benefit sale manned by volunteer university students and civic organizations in the country race to deliver all 1000 GENIE Hand Showers to the sale’s finish line, ensuring the donation of all proceeds to LIXIL-UNICEF ‘Make A Splash’ program.

Placing comfort, hygiene and aesthetics at its forefront, the award-winning GENIE Hand Shower boasts better water pressure performance because of an especially designed water channel and 120 micro spray holes that ensure a robust water flow, even under a low pressure. In addition, users can also look forward to a visibly clean shower experience. Sporting a rarely seen translucent shower face, GENIE Hand Shower is also revolutionary in its product design that prompts users to clean the slime and mineral deposits to ensure they are getting clean water for their shower session even after long-time use.

With your support, the benefits of a great shower can extend not just to you and your family, but to a child whose life may be changed for good. The ‘Shower For Good’ event will help give disadvantaged children access to an appropriate toilet. Toilets are proven to help boost children’s survival rates, make communities healthier and more productive, and even improve a child’s chances of attending school.
By 2021, the LIXIL-UNICEF ‘Make A Splash’ program will have contributed to global efforts to improve basic sanitation for 250 million people around the world. UNICEF and LIXIL, together with the help of its consumers and customers are improving sanitation around the world, one toilet at a time.

To know more, visit https://americanstandard.com.ph/shower-for-good/ and make a pledge to purchase GENIE Hand Shower on Dec. 15, 2018.

The iPad works perfectly as a tool for deaf children to communicate with each other, learn how to read and write in a more entertaining way; and these gadgets provide a specific skill-set which could prepare them in facing the tough world. However, iPads remain out-of-reach among deaf learners in the Philippines.

In the government-owned Baguio City Special Education (SPED) Center, deaf learners still use the traditional book and blackboard methods every day. These are more often than not, outdated. Lucky are those whose parents can buy updated learning materials and tech products that aid their children in understanding their lessons in school.

While the deaf learners are on summer vacation this April and May 2014, New Media Services would like to invite everyone who has just upgraded or replaced their iPad to donate their old or unutilized units for the benefit of these deaf learners.

The old iPad units will be installed with a list of education applications that can help the deaf learners in their Math and English subjects. We hope to have the first set of iPads released to third graders studying at the Baguio SPED Center as our primary beneficiaries.

In the past years, we already helped with “little miracles” to the Hearing Impaired Sequence of the school by renovating and refurnishing their classrooms, donating computers, sponsoring their Internet connection, providing learning materials- all things that the government could not easily provide as of the moment.

With your help, we can do a whole lot more good! You might think that the old iPad in the corner of your room collecting dust is just a simple gadget; but that old iPad can be a key to fruitful learning sessions that will change the lives of these deaf kids in the Philippines.

To donate, you can send your old iPad units to our Australian headquarters located at 4 Dundass Grove, Botanic Ridge, Victoria, Australia. We will handle the shipping expenses of the units to the Philippines.

You can also support the Hearing Impaired Sequence of Baguio City SPED Center by donating through this link: http://baguiosped.com/donate/donate/home. For questions and suggestions, email us at info@newmediaservices.com.au now.

New Media Services is not just Australia’s leading provider of end user support services and cloud-based messaging platforms. NMS is also the leading advocate of improved deaf education in the Philippines. For years, NMS has consistently supported the Hearing Sequence of Baguio City Special Education (SPED) Center and out-of-school youth in the Philippines. To know more about the charitable activities of NMS, please visit http://newmediaservices.com.au/nmscares or email us at info@newmediaservices.com.au now.

What do Oprah Winfrey, Rod Stewart and former US President George Bush have in common?

They are all thyroid patients.

About 200 million people in the world have some form of thyroid disease. This is according to www.thyroid.ca, one of the well-known source of information about the disease.

Thyroid disorders for the most part are treatable; however, untreated thyroid disease can produce serious results in other parts of the body. Improved public awareness and understanding of thyroid disorders will enable patients and their families to cope more effectively with the sometimes disturbing course of thyroid illness. In this way individuals will also be better equipped to play a role in alerting their physicians to a suspected thyroid condition that may otherwise be difficult to diagnose in the sometimes slowly developing initial phases.

In the Philippines, a fundraising concert for thyroid patients will be held on July 6, 2013 (8:00 pm) at the Crossroad Center, Mother Ignacia Ave. corner Sct. Reyes St., Quezon City. Juan Night with Jose & Wally. produced by the Philippine Society of Nuclear Medicine (PSNM), features two of the country’s leading comedians, Jose Manalo and Wally Bayola. Joining the popular duo are equally talented stand-up comedians Anton Diva and Ethel Booba.

So if you’re in for a night of laughter and at the same time support the cause, grab your tickets now. You may contact Michael Go of iConceptualizeyourEvents Inc. – 0917-9159406 / 0922-8437628.

The event is sponsored by Mang Inasal, Jackman Plaza, Francis M Clothing Company, Black Beauty, Xight Interactive, RawMatters Café, Traveltime Travel and Tours, WhenInManila.com, Arman Taylo Photography, Oleia , and Gluta White and Firm. For updates, like our page: http://www.facebook.com/PSNM.WTD.

This is JUAN concert you should not miss. Be part of the show and join the Celebration of the World Thyroid Day and help save lives!

I can't bear hearing a baby cry.

It's not that I hate listening to their shrieks but it's because I lost my first child saying goodbye to me with a cry for help as I held on her tiny right hand until her last breath.

The pain still lingers within me. I could have had a 5-year old daughter calling me daddy today asking me to bring her to the mall for a treat... for a new dress... for a cute doll.

But I know she's in a better place now looking over me, her mom and younger brother Charles.

A few weeks ago, a good friend and I had a chat online. It was not the usual friendly bantering when we talk about our projects, upcoming events and stuff. She opened up something personal... something unimaginable that despite in the smiley emoticons in our thread, I know that every word she typed in breaks her heart.

She just don't know how her story crushed my heart, too.

In a nutshell, here's the dilemma that my friend and her family is undergoing right now: Two new family members, 2-month old John Cyrus and 1-month old Kaniel Makeen, are fighting for their lives and both need a liver transplant.   

We all know how much is the cost of such procedure and its maintenance after the operation. And to have two loved ones suffering similar conditions at the same time is such a situation seems unbearable.

But the family is hanging on and vowed to face this battle and needs all the help they can get. They might be emotionally and financially bruised but they still have the fighting spirit and high hopes to overcome such adversary.

For now, sharing their story is the least that I can do. If you wish to help the family, a detailed post and info on how to reach them can be found at Our Priceless Treasures.

Certificate hows users how their $1  is making a difference in Bangladesh.

UNIQLO, a leading global Japanese retail holding company that designs, manufactures and sells clothing under five brands, announces the release of The Value of $1 Android application for smartphones on March 29, the latest initiative in its growing social business program. This initiative extends UNIQLO’s partnership with social business pioneer Grameen by offering smartphone users around the world an opportunity to support educational programs for children in Bangladesh through a single US dollar or equivalent in local currencies.

The Value of $1 project is based on the concept of connecting people around the world through the value of investing one US dollar. By simply purchasing The Value of $1 Android application, smartphone users can directly participate in a social business in a new way. The app supports several languages including English, Japanese, French, Korean and Chinese (simplified and traditional) and will be available to smartphone users around the world for $1 via the Android Market online store.

All the proceeds from the first 10,000* sales of the app will go towards the production of fun learning T-shirts and study booklets designed to promote literacy among children in Bangladesh. Sales of the app will enable Grameen UNIQLO to sell learning sets worth $2 for the equivalent of $1 in local currency. The entire process from manufacturing to marketing will be handled locally and any profits will be reinvested by Grameen UNIQLO into projects designed to contribute to Bangladeshi society through the local production and marketing of clothing.

An App that teaches Bengali language

Smartphone users who register for the project through the app receive an electronic certificate of participation. The certificate will track the progress of the production and marketing process giving participants the opportunity to actually see their $1 investment at work. Users of the app can also download a fun electronic learning aid for Bengali--the official language of Bangladesh.

The pay version of The Value of $1 app is limited to first 10,000 participants. A free version of the app will be available for download after the project ends.  The app costs the equivalent of $1 US. Local currency conversion is calculated based on the exchange rates when sales of the app begin. If the local price after the exchange conversion is below the minimum price permitted on the local Android Market, the app will be priced at the lowest permitted price for that region. For more information about The Value of $1 Android app, please visit: http://www.grameenuniqlo.com

Oh shampoo, day! May libre kang toothpaste! May libre kang toothbrush!

Love it or hate it but 90's babies can't deny the fact that this double meaning song lyrics was just too tempting not to be chanted especially during drinking sessions with friends.

It's from one of the many catchy songs by Grin Department, a band who out of no where conquered the airwaves and walkmans some 20 years ago.  Iskin, Iniwan. Syota ng Bayan, Di ko alam... the list goes on.  Now, I feel like doing a GD marathon.

Now here's the thing, I saw in Facebook a plea from Gege Pascacio, daughter of Bong who was the lead vocal of the band.  Currently, Bong is confined at the Sta. Ana Hospital in Manila due to Chronic Abdominal Decease and needs to go through a surgery anytime soon.

His family is at their lowest nowadays since their house in Sta. Mesa was burned into ashes after a big fire hit their area recently.  They were not able to save anything and are in deep financial problem.

Anyone can help by either donating type AB blood or Php 1,500 for each of the eight (8) blood bags that Bong needs.  I'm pretty sure they need more help than this since after the operation, medications will still be required for Bong.

I hope his friends from the music industry can read this post.  If you think you can help the Pascasio family, you can reach Aling Sylvia, Bong's mother at tel. no. 0946-8837508.

I hope Bong can overcome this trial and will be given another chance to showcase his talent.  I want to hear him sing again this lyrics from his song Barkada:

"...ang kalokohan ay di mawawala
hindi na dapat pinag iisipan pa
lahat tayo ay dapat magsaya!"
 

1. Come up with your own ‘I Will If You Will’ challenge! For example: “I will bike to work everyday instead of taking my car if you will pledge to live green and like the WWF-Philippines page!”

2. Download TEMPLATE 1 and edit it on Photoshop. Type your ‘I Will If You Will’ challenge.

3. Save the file in .JPEG format.

4. Post it on your Facebook page and on the WWF-Philippines Facebook page! Tag your friends and ask them to come up with their own ‘I Will If You Will’ statements too!


1. Download TEMPLATE 2  and open it on Microsoft Powerpoint. You can also download TEMPLATE 3 and open it on Microsoft Paint. Edit and type your own ‘I Will If You Will’ challenge.

2. Save the slide as a .JPEG file.

Send cash donation via text messages to Smart and/ or Globe

This year's holiday season will go down as one of the saddest Christmas to many Filipinos especially those living in the provinces that were affected by killer typhoon Sendong.

According to a report from Unicef, almost 200,000 children were affected by the flash flood brought by Sendong.  What's more depressing is the fact that more than a thousand lives were also taken and another thousand people are still reported missing.

I am just proud that I am part of an organization like People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) under the leadership of outgoing President Bong Austero who immediately released funds to help out affected employees of our member companies based in Cagayan De Oro and Iligan City.  It's our own little way of reaching out to them, especially to CDO who adopted us for a week during a PMAP event held in the city last October.

I was also inspired by friends and fellow bloggers based in CDO who has been active in conducting fund-raising activities for our kababayan in spite of the fact that they too are victims of Sendong.  One of them told me that "you'll be moved by the scenes when you are here.  You will feel that you're just lucky that you did not experience what they have gone through and that's my motivation to help them in the possible ways I can"

Yesterday, my family spent lunch at McDonalds in Proj. 4, QC and I consider it one special day not because of the holiday celebration but more on the joy that I felt when we brought something to donate for the victims of Sendong. It was the first time that I actually made extra effort to share something for the needy since I stopped doing a yearly gift-giving activity in 2007, the year I lost my daughter and younger brother in a span of three months.


Prior to that date, I've been organizing activities like feeding programs and donation drive for Christmas using a portion of my 13th month pay since 1997.  But I somewhat lost the excitement and the Christmas spirit when I got hit with a back-to-back personal tragedies.

Typhoon Sendong may have brought sadness to the lives of thousands of people but it's really amazing how hope can do wonders.  Hope touches even the heart of stone, uplift spirit, and unite a nation.  Personally, my heart was broken many times looking at the images of mothers cradling lifeless bodies of their children, people crying out for help and sad faces of children.  But I have to admit, it awaken me to relive a good deed that I should have not ceased doing in the first place.  I have just pushed the "reset" button and will do more action than just writing for this advocacy blog.  

For those who have old clothes, foot wears, bedding, canned goods and other useful things to donate, McDonalds outlets nationwide are accepting donations for the victims of Sendong.  Below are other organizations who have also offered their services and accepts your donations:

Inquirer Relief Drive
1098 Chino Roces Ave.
Cor MAscardo and Yague Sts.
Makati City

GMA Kapuso Foundatrion
2nd Floor GMA Netwrok Bldg.
GMA Drive, Diliman, QC

All LBC outlets nationwide.

For cash donations, you can visit any outlet of 7-Eleven or Cebuana Lhuiller or log on to www.worldvision.org.ph or www.unicef.ph.

It's only a couple of weeks from now and the whole world will be celebrating Christmas day.

Personally, I am excited for my son Charles on how he would react in all the gifts that my wife and I have brought for him. It's my biggest joy to see his face light up and smile. Whatever that can make him happy is now my lifelong quest.

This morning, as I check my mails and Facebook notifications, an image made me pause for awhile and gave me goosebumps.  It was a hand-written letter from a 6-year old boy named Yuri looking for his mommy Collen Gabrido who went missing since Dec. 6 of this year.  I may not be his father but I can feel his pain of longing for his mom.

Well, this is the first time I'll admit it but sometimes my son seems to look for something that only his mommy can give.  I'll act silly, bring out all the toy and sing along with Disney characters shownon TV when Charles is crying but sometimes I just can't make him stop.  Then, when his mommy comes to the rescue, I don't know what potion she have that she can make him laugh in an instant.

I feel for Yuri. And also for his dad.  My blogger friend Myk Rome, who personally the Gabrido family, was the one who informed me about the incident.



Spreading across social media platforms in the Philippines especially on Facebook is a photo of a woman named Coleen Gabrido who has been reportedly missing since December 6, 2011. What moved me is the letter of a child to his mommy.



 According to Coleen's husband, his wife left home at about 1pm to attend to a review class and never came back. Coleen is a registered nurse and is recently attending a class for her IELTS (International English Language Testing System) for their family's plans to go abroad (Australia/Canada). Before she left their house, Coleen messaged her husband at about 12:40pm on December 6 saying, "Dad, papasok na ako. (Dad, I'm going to school)". That was the last text he received from her. The review center is just 15 minutes away from their home.

Coleen's husband tried to contact her mobile phone upon finding that his wife hasn't returned yet nor replied back to his messages. Her phone was still ringing in December 6 but next day, December 7 after 5pm, she can no longer be contacted.



Coleen is about 5'4" tall with an estimated weight 120-125lbs.  The young mom at 26 had with her, her Nine West black shoulder bag, mobile phone, books and wallet. She did not leave their house with any extra clothing to dispute thoughts that she might have run away. From her review class, Coleen usually arrives at around 10-10:30pm but she did not get to come home since the night of December 6, 2011.

The Gabrido family has already filed a police report but it has been 8 days now. Yuri is very sad and very worried about her mom. Please help Yuri find his mom... it's his only Christmas wish. Have a heart to help in the search.
 
If you have seen Coleen or if you have any information about her whereabouts, please contact immediately  +639159013848 / email limp13ph@yahoo.com

All photos and text below where taken from The Social Media Chameleon's Racing Thoughts.

The People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) will conduct a gift-giving activity on December for confined patients and their families at the Philippine General Hospital.  All sorts of donations will be accepted.  Please check the details on the flyer on how to be part of this worthwhile activity.

Today, more and more companies have been becoming green. They have been volunteering time and donating money to green causes, using green technology, and encouraging their employees to think green. Well, why not eat green. Much better in establishments that promotes programs that aims in preserving our environment.

Take the case of Impressca, a restaurant that I frequent almost every weekend especially in their SM Araneta Center outlet.  I just love salad that's why I like this store.  And what made me more impressed with Impressca is the fact that they have some good practices that are good for the environment that other businesses should follow.

Here are the commitments that Impressca has integrated in their business operation:

1. Adherence to R.A. 9003 – The Solid Waste Management System

2. Composting

3. Having our own organic herb garden

4. Use of local ingredients – (it cuts down on packaging thereby reduces waste generation, transport costs and pollution)

5. Water  conservation  -  in the form of  proper washing  procedures for food and wares and the use of grey water in the commissary

6. Paper recycling -  use of newsprint paper in our office,  paper trash for the next recycling process

7. Recreate – to “recycle” and to be “creative” – thru the use of reclaimed wood for our dining tables and chairs, countertops, racks and cabinets

8. Having energy management systems in place through energy conservation programs, the use of food service equipment that use less energy and help protect the environment (like those with energy star certification); preventive maintenance of equipment so they run efficiently.

9. Use of paint that are non – hazardous and have low or no volatile organic compounds.

10. Use of responsible materials – table appointments that are compostable and recyclables like spoons and fork, boxes, napkins , placemats and  recycled paper bags.

11. Promotions that boost individuals to participate in the ecological campaign thru the “GREEN CARD”

12. Serving fresh, organic and natural foods that produce less carbon footprint.

13. Continuous health education and eco-education.

Like the Impressca FB fanpage for more updates.  Their stores are located at SM City San Lazaro, The Block at SM North EDS, Mother Ignacia Place, Food Plaza in UP Manila and SM Araneta Center.

I was talking to my wife a week ago about her experience getting his second of three shots of anti-cervical cancer vaccine and she really squirms to recall the ill-feeling of dose.

I told her it's for her own good. At least, she will be safe for life against the disease that is reported to be the second most common type of cancer among women in the Philippines especially if she completes the required doses before the end of the year.

Two vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix, are available to prevent HPV infection.  I have been a believer of the old saying that prevention is the best cure.  So, I recommend investing on any of the two brands which you can inquire in the nearest clinic or hospital in your area.


CECAP or Cervical Cancer Prevention Program is working towards eliminating cervical cancer in the Philippines.  The group is also striving to develop centers of excellence for service, training, and research for healthcare providers and advocates.  This center shall be a model for the prevention of cervical cancer especially for the underserved.  You can reach them via tel. no. 523-3274 or email: cecap_phil@yahoo.com.

Here are some Cervical cancer facts that I got from online info hub www.medicinenet.com:

"Causes and risk factors for cervical cancer have been identified and include human papillomavirus (HPV) infection, having many sexual partners, smoking, taking birth control pills, and engaging in early sexual contact.  The most common symptoms and signs of cervical cancer are abnormal bleeding and pelvic pain.    Cervical cancer can be diagnosed using a Pap smear or other procedures that sample the cervix tissue.  Chest X-rays, CT scan, MRI, and a PET scan may be used to determine the stage of cervical cancer.  Cancer of the cervix requires different treatment than cancer that begins in other parts of the uterus."

I would also like to ask fellow bloggers to participate in “Charity Blogging for Cancer Awareness” organized by blogger Stef dela Cruz of Life and Fever. Through this event, we can help increase cancer awareness. In addition, for every 10 blogs that join this affair, she will donate one Prosure formula to CanShare, a support group for cancer warriors and survivors. To join, follow the mechanics below:

1. Write a blog post of 300 words on cancer. The goal is to increase cancer awareness, so writing useful information on cancer detection and prevention are ideal.

2. Link to this URL: http://www.lifeandfever.com/2011/09/charity-blogging-for-cancer-awareness.html and inform your readers about Charity Blogging for Cancer Awareness.

3. Mention in your blog post that a whole-day event for cancer patients and survivors is to be held this December. The event will include contests, freebies, inspirational talks, and performances. Donations are accepted and may be forwarded via PayPal to doc_alma_jones (at) yahoo (dot) com.

4. Using the comment form below, post the URL of your blog entry.

5. For every ten blog entries, CanShare receives one Prosure package. (Prosure is a nutrition formula that helps manage weight loss due to cancer.)

6. Deadline of entries: September 30, 2011, 5 p.m.
 

Are you one proud Pinoy and want to do something to help uplift the image of our country to the international scene?

Well, you can do it with just a simple text.

Even President Noynoy Aquino has asked all Filipinos to support the call for text vote,“I need your help. I need text votes so that the Palawan underground river will be proclaimed as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.” This was his message during a recent students-educators conference where he encourage everyone to take part in the government’s campaign to promote Palawan’s Underground River.
 
Here's the complete details of the campaign:

Mobile users who wish to get more information about the polling service will have to send in N7W to 2861.  They will be charged for every successfully sent message:

Globe – P2.50
Smart – P2.50
Sun – P2.00

When users wish to send their text votes, they will have to text PPUR, PPUR7, and/or PPUR15 to 2861. They will be charged and will receive a confirmation reply for every successful text.

Globe Subscribers*
1 vote – “PPUR” to 2861 (P2.50 each text)
10 votes – “PPUR7” to 2861 (P20.00 each text)
15 votes – “PPUR15” to 2861 (P30.00 each text)

Sun Subscribers*
1 vote – “PPUR” to 2861 (P2.50 each text)
7 votes – “PPUR7” to 2861 (P15.00 each text)
15 votes – “PPUR15” to 2861 (P30.00 each text)

Smart Subscribers*
1 vote – “PPUR” to 2861 (P2.50 each text)
7 votes – “PPUR7” to 2861 (P15.00 each text)
15 votes – “PPUR15” to 2861 (P30.00 each text)

*Exclude the double quote (“) when texting.

*Note: Free PPUR Trivia for every PPUR keyword sent & free wallpaper for every PPUR7 and PPUR15 sent.

Voting Period is extended until November 11, 2011 as per DTI-NCR approval.

A Dutch study suggests that regular consumption of cocoa may halve risk of dying and lower blood pressure.

On a report posted in www.chocolate.org, at five year intervals over a 15-year period, 470 men aged over 65 were questioned about their dietary intake of cocoa and received physical examinations. The men were placed in three groups according to their level of cocoa consumption and data about their health was collected. During the study, 314 men died, 152 due to cardiovascular disease.

“The men in the group that consumed the least cocoa were twice as likely to die from a heart attack than those in the group that consumed the most cocoa – at least 4g per day – and the risk remained lower even when other factors such as smoking, physical exercise and weight were taken into account,” says lead researcher Brian Buijsse, at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. “And men in the study who consumed the most cocoa were less likely to die of any cause,” he adds.

It is also through chocolates that high school classmates of Percival Baccay hopes that they can help their friend who was diagnosed recently with Nasopharyngeal cancer. 

This type of cancer affects the nasopharynx, the upper part of the pharynx (throat) behind the nose.  Air and food pass through the pharynx on the way to the trachea or the esophagus. An opening on each side of the nasopharynx leads into an ear. Nasopharyngeal cancer most commonly starts in the squamous cells that line the oropharynx (the part of the throat behind the mouth).

Percival is in need of support from anyone who is willing to help him go through his medications and medical procedures.  One way of lending a helping hand is by purchasing Percy’s Chocolates, home-made goodies prepared by his classmates from high school to raise funds.


Each box only cost P50 each and every centavos that will be earned will be given to Percival’s family and another classmate of their batch, Dra. Sarah Moral who was diagnosed with leukemia.  To order, kindly send a PM to Jacky Fagarita or Wency Ponggay Toscano via Facebook.

Remember that in every bite of Percy’s Chocolate that you’ll take gives a ray of hope for this good man.

I was 12 and she was 10 then.

No, this is not a love story but this post is definitely full of love for a dear friend who I have never seen for almost 18 years.  A classmate from high school posted a note about her and was delighted to read about it only to find out an unexpected  news.

Well, let me introduce her first.  She is Dra. Sarah Moral.  Actually, it was only my sister Connie, her classmate in high school for 4 years, who informed me that she did become a doctor which is not a surprise to me.  She is a smart little girl who loves to collects medals in our school, Niño Jesus House of Studies (NJHS).

Back in high school, I was sort of his kuya.  Our school is not really big so students can really make friends from other grade levels.  I can’t remember how many times I was assigned as their class "big brother for a day” every time their adviser was on leave.  She made my task easier because she is a natural leader who would take over the group initiating educational games and activities rather than spending time in one corner of the blackboard and making a list of who were noisy and standing.

She was also a co-member in our dear Cultural Club in NJHS.  It is in that group that I discovered and developed talents I never knew I had. One proud moment was when beat the colossal Rizal High School (RHS), that time was the biggest high school in the world as per the Guiness Book of Records, in the Sabayang Pagbigkas category, a city-wide competition that RHS ruled for years.

I also had the privilege of being an officer of the Student Council of our school where Sarah was also elected.  Meetings were fun, makulit but productive.  After I left NJHS in 1993, I never heard of her until I was introduced to Ramen for Sarah.    

Ramen for Sarah was created out of our compelling desire to bring together all of Dra. Sarah Moral's family, friends, acquaintances and colleagues to rally behind her and support her in her fight against cancer.*

The word "ramen" originated from the Chinese (Mandarin) word "la miàn" meaning "pulled noodles." Noodles, according to Chinese belief, symbolize longevity and are often served during Chinese New Year and birthdays. It's is widely believed that eating noodles signify long life to the person consuming them.

Sarah is in need of our prayers and financial support. We will be organizing a series of fundraisers in the coming weeks and months to raise the money needed to subsidize her hospital care and treatment. For those who wish to contribute financially, you may make a deposit to any BDO branch:

Account No:1420055044 (BDO Rockwell Ortigas)
Account Name: Philip Lance A. Liu OR Miranila E. Hernandez (for check donations, please address to either person)

Please send an email to ramenforsarah@hotmail.com once you've made the deposit so we can acknowledge its receipt. Any amount is very much appreciated!

Thank you for who ever will be touched of this post and would support her.  Let's continue to pray for Sarah's full recovery. She has saved lives for years.  Now it's time that we help her save hers.

*Dra. Sarah Moral was diagnosed last June 28, 2011 with Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL).

United Laboratories, Inc. (UNILAB) calls on the youth to help improve the health and wellness of the country, one community at a time, through its Unilab Ideas Positive, an idea-generation contest on social marketing programs that address health and wellness issues in communities.

Now on its second run, Unilab Ideas Positive program was launched as a response to the increase in community issues in hygiene and sanitation, nutrition, disease prevention and intervention, and environmental care and protection. Unilab believes that these concerns are more effectively addressed when two or more groups or organizations are working together in true Bayanihan spirit, the Filipino trait of working together to achieve a common goal.

Unilab is thus partnering with the youth to tap into their creativity, idealism and sense of social purpose to find fresh and innovative solutions to emerging and recurring health and wellness issues in communities. Unilab is not just providing youth groups a venue to be heard, but more importantly, empowering them to turn their ideas into reality.

A seed fund of Php100,000 is awarded to the winning team to implement their social marketing program for their chosen community. Two runner-up groups are given Php75,000 each to do the same for their programs.

Last year, Team Biggkas of the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) bagged the grand prize for its farm-in-the-city concept, teaching hydroponics gardening to mothers in Barangay San Joaquin in Pasig City so they have their own sustainable source of vegetables within the community. Mothers made their first harvest of lettuce and kangkong in April this year. The local government of Pasig City has expressed a desire to replicate the same program in other barangays.

Due to the successful run last year, the program has now expanded from Metro Manila only to include nearby provinces like Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Bulacan, and Rizal.

Interested students can form a team of five and submit their idea through http://www.unilabideaspositive.com until July 18. Ten semi-finalists will be chosen to undergo a 3-day camp in August where social marketing thought-leaders led by 2009 CNN Hero of the Year Efren Penaflorida and social marketing guru Dr. Eduardo ‘Ned’ Roberto will help teams to firm up their social marketing plans.

Five finalists teams will be chosen to defend their plans on Sept 18 before a multi-sector panel of judges that will pick the team that wins the seed money from Unilab.

Image taken from www.mybooks24-7.com

A-Book-Saya Group (ABSG), a non-government group dedicated to the task of uplifting the literacy of poor kids in Mindanao is looking for donors of books, new and used.

Couple Armand and Annora Nocum, a Christian and a Muslim respectively, opened the Kristiyano-Islam (Kris) Peace Library-Quezon City which is actually a portion of their house in Barangay Holy Spirit converted as a library.

Thousands of children from their community and nearby places have benefited in this good deed initiated by this couple who has also received donations not only in the Philippines but from foreigners who came to know about their mini library.

Actually, the library in Quezon City is the second book hub they built after the successful project they launched in Mindanao

For more than three years, the two-story Kris Library in Zamboanga has been giving thousands of poor Christian and Muslim kids free use of books and research materials, free basic computer lessons, free use of computers. It also has some 100 scholars. ABSG has likewise given some 6,000 books and magazines to poor kids since 2001.

If you'll have nothing to do this weekend, why not do a general cleaning and you might find some books that have been dust holders for years in your place. Just a little cleaning, these reasding materials will educate minds who would be the future of our country.

Donors may bring their stuff at the Kris Peace Library at No. 9, Doña Isidora Street, Don Antonio Heights, Diliman, Quezon City or at Dean & Kings Legal PR and Communications Marketing firm located at Suite 300, Kimvi Realty & Dev’t Bldg., 1191 Maria Orosa St., Ermita, Manila 100.