Yakapin: huggable stuffed toys for the children victims of Tropical Storm Sendong

My friend, Cathy Babao, is once again at the helm of a drive to collect huggable, stuffed toys for the suffering children victimized by Tropical Storm Sendong. Cathy did this before when she launched “Bearhugs for Baguio” and sent stuffed toys to Northern Luzon for the children victims of Typhoon Pepeng.

If your children, nieces or children of friends have stuffed toys to spare, please donate them to Yakapin. Cathy explains it all in this post:

Put yourself in her shoes. 

You fall asleep snug in the arms on your mother, the rain pounds on the room but you are not afraid because beside you is your mother and you know you will be safe. All of a sudden, the waters enter your home and you are swept and carried away from all that is familiar and everyone whom you love.  

You wake up dazed not knowing what has happened to your family members. You walk around aimlessly, only to find that your home and all that you love is gone… 

Toys are effective tools in helping children heal from the trauma of loss. Stuffed toys are effective comfort givers in times of stress and trauma. To children, stuffed animals are more than toys, they become the vehicles by which they are able to tell their stories and release their pain. Stuffed toys or teddy bears are able to provide some degree of comfort in a scary world. 

Please send clean, friendly looking toys in good condition (no pigs please, owing to cultural and religious sensitivities) in any size, but ideally, big enough for a child to hug. 

Thanks to Dennis Garcia for the image used on this page and to friends who have generously donated their homes and establishments as drop off points throughout the city. Let’s all pull together and send as many hugs as we can to the children of Northern Mindanao. A new and soft teddy bear costs about as much as a Starbucks frapuccino or a ticket to the cinema — a small price that will go a long way in bringing back hope and a smile into a child’s life. 

May you all be blessed to be a blessing to others.  

Alabang: 12 Brentwood Street, Hillsborough, West Service Road, Alabang Look for Magding or JC
Greenhills: 33 Madison Street, North Greenhills, San Juan. Look for Ann or Shirley Asuncion Berenguer, Inc. 3/f Homestudio Building, 63 Connecticut Street (same building as Homestudio, Torch resto and Bose) Northeast Greenhills . Please leave with guard and indicate “Bears for YBHM”
Makati: The Citadel Inn, 5007 P. Burgos Street, Makati City c/o Andre Urbina
Marikina: 1 Ferdinand Marcos Street, Industrial Valley Subdivision, Marikina Leave with guard please indicate “Bears for YBHM”
Paranaque: Johnson and Johnson, Edison Road, Paranaque City (Edison is street by Zuellig) Leave with guard, indicate “Bears for YBHM”
14 C. Diamond Street. Greenheights Village Sucat Paranaque. Look for Yaya Marlene
Quezon City: A-2 Dona Sotera, Pilarville Subd.,Quezon City c/o Dennis Mariano
41 Milkyway Drive, Blue Ridge B, Quezon City Look for Lily
C1C3 Narra Heights Condominium #28, Mariposa Street, Quezon City (near Camp Crame)
Eastwood area: Unit 5c Eastwood Lafayette Tower 3, Eastwood Avenue Libis Q.C (In front of Watsons, near Mcdonalds) Leave with guard indicate “Bears for YBHM”

She still needs people to volunteer their homes as drop-off points in the following areas: Mandaluyong, Manila,  Pasig. To volunteer or join this project, kindly click “Like” on Yakapin’s Facebook page HERE.

Seeing the brighter side of life with the “Be Happy” Movement of NGF

Studies show a rising incidence of depression. Unfortunately, depression is not easily recognized as such and treated appropriately and as a result, suicides occur when these may have been prevented. Some depression triggers known include, but are not limited to, sad moments brought about by rejection, failure, trauma, and illness or loss of a loved one. Each one of these triggers requires varying medical approaches to manage and treat the resulting depression.

The Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (NGF) was set up in loving memory of Natasha Goulbourn who suffered from depression but was known for her love for life and compassion for others. Her Mom, Jean Goulbourn, is its President. The foundation was created with the sole mission of sharing with the world wide-ranging education and comprehensive information about depression. And it seeks to demystify and help eliminate the stigma carried by people suffering from depression by holding lectures and seminars that promote integrative approaches in the management and treatment of depression. Both proven modalities of mainstream as well as alternative medicine are employed for the benefit of those suffering from depression.

NGF believes that before real depression sets in, a state of happiness can be created and maintained on a regular, continuing basis. So they decided to launch the “Be Happy” movement — to plant small seeds of happiness that eventually blossom into feelings of joy, pleasure and cheerfulness within the self. These “seeds” could be as simple as a kind gesture, a word of encouragement, a smile or a hug.

How does this “Be Happy” movement work?

Give yourself a Happy Hour line!

Happy Hour is that time of the day when one willfully chooses to be happy. By exerting effort to find something to be happy about, even something as trivial as watching the sun rise or listening to birds chirp outside your window or finding time to call a loved one or friend, or laughing wholeheartedly, one’s spirit can be lifted up from the cloud of depression.

I call this “smelling the flowers” moments.

A woman can have her ME time which could be settling down with a good book, chatting with friends online or on the phone, or thinking happy thoughts. With men, it could be walking the dog, a run around the block or watching a favorite movie.

Psychiatrist Dr. Lou Casimiro-Querubin, who was at the “Be Happy” event, said that the goal is to espouse a ‘circle of connectedness’ at various levels. First, connectedness to one’s inner self – which helps a person identify what he feels in order to do something about it. Second, connectedness to others – filling a universal need of people to feel appreciated and affirmed.

A Facebook page called “My Happy Hour” has been made through K2 Interactive, a digital comunications company. On this page, people can share Happy Hour insights and ideas through their blogs, Facebook messages and other means such as posting pictures or links to videos.

It does not matter if you are one of those who have fallen into depression. You could be leading a fairly boring life but willing to support the Happy Hour cause. Whatever it is, do find time to visit the “My Happy Hour” Facebook page as often as you can and post what makes you happy at that moment. Through the sharings, everyone ends up blessing each other with happy moments.

NGF aims to reach as many people as possible through this campaign so that depressed people can begin to proactively take control of their lives and bring happiness to themselves. By having a Happy Hour, each person is kept balanced and healthy in body, mind and spirit, according to Jean Goulbourn, NGF’s founder.

Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (NGF)
Website: www.ngf-hope.org
Email: ngfoundation@gmail.com / Tel: +632.897.2217
HOPE Lines: +63917-558-HOPE (4673)
                      +63917-572-HOPE
                      +63917-845-HOPE
                      +63917-842-HOPE

Live Curious, NatGeo and Regatta Say

When my kids were small, they’d pester me with so many quetions. Why is the sky blue? Is there really a man on the moon? How does Santa distribute the gifts all over the world in just one night? 

As they grew older, curiosity continued but this time the questions had to do with more mature topics. Why is my body changing? Why is breakfast important? Even the proverbial — Why do we have to have homework on weekends?

Studies have shown that curiosity is what leads to experimentation, discovery and more learning. When a child asks a lot of questions, it is because that child is thinking about things that don’t make sense to him at that age. This is the start of what will later become research – a longing to find the answer.

The National Geographic Channel (NGC) recognizes that living the curious life leads to myriad possibilities for adventure and knowledge so it wants to continue promoting this trait in the young people of today.

NatGeo, as it is called for short, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. It has produced beautiful magazines that take you on adventures as you turn the magazine pages, teaching you more and more about places you have never been to, making you aware of the environment, the wonder of archaeology, appreciation for natural science and better awareness of geography. With the advent of cable, NatGeo created its own channel, showing the beauty of our world and its creatures. Truly, NGC is one of my favorite TV channels.

NatGeo has tied up with Regatta, a leisure wear brand that offers high-quality casual wear, as both of them share similar values, i.e., promoting the love for a good life as well as love for adventure.

They’ve launched the “Live Curious” campaign which believes that no matter what country we live in and regardless of the language we speak, “Everything deserves a ‘Why'”. This slogan is now one of several statement shirts launched and available at all Regatta boutiques nationwide when you sign up for a National Geographic society membership.


National Geographic has also chosen Filipino personalities who, in their view, live curious and have excelled in their chosen professions and endeavors. These ambassadors are:

1. Joey Reyes (filmmaker and writer)
2. Francis Flores (marketing executive)
3. Daphne Osena-Paez (TV host/producer and advocate for children)
4. Norman Agatep (advertising executive)
5. Gang Badoy (RockEd Philippines founder)
6. Maribel Garcia (The Mind Museum curator)
7. Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan (WWF-Philippines CEO)
8. Mitzi Borromeo (educational media producer)
9. Bryan Benitez McClelland (social ecopreneur)

The “Live Curious” statement shirts are available at Alabang Town Center (ATC), Greenbelt 3, Glorietta 3, Ayala Trinoma, SM The Block and Gateway. 

Get yours now. Here’s mine.

Blog Watch Launches for the 2010 Elections

The 2010 elections will be the most interesting election as far as my voting career goes.

This one sees the most number of voters actually interested in participating and exercise their right of suffrage. In our home alone, our yayas and driver actually voluntarily registered without my knowledge when my kids went to register. And 3 of my 4 kids are first-time registered voters.

The list of possible presidentiables has been one surprise after another — the Noynoy factor arose only after Tita Cory’s death; Mar Roxas, a strong presidential contender slides down to be Noynoy’s VP running mate; Erap declares he will run again; Chiz Escudero pulls the rug from under everyone’s feet by suddenly announcing he is leaving NPC (and is now keeping everyone guessing if he will run for President or not).

This is the first time that elections will be conducted using an automated process.

As of this time, major online news sites have created sections just for posts on the upcoming elections and many bloggers have either written about election-related issues on their own blogs or have come together to put up blogs dedicated solely to 2010.

A group of us (as of this writing, 16 bloggers) are writing for the Philippine Online Chronicles’ election section, called Blog Watch.

Blog Watch will contain features, commentaries, news, voters’ education and election awareness campaigns, videos, informal polls and similar informative items.

Do visit Blog Watch regularly and be thoroughly informed before 2010.

Not only is it our right to vote. It is also our right to see to it that our votes are properly counted. And in order to vote properly, we must know all the issues as well as the backgrounds and platforms of all those running for office.

You may also follow Blog Watch on Facebook, Twitter, Plurk and subscribe to its YouTube channel.

Below are the blog links of the 17 Blog Watch writers (list updated 11/10/09):

Help Krispy Kreme Raise Funds for Ondoy Victims

This is what makes me love Krispy Kreme even more!  Not only are their doughnuts GOOD, the people behind KK have GOOD HEARTS as well.

One of the first things that Krispy Kreme did after Tropical Storm Ondoy flooded Metro Manila was to give away free doughnuts to typhoon victims and relief operation volunteers.

Now, YOU can help them give even more.

Tomorrow, October 11 (Sunday), Krispy Kreme will donate ALL sales from their Original Glazed Doughnut to the Ondoy victims. For every Original Glazed doughnut you buy, the sale will automatically go to Krispy Kreme’s relief fund which will be distributed to the Philippine National Red Cross Rizal Chapter and ABS-CBN Sagip Kapamilya.

So tomorrow, head on over to participating KK outlets, buy yourself and your family a box (or several boxes) of Original Glazed Doughnuts. You will not only enjoy KK’s most popular doughnut variety but you will also do your share in helping our kababayans.

Krispy Kreme participating branches: Bonifacio High Street, SM Megamall, Greenhills Drive-Thru, Trinoma, SM MOA Main and Drive-Thru, Robinsons Galleria, Gateway Ground Floor & 4th Floor, Glorietta 4, The Annex SM North Edsa, SM Fairview Annex.