Smile Train and Glad Philippines Launch Third Annual #GladToGiveSmiles Campaign

MANILA - December 7, 2018 - Smile Train, the world's leading cleft charity, has partnered with food storage maker Glad Philippines for the third year in a row to help spread smiles and love this Christmas season.

"Every year we are Glad-To-Give back to Smile Train as we believe we can bring more smiles to children, families, our consumers and partners for the holiday season," said Mr. Paulo Lao, Sales and Marketing Director for Southeast Asia of the Clorox Company, which owns Glad. "Our continuing partnership with Smile Train is a product of the company's profound commitment to helping others."

The event was held at Sarsa Kitchen + Bar BGC where i first met Ms Kimmy of Smile Train. She invited me to sit next to her and join them for a wonderful dinner. 

Ms. Kimmy together with Glad Kitchen discussed about there campaign and some of the press interviewed her. 

Then after the dinner we transfered to Mercato Centrale for a cooking demo with Celebrity Mom Dimples Romana using Glad Kitchen products. The Glad-To-Give campaign is Glad's social response to encourage its patrons to perform acts of kindness. Under the partnership with Smile Train, the #GladToGiveSmiles program allows proceeds from the purchase of Glad food wraps, zipper bags, and storage containers from booths in Mercato Centrale at Bonifacio Global City on December 7-8  and Glorietta on December 13-14 to benefit Smile Train's cleft programs.

"We are grateful that we have long-term partners like Glad, who value corporate social responsibility and partnerships that will benefit those in need," said Kimmy Coseteng-Flaviano, Smile Train's Area Director for the South East Asia. "This initiative gives more cleft patients another reason to smile and teaches them the value of giving, especially for the holidays."

More than 20,000 new babies with clefts are born every year around the globe. Without access to proper treatment, these babies often have difficulty eating, breathing, speaking, and ultimately thriving. Smile Train's sustainable model empowers local medical professionals with training and resources to provide 100%-free, quality, and safe cleft care to children in need in their own communities.

For more information about Smile Train's global efforts and to make a donation, please visit smiletrain.org  To learn more about Smile Train's programs in the Philippines, follow Smile Train on Twitter and Instagram @smiletrainPh, and like us on Facebook at @SmileTrainPhilippines.

About Glad Philippines

Glad is the leading brand when it comes to food packaging safety. We are at the forefront of every celebration because we know that people who love good food understand the importance of food safety and proper handling. Our flagship products consist of quality foil, wraps, holiday trays and containers. Here in the Philippines, Glad products are available in leading supermarkets - SM, Rustans, Unimart, Lnadmark, Robinsons, and Puregold.

About Smile Train

Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children's lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive.

I'm so glad that i got to witness this kind of event. Thank you again for having me! 

#GladGetTogethers

#GladFeasts

#SmileTrainPh

#GladKitchen

Thank you for reading my blog!

The Sweetest 30 ft. Christmas Candy Cake is unveiled in Greenhills

Ortigas & Company makes the holidays extra-sweet with the launch of the first and only Christmas Candy Cake at the ultimate shopping destination, Greenhills, which opens to the public on November 8.

All set to delight the young and the young-at-heart from November 8, 2018 to January 6, 2019, the biggest Christmas Candy Cake, located at the VMall Lobby, will be filled to the brim with all the candy one can possibly dream of. Imagine a Christmas candy cake full of every candy you can ever think of—gum drops, butterballs, eclairs, hard candy, chocolate bars, fudge, in an assortment of sizes, shapes, and colors—filling the four-layer 30-feet high cake.

To make things more exciting for its launch, guests can enjoy a Willy Wonka performance, with visions of a chocolate factory coming alive right before their eyes. As an added Christmas bonus, golden tickets will also be scattered around the mall for mall-goers to find. Lucky winners will be able to claim special prizes if they find these tickets from November 6 until Christmas Day.

True to the spirit of generosity that gives meaning to the season, Greenhills will have special guests under the care of the Department of Social Welfare and Development and will take part in the joy of the season.

As the first and largest Candy Cake in the Philippines, this Christmas installation will surely enhance the experience of all those shopping at the only mall with the widest selection of retail offerings with various tiangge stalls with their festive assortment of goods for the value-conscious, as well as retail stores with a selection of gifts for everyone.

Aside from the Christmas Candy Cake, Greenhills will also hold a Christmas Sweet Bazaar at VMall Lobby from Nov. 9, 2018 to January 6, 2018. There will also be Paskuhan Pinoy 2018 at the VMall Garden from November to January 2019. Starting November through January 2019, a Night Market will be at the G-strip parking for food enthusiasts from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. as well as Regional Delicacies at the ground floor of the Center Mall from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Kids will also be able Meet & Greet Santa on all Saturdays of December at the VMall Lobby from 2 to 5 p.m. Fireworks will also light the Ortigas skyline every Saturday at 7 p.m. for the entire family to enjoy. And lastly, Simbang Gabi will take place at the Chapel of the Holy Family from December 15 to 23, 6pm daily.

Families and friends out to shop and explore Greenhills can also find more dining outlets to choose from such as newly opened restaurants Bijin Nabe, Kimpura, Coco Fresh, Moshi Koshi, and Serenitea. In the following months, Scout’s Honor, Breakfast at Antonio’s, Ippudo, Yabu, Bad Bird, any many more will also be opening their doors for diners to enjoy.

Greenhills has all sorts of cuisine to meet various tastes, and will definitely satisfy the tummies of all those who love good food. Enjoy all these amidst the sparkling Christmas lights and the beautiful installations that will remind you that the holidays have come.

Being the crown jewel of San Juan, Greenhills has newly opened health & wellness facilities namely Bruno’s Barbers, Urban Hair Lounge, Beeswax, Nazal MD, and Skin Station. The Medical City, Aivee Institute, Brow Studio, Center for Advanced Dentistry, and Oroderm will also be opening in the coming months.

“Greenhills is still Ortigas & Company’s ultimate shopping destination and top of mind go to place, especially during the holidays. We want shoppers to have an even more delightful shopping experience with our Christmas Candy Cake and the Christmas Sweet Bazaar, which will bring in more exciting merchants,” says President and CEO of Ortigas & Company Jaime E. Ysmael.

Indeed, Christmas is more delightful and so much sweeter in Greenhills.

For more information and updates, please visit and follow Greenhills on Facebook and Instagramuse the hashtag #2018OrtigasMallsChristmas and #GreenhillsCandyCake when posting.

Christmas Tunnel returns to delight more audiences in its second run

The first spectacle of its kind in the country promises an even more exciting show fresh from its international win

Ortigas & Company’s award-winning Christmas spectacle—the first of its kind in the Philippines—returns this year as the Christmas Street Light Musical Tunnel opens to the public on November 6.

Set to light up the premier developer’s Ortigas East estate, the Christmas Tunnel will warm hearts and delight the senses with a captivating light display playing alongside some of the yuletide season’s well-loved hits.

Ortigas & Company is gearing up for another exhilarating show as the Christmas Tunnel marks its second run with new arrangements and a flashier show for more artistic and musical flair. With this show, families and friends who will troop to Ortigas East are sure to feel the joy of the Christmas season.

The Christmas Street Light Musical Tunnel, which bagged two Stevie Awards in the recent International Business Awards for Real Estate Marketing Campaign of the Year and Re-Branding/Brand Renovation of the Year, promises a one-of-a-kind experience with its structural features. Made with 2,368 pixels of light, each pixel is composed of three bulbs in red, blue, and green, flickering and dancing festively according to the music’s beat. When stretched out, the Christmas Tunnel is equivalent to 1.4 kilometers, or the length of 28 Olympic swimming pools.

“Ortigas & Company continues to make its malls the go-to destination for family and friends, and what better way to show this than through the return of the award-winning Christmas Street Light Musical Tunnel at Ortigas East. This much-awaited tradition, which began last year, was developed to provide Filipinos and even tourists more reasons to celebrate at Tiendesitas and make it a must-see holiday destination,” says Ortigas Malls Vice President Renee C. Bacani.

As an added offering, famed shadow play group El Gamma Penumbra and Ben&Ben will perform during the launch. There is also a whole slew of holiday activities in the estate’s retail destination, Tiendesitas, which guests can enjoy.

There will be a StrEAT Food Market from November 7 to January 6 for foodies in the metro, while kids get the chance to take photos with Santa in the Meet & Greet sessions happening on all Saturdays of December at the Fashion and Furniture Village from 2 to 5 PM. Fireworks will light the Ortigas skyline also every Saturday at 7 PM. Churchgoers can also flock to the Simbang Gabi which will take place at the Food Village from December 15 to 23 at 6 PM.

Families and friends out to explore Tiendesitas will also find new dining choices, such as the largest Rico’s Lechon branch in Metro Manila. Sports enthusiasts will also soon be in shopping heaven as Decathlon, the largest European sports brand, opens in Tiendesitas.

These new shops are on top of the exciting redevelopment happening in Ortigas East, which will give rise to Metro Manila’s eco-estate filled with some of the choicest retail, residential, and lifestyle offerings.

For more information and updates, please visit and follow Tiendesitas on Facebook and Instagramand use the hashtag #2018OrtigasMallsChristmas for all social media posts.

Scarlet Snow Belo's Swiss Discovery with Nestle NANKID

See the world of science through the eyes of Philippines’ most famous child online.

Exploring new parts of the world is an extraordinary experience.
Whether it’s a weekend trip to a beach, or heading off to another continent,
there’s always something new to discover, experience and learn.

Imagine the excitement that Scarlet Snow Belo, daughter of Dra. Vicky Belo and Dr. Hayden Kho, experienced when she recently went on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to the Nestle Headquarters in Switzerland. The sprawling center with breathtaking views of the Swiss Alps, is where world class products especially made for growing children are developed. Scarlet Snow excitedly explored the various rooms and instruments that were used in different scientific studies and discovered many new things in the headquarters.

Best of all, Scarlet Snow had the opportunity to meet the brilliant science experts and big bosses who work in the headquarters like Alex Keller, the Global Category Head of Nestle Infant and Growing Up Milks, and Marco Turini, Global Head for Scientific Affairs for Nestle. The experts, in turn, were happy to meet their little visitor, as they

They began with the milk formulation to explain why Nestle NANKID is adapted for kids. They showed how all the essential vitamins, minerals and DHA are present in the milk. They also taught her that there is no added sucrose (table sugar) to make sure it is a healthy choice for kids.

Scarlet Snow then learned that protein is one of the most important nutrients for a child’s growth and development, contributing to the building of brain, muscles, and body. The optimized protein found in Nestle NANKID is high quality, low quantity protein that is optimal for weight and development advantage.

But Nestle NANKID doesn’t stop at just providing the right vitamins and optimized proteins. As Scarlet Snow learned, Nestle NANKID also has probiotics! This keeps her digestive system strong and healthy as it fights the bad bacteria in her stomach.

Listening intently, Scarlet Snow discovered that all good things she gets from her favorite milk helps her grow up to be future ready. Childhood is all about learning, growing, and experiencing new things. Every experience contributes to a child’s

mental, emotional and over-all development. Along with proper nutrition, especially one that has optimized protein such as Nestle NANKID, growing children can achieve their fullest potentials. This is the message behind Scarlet Snow’s webisodes, which also emphasizes the role that parents play in reshaping the future of their growing children.

As parents, you possess the power to #ReShapetheFuture of your children. Watch the webisodes to see how Scarlet Snow, with the support of her parents and with NANKID, is well positioned to become the best that she can become in the future.

Discover Scarlet Snow’s Switzerland journey and catch all the episodes on Nankid’s Facebook Page - https://www.facebook.com/NANKIDOPTIPRO/ .

Thank you for your time!

Joy Philippines #ShareAMomentOfJoy Short Film Series

Manila, Philippines - November 2018 –
This Christmas, the season of family reunions;
Joy, the Philippines’ leading dishwashing liquid; releases two short films that seek to
encourage more meaningful exchanges between family members by showing how a
chore as mundane as dish washing is perfect for a more intimate form of bonding.
Whereas dinner conversations are great for finding out how everyone is doing,
it may not be as conducive to ironing out sensitive issues as a
quiet chore done by two people helping each other out.
By focusing on this powerful moment and revealing its essential role in family life,
Joy celebrates the unconditional love that Pinoy parents have for their children,
one that will triumph over life’s hardest challenges.

Modern, authentic scenes of parenting love

In the “OFW” short film, the brand highlights how OFW parents struggle
with the effects of distance and time away from their loved ones, imposed
on them by their sacrifice to work overseas.

In the second film entitled “Daughter”, Joy celebrates the love
of a father for his
daughter, regardless of her life choices that challenge conventions.

Joy salutes the sacrifice of OFWs and parents in an
exceptionally realistic and relatable way

Created by Publicis Singapore for P&G, the two films are a departure from Joy’s
usual comedic and light-hearted stories, with a more earnest and true-to-life portrayal
of family struggles. “OFW” pays homage to heroes often honored, but unfortunately
not always understood by their family. It recognizes that for both the OFW and family,
homecoming can be bittersweet, but the small everyday moments spent together can
help to heal wounds and create precious memories.  

When dinner time conversations end, real ones begin.  

“Through this film, we want to salute the sacrifices done by our modern-day heroes,
while also putting focus on the magic behind appreciating those times where one
lets their guard down and can be very candid and open. While we recognize that
dinner serves as a great way to gather families together, it also rings true for many
families that bonding moments can’t be forced. In many cases, when dinner ends,
real conversations start. What matters is truly embracing every moment spent together,
and choosing to #ShareAMomentOfJoy,” shares Michael Jonathan Biscocho,
Brand Manager, P&G APAC Dish Care.

Noel Orosa, Regional Group Creative Director, Publicis Singapore, adds
“While the dinner table is great for bonding the entire family together, we saw
dishwashing as a safe alternative space for a family to have real one-on-one conversations.
It’s a chore that two family members can do together, which is free from the distractions
of mobile devices and everyday family life. For more than two decades now, Joy has been
a ubiquitous presence on the Filipino family’s dishwashing sink, which is why it is in the
best position to do

this advocacy campaign. This marks a new era for Joy thanks to the brave, progressive
leadership of the Joy Brand Team.”

Watch the heart-warming story of Jimmo and his iron-willed mother at http://bit.ly/JoyOFWfilm,
and of a daughter realizing the boundless love of her father over at http://bit.ly/JoyDaughterFilm,
through Joy Philippines’ Youtube channel.

Share your own stories of family bonding over the dishes - with the hashtag
#ShareAMomentOfJoy!

Visit Joy’s Facebook page for more information.

Thank you for visiting my blog! Until next!

My Pescetarian Lifestyle (Filipino Version)

It all started about 4 months ago. This all changed after watching some documentaries on Netflix - Food Inc, What the Health, Forks Over Knives, and Earthlings. What is a Pescetarian Lifestyle? A person who does not eat meat only fish & vegetables. Honestly, it was hard for me at first as I am a meat eater since birth. I hate the taste of vegetables. Like whenever I try to eat I always puke. But now after 4 months of practicing, I got used to it. I learned to love it! I'm very thankful to my husband for cooking a delicious meal for us every day. Below are my photos of what I eat on a regular basis. 

 Below are some Facts about Pescetarianism. I googled it for you guys!

I began to make my own path in life. The more I was learning the better I felt. Plan to continue this journey for the rest of my life. I hope you guys learned a thing or two. Thank you for reading my blog, it means a lot to me. Until next time!

Love & Light

Seda Vertis North Tree Lighting Ceremony

Manila- November 16, 2018 - For the second year in a row, Smile Train, the world's leading cleft charity will partner with Seda Hotels to bring forever smiles to children with clefts this Christmas season. All Seda properties will be participating and selling Smile Train ornaments and Christmas cards at their locations to benefit the charity, including the newly opened Seda Ayala Center Cebu and Seda Lio in El Nido, Palawan.

"During the first year of our partnership, the Seda community raised enough funds to help support more than 30 surgeries. We are positive that we will be able to help more children this year," said Mr. Brett Hickey, Group General Manager of Seda Hotels. 'As Seda continues to engage in a number of CSR activities, we would like to give our guests and employees the opportunity to help change the lives of many Filipino children with clefts especially during the holiday season."

Seda Vertis North Tree Lighting Event

To mark the second year of the partnership, Seda Vertis North hosted a tree lighting event and art exhibit benefitting Smile Train. Individuals brought their family and friends to witness the beautiful lights filling the scene. The experience was made even better with the sweet sound of Christmas carols that filled the air as these were sung by a group of Smile Train's cleft patients.

An art exhibit was presented at the Seda Vertis North lobby which will extend until December 9. All of the artwork is up for sale and will benefit Smile Train. The artists include: Sinag De Leon, a UP Film Institute artist who specializes in making art out of paper cut-outs; Ivy Lim, a full-time artist with a background in fine arts who is celebrated locally and internationally for designs and packaging of fast-moving consumer goods; Roberto Sanchez, a DJ and entrepreneur by trade, but creatively a self-taught artist; Jirawat Pramphet, a Thai artist with shows in Cambodia, the Philippines and Bangkok; and Arthit Pansuay, an award-winning Thai artist whose work is currently feautured in an exhibit in London.

"Smile Train is grateful to be partnering with Seda Hotels again this year and looking forward to making an even bigger splash", said Kimmy Coseteng-Flaviano, Smile Train's Area Director for South East Asia. "Through their acts of kindness, more smiles from children all over the Philippines will surely shine brighter."

For more information about Smile Train's global efforts and to make a donation, please visit smiletrain.org Follow Smile Train on Twitter and Instagram @SmileTrainPh, and like us on Facebook at @SmileTrainPhilippines.

About Seda Vertis North
Awarded with a five-star rating by the Department of Tourism, Seda Vertis North is largest premier hotel in the upcoming Central Business District of Quezon City that offers a complete experience of genuine Filipino hospitality in a modern and refined setting, catering to the discerning taste of business and leisure guests. The hotel, located just a few steps from Ayala Malls Vertis North and Trinoma, features 438 guest rooms, 5 meeting rooms, a Grand ballroom, 3 restaurants including the all-day International dining restaurant, Misto, the roofdeck bar, Straight-Up, and an authenticChinese restarant; a fully-equipped gym and a spa and wellness sanctuary.

About Smile Train
Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. We advance a sustainable solution and scalable global health model for cleft treatment, drastically improving children's lives, including their ability to eat, breathe, speak, and ultimately thrive. To learn more about how Smile Train's sustainable approach means donations have both an immediate and long-term impact, please visit smiletrain.org.

Thank you for reading my blog!

Happy Holidays!

Rebisco Special Edition Designer Can

Manila, Philippines - November 2018 - One of the most iconic fixtures in a Filipino home is the Rebisco Assorted Biscuits Tin Can - that multi-colored can of snacks that generations have always loved. Through the years, Rebisco products have become a part of Filipino tradition - a pasalubong lovingly carried to waiting family members in many homecomings; a favorite merienda fare; a much-loved snack passed around during family gatherings, big and small. A silent witness to the evolution of Filipino lifetsyles, Rebisco Assorted Biscuits continues to be a Pinoy favorite, standing the test of time.

A fresh take on a Filipino classic

As it marks its 55th anniversary, Rebisco takes its humble tin can to the next level by partnering with renowned Filipino contemporary artists to create the Rebisco Special Edition Designer Cans. These works of art aim to showcase the rich history and evolution of the brand, while using the can itself as a vehicle of expression.

The growth of Rebisco parallels that of the Filipino culture. Over the  past 55 years, Rebisco has grown into a formidable brand, thanks to the Filipino's undying love and support , allowing it to grow into what it is today. As a fledgling company, Rebisco started with very simple offerings of biscuits and crackers packed into a can with images of the biscuits. Over time, the packaging evolved, soon showcasing family-themed art works as well.

by realizing that their snacks are deeply ingrained into the Filpino way of life, Rebisco celebrates its anniversary by launching their newest special edition designer tin can, which serves as a canvas on which the Filipino story is printed. These miniature versions are designed to show how Rebisco is intertwined with the Filipino story, as captured in food practices and traditions illustrated by four highly acclaimed artists. In doing so, the well-loved tin can evolves into a canvass that fulfills the brand's vision to recognize the work and talent of Filipino artists.

Visualizing the rich local flavor

Beautifully using the tin can as the canvas through which they can capture local color are four of the country's talented contemporary artists - Migs Villanueva, Aris Bagtas, Roel Obemio, and Joseph Banez. By collaborating with Rebisco, they aim to shine the light on Filipino artistry and culture in a tradition that Rebisco has created.

Migs Villanueva, a Palanca-awardee visual artist, uses bold pastel colors and wanderlust compositions to invite Filipinos to see their own childhood experiences in her works. Aris Bagtas shows the Filipinos identity through his folk, religious and abstract works, inspiring people to create a country where family values, traits and traditions are not forgotten. Roel Obemio, a member of the famed Saturday Group, uses storybook characters and Filipino family-oriented imagery that convey whimsy and fantasy. Joseph "Otep" Banez, who made his own brand of Filipino Pop-Social Realism that took the market by storm, creates detailed renditions combined with playful colors and hilarious settings.

Alongside these artists, celebrity and visual artist Heart Evangelista-Escudero plus radio DJ Chico Garcia celebrated the launch as official event hosts for this prestigious event. With some of celebrity endorsers like Ryan Bang and Hashtag Nikko are present at the event.

These project's new masterpieces are featured on the tin can's outer packaging. These are four sets of special edition designer cans, and inside are assorted premium biscuits, crackers, cookies and wafers - all-time favorites that people love to snack on and share. Retailing for php175.00 SRP, these are now availabe ate leading supermarkets nationwide, namely Robinsons, Puregold, Waltermart, Rustans, and Shopwise. Starting November 15,2018, you can also buy online www.honestbee.ph.

"Every Pinoy family has a story to tell and through the years, we make there stories come to life through our products. Rebisco's Special Edition Designer Cans support local not only through taste, but through art. We at Rebisco believe that life is a constant journey of growing and refining who we are. Thus, we find a new twist to an old product to rekindle interest for it while continuing our tradition to let the tin can serve as an art canvas that tells the stories and values of Filipino families," said Ms. Lulu Dela Pena, the Marketing Communications Head of Rebisco.

Indeed, Rebisco's Special Edition Designer Can will once again be part of the Filipino heritage. What are you waitingv for? Express your support for local by gifting your family and friends with Rebisco's special edition designer cans, and share with them a taste of our rich Filipino culture.

 I also got invited to witness the wonderful event and they gave us free designer tin cans! Thank you very much! This is a great honor for me. Excited to share it with my family! Congratulations Rebisco and More Power!

#RebiscoDesignerCan
#Rebisco55

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I hope you come to visit again soon!

Cheers!