Category: Uncategorized

Earn from home with 51Talk

Posted on by jane

Are you in between jobs? Were you forced by circumstance to leave your job to take care of your family? Are you looking for something to augment your income? Are you retired or semi-retired and looking for something meaningful to fill up some of your time?

If you answered YES to any of these questions, then this post is for you.

At one blogger event in the past with a BPO, I raised a question with them. I told them that there was an untapped labor force in this country – the thousands of well-educated, English-speaking, degree holders who have opted for different reasons to quite their office jobs and take care of the family. While a majority of these are married women with small kids, there are a good number of single people who have elderly parents and even husbands who have reversed roles with their working wives. While the BPO’s executives agreed with me, they said their present constraint was the kind of communications security required of their business which working from home would not be able to fulfill. Understandable. Still, the fact remains that there is a growing untapped labor force in the home.

Now comes a chance to tap that untapped market. And bring job opportunities back to this labor force.

51Talk (pronounced FiveOneTalk) is based in China. A premier online English school, it was founded in 2011 by Huang Jia-Jia and Shu Ting. Formerly called Talk China, 51Talk is now found in Beijing and Shanghai in China, and in Metro Manila and Baguio in the Philippines. As a major economic power, China is realizing the importance of being able to communicate in English and is strongly encouraging its citizens to learn the language.

I know of several teachers who left the Philippines and now teach English in China. But why leave the country to teach English if one can do it from here? That is the edge that 51Talk gives. Their presence here definitely brings job opportunities to our homes. And why not? We are blessed with many well-educated, English-speaking Filipinos. And…the requirement for connectivity is not as stringent as those required by BPOs.

51Talk calls this Make the Choice, the company’s movement that signifies a jump to a more digital approach. Now, Filipinos are given an alternative career to office work and allowing them a chance for a more balanced family life. People can now opt to work from home — a huge relief for those who have long had to bear with hours of commute and traffic. Because the classrooms are online, educators can schedule their teaching time around their daily routine and family tasks. By cutting down commute time, online educators have more time with the family and can experience flexible working hours.

Three well-known names in their own fields were chosen to represent 51Talk as its brand ambassadors.

(L-R): DJ Delamar Arias, 51Talk COO Shu Ting, Jim Paredes, Michele Gumabao

Jim Paredes is one of them. Jim, not many people may know, is not just one of the APO Hiking Society trio, but is a teacher as well (I’ve attended one of his classes out of curiosity, actually). He is very effective in engaging his students through his classes and workshops on life and is very active on social media. Jim was very positive about 51Talk. He kept emphasizing that the Philippines is rich in English-speaking people. He considers this a source of pride for us that we are able to teach English to another country. It is also great, he says, that there are opportunities to work from home, just as you would in an office, without the commute and without the time difference (because China is in the same time zone as the Philippines).

For Michele Gumabao, an athlete, a health and wellness advocate, she was inspired to see Chinese people wanting to learn English and believes that 51Talk will allow the convergence and exchange of cultural ideas. She says that working from home gives a big opportunity to those who want to do so while taking care of their families.

And for Delamar Arias, an award-winning DJ, and a mother, she sees 51Talk as a wonderful way for mothers to earn. She says it’s important that even a stay-at-home mom can keep her self-esteem intact by earning for herself and for the family as well.

Teach — Learn — Earn

This is a great opportunity for all those who have a lot of spare time at home and meet the minimum required internet speed connectivity.

Basically what is expected of the online educators? You will be a teacher to interested Chinese students who want to learn the English language. You will be asked to evaluate your students’ performance based on established guidelines. If you have wired DSL access to the internet with a minimum speed of 1.5MBPS and a Skype ID, you’re qualified to apply.

It’s so easy. As an applicant, you just have to pass these 4 steps in order to become an online educator.

Just to give you an idea of 51Talk, here are some trivia:

* Online educators come from different educational backgrounds. 51Talk even has educators from the nursing field!

* The teaching is geared towards American English.

* There are different packages, the shortest of which is 6 months, then 1 year and 3 years. An adviser will provide a student with advice on which package is best suited for his learning goals.

* 51Talk programs are divided into General English – reading, speaking, writing; programs for exams like TOEFL; and, programs for Business. The programs are geared towards improving communication skills rather than a certificate program.

* Curriculum development team is based in both Beijing and Manila

* Training programs for educators – new applicants begin with several days of teacher training (orientation, Chinese culture, how to teach, communication/teaching skills). Months after there are other kinds of training for the educators.

* 51Talk now has over 2,000 online educators in the Philippines.

Find 51Talk online on their social media accounts:

Website: www.51talk.com/ph/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/51Talk
YouTube: www.youtube.com/51Talk
Twitter: www.twitter.com/51TalkPH
Instagram: www.instagram.com/51TalkPH
Tumblr: www.51talk.tumblr.com

Sangobion’s Christmas Special Made more Special for the Philippine National Red Cross

Posted on by jane

Christmas was definitely in the air when my mommy friends and I attended Sangobion‘s Christmas Special last December.

It was a joyous coming together. First of all I was with my SoMoms mommy blogger friends: Thammie, Jackie and Tin. Then I bumped into Ginger and Frances who brought along their kids, some of whom I saw in person for the first time after ooohing and aaahing their photos on Facebook. Attending too was Jenni Epperson, one of my fave bloggers whose “lifestyle and more” blog is read and enjoyed by so many.

(L-R}: Jenni Epperson, Christine Dychiao, Rowena Lei, Jackie Go, me

With Thammie Sy and her kids

Giselle Sanchez, Sangobion’s celebrity endorser, hosted our Christmas celebration and brought the house down with her really funny antics.

Giselle Sanchez

But the highlight of the whole Christmas celebration was not really focused on Sangobion, which I take, by the way, because it has helped me with my chronic anemia, something I have lived with since I was a child.

Sangobion took this opportunity to make a generous donation to the Philippine National Red Cross for those affected by Typhoon Yolanda.

Thank you, Sangobion, for sharing your hearts with the people affected by Typhoon Yolanda. This donation will go a long way towards relief and rehabilitation.

Human Nature’s Baby Care Line and a SoMoms Meet-and-Greet with Anna Meloto-Wilk

Posted on by jane

It was a great honor and privilege for the SoMoms when we were able to have an intimate meet-and-greet with none other than Anna Meloto-Wilk of Human Nature.

Anna took us through the history of Human Nature. It was great to hear directly from her exactly how Human Nature came to be. She took a different path from Gawad Kalinga which her dad, Tony Meloto, was grooming her for. Together with sister Camille, they realized that there was a lack of natural beauty products in the Philippines and those available abroad were too expensive.
Using almost all-natural and locally available raw materials, Human Nature is now one of the more popular home care, personal care products in the market. And I guess it was just a matter of time before their lines included babies because Anna is, herself, a proud and loving mother.

Their baby care line is now being relaunched with some new products and new packaging on existing ones. 
The Baby Care Line (plush toys not included, hahaha)
3 baby care products get new and better packaging!

Natural Baby Wash

A baby’s skin needs gentle, loving care while being washed and given a bath. Human Nature Natural Baby Wash is 99.3% natural (that means it’s free of harmful chemicals such as SLS and SLES) and made up of touches of lavender, rosemary and chamomile to smell really nice.

Natural Baby Wash comes in 3 sizes:
500ml – PhP 289.75
200ml – PhP 129.75
50 ml  – PhP 44.75
Natural Baby Lotion
Baby skin is properly nourished and hydrated inside the mother’s womb but once they are born, their skin is subjected to much harsher conditions, including pollution. Because baby skin is 10 times more sensitive than ours, it is so important to keep it moisturized and nourished. Human Nature’s Natural Baby Lotion is 100% natural. It’s completely free of harmful chemicals such as silicone and parabens and is made of a delicate blend of sunflower oil, avocado oil and aloe vera, plus natural glycerin to seal in all that moisture to keep baby’s skin baby soft and healthy.
Natural Baby Lotion comes in 2 sizes:
200ml – PhP 149.75
50ml  – PhP 49.75
Natural Baby Wonder Oil
The perfect all-around massage oil and skin defense and protector is the Natural Baby Wonder Oil. Also 100% natural, it’s got sunflower oil in it. Studies have shown how infants develop better when given a massage. This is your perfect baby massage oil. It also helps prevent and soothe diaper rash inflamed skin and can be used to heal little bumps and insect bites. For cleaning of the ears and baby’s belly button, use a bit of the oil on a cotton bud or cotton ball.
Natural Baby Wonder Oil comes in 100ml bottles and sells for PhP 129.75.
Kids Natural Shampoo and Baby Wash
Here’s a fun pair: one for girls and one for boys — Ocean Apple for her, Tangerine Thunder for him.
The shampoo bottles’ packaging makes bathing fun for young boys and girls. Ocean Apple is not just yummy apple-scented; the “Under the Sea” theme showing a mermaid and sea creatures is fun to look at while in the tub or shower. Tangerine Thunder, meanwhile, features a red Thunderbird car. And it’s not just for the hair; it’s a body wash as well so you can wash your kids from head to toe.
Its unique Protein Care System keeps kids’ hair healthy and squeaky clean. And it’s 96.4% natural and 100% free from harmful chemicals.
The Kids Natural Shampoo and Baby Wash comes in 3 variants:
500ml – PhP 289.75
200ml – PhP 129.75
50 ml  – PhP 44.75
Kids Natural Bath Soap
This bath soap really took me by surprise when Reby of Human Nature said that it smelled like…..
*drumroll*……….
CHOCOLATE!!!
I bet this is the first soap ever to smell like chocolate. And I’m actually tempted to try it out to see how my bathing experience would be like using this soap. It’s 100% natural and 100% free from harmful chemicals as well. A cold process allows the soap to retain the body’s natural glycerin — sealing in body moisture. 
A bar of Kids Natural Bath Soap retails at PhP 69.75.

Oishi’s Giant O Wow Giveaway

Posted on by jane

Imagine you’re a student who just finished a difficult exam. You are tired and raring to go home. You board a jeep, thinking this would be a normal ride home. Suddenly some of your fellow passengers unmask their true identities and you find out they are celebrities out to give you the ride of your life!

This is not a dream. It actually happened.

Last October 1, Oishi and Team O members (Ramon Bautista, Slater Young and Elmo Magalona) went around the Intramuros and Luneta areas in disguise. On the Jeep O, they looked just like a driver and students.

Students began filling the jeep at different stops. Along the route, the 3 Team O celebrities revealed their true identities to the delightful squeals of everyone on board. The celebrities and students went for a ride on Jeep O with everyone having a good time and going home with Oishi snacks.

Watch this video and see just how much fun the day was. Indeed, it was an O Wow day.

Now, it’s my turn to share an O Wow moment with you. I’ve got this giant, Oishi pack to give away to one lucky reader.

YES!!! This BIG!!! O Wow!!!

Please join using the Rafflecopter widget below to get the maximum number of entries. Also, be sure to read the Terms and Conditions inside Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Remember, this giveaway ends Nov. 10, 2013 (12AM Manila time). I will be announcing the winner through an update in this blog post as well as on my Twitter account (@philippinebeat).

Good luck, everyone! And thanks, Oishi, for sharing many O Wow moments with us.

Family Bonding with Globe MyRewards

Posted on by jane

I just discovered a new way to bond over food and recreation with my family without spending a cent – Globe MyRewards!!!

To be honest, I never paid much attention to telco reward points. Every so often, I’d get a text saying I had these much points but I was really never interested in redeeming them because the redemption options at that time were not really relevant to me. So those points sat on my phone for quite a long time.

But at the launch of Globe MyRewards some time back, I was totally surprised that they had reworked the rewards program so that it was now more relevant and meaningful to subscribers. New Globe MyRewards partner stores included Petron, Figaro, Enchanted Kingdom, Rose Pharmacy, Wendy’s, Ayala Malls Cinemas, and Sunglass Hut.

Both prepaid and postpaid subscribers in Globe and TouchMobile (TM) can earn points. How? For prepaid subscribers, every load earns points. For postpaid subscribers, points are earned based on billed amount.

Unlike some other reward programs where several points are equivalent to PhP 1, each point you earn under the Globe MyRewards program is equivalent to PhP 1. So if you have 500 points, that’s PhP 500 worth you can spend any way you want at any partner store.

Using Globe MyRewards points is a no-brainer actually. Here are the steps you need to follow:
1. To check your available points – Text BAL to 4438. You will get an SMS with the info.
2. Go to any Globe MyRewards partner store and the cashier will willingly assist you.
3. To use the points as cash payment – Text BUY(space)<10-digit no. of cashier>(space)<points needed> to 4438.
4. You and cashier both get confirmation of points transfer. THAT’S IT!

One day in June, my older son and I were ‘trapped’ inside Promenade in Greenhills due to a very heavy downpour. We had already ‘cased’ Fully Booked as well as other shops, our feet were killing us, and we were hungry. Since we were right in front of the cinemas at that time, the only cafe in sight was Figaro.

As we were ordering, I spotted the Globe MyRewards poster on the counter. Savior! I hurriedly checked how many points I had (I had a lot of accumulated points to spend!). We ordered our food. I texted the number of points to be deducted using the given syntax, and almost immediately, the points transfer was done. Just like that. Our entire Figaro merienda was on Globe MyRewards.

With that very successful and burp-ful experience, I was excited to try using my points on another family bonding moment.

The opportunity came when a nephew came visiting. The kids were excited to have their cousin over and it seemed like a good time as any to bond over food. So I took them out. Our destination this time? Wendy’s!

Wendy’s has always been a favorite fastfood place for me. They used to have a fresh salad menu with different dressings (my favorite was blue cheese) but for some reason, they stopped offering it. I am happy though that they retained the baked potato line because I could never go to Wendy’s without ordering the one with bacon and cheese.

At Wendy’s Greenhills where we ended up, the Wendy’s team, including their store supervisor, was very helpful. It took a while for me to round up the orders of all the kids but they patiently took all of them down, totalled them up, and waited for me to send the SMS with the corresponding points. It took just a few seconds again before I heard the store supervisor’s mobile phone go off. Hooray, point transfer successful! We were ready for lunch!

The store supervisor himself helps me out

Our Wendy’s orders. Who says my kids are not hungry?

Happy son and mommy

By now I guess you could tell that we had quite a hearty lunch with the kids wolfing their food down while chatting and telling all sorts of stories. I was looking at them and wishing there were many more times like this one. I know people say that bonding comes in many forms but the favorite bonding form of Pinoys is over food. It’s great to know that just by continuing to top up my Globe prepaid phone, I am also accumulating Globe Rewards points at the same time. 

For more info, visit rewards.globe.com.ph
For more FAQs, visit rewards.globe.com.ph/faq

Bobble Water Bottle – Purifying Water on the Go

Posted on by jane

I need to drink a lot of water every day because of my previous bout with kidney stones. In addition, when I go to my yoga classes, I always want to bring a water bottle with me.

The problem with single-use PET bottles though is that it is both expensive in the long run and damaging to the earth as it contributes to the tons of PET bottles disposed into the earth’s landfills every day. I could always fill my water bottle before heading out but in order to get my 2-liter quota of water for the day, I would need to refill my bottle somewhere. Now how would I know if the source of my refilled water is potable enough?
Well, I recently got a Bobble water bottle to try out and based on first impressions, it looks like a healthy solution to my dilemma.
(taken from waterbobble.com)

Bobble is the creation of renowned industrial artist Karim Rashid – the man behind numerous luxury goods and popular product designs such as Christofle, Alessi, Umbra, Bonaldo, Vondom and Hugo Boss. It features a curvy form that makes it easy to grasp and carry around – perfect for workout sessions like my yoga classes or simply something to hold when outside the home. The plastic bottle is also BPA-free.

But the killer feature is its built-in filter. Its carbon filter is replaceable and recyclable, purifying potable water even further by eliminating chlorine and organic contaminants. There goes my worry about the cleanliness of other water sources once I drink up the water I brought from home. I can just refill the bottle and still be sure the filter eliminates anything in the water that can be harmful to the body. Caveat: Bobble should NOT be used with water that is microbiologically unsafe.)
My red Bobble!!!

The Bobble website explains how the filter (which is made in the USA) works:
bobble has an activated carbon filter which has a slight electro-positive charge, making it attractive to chemicals and impurities. As the water passes over the positively charged carbon surface, the negative ions of the contaminants are drawn to the surface of the carbon granules.
Carbon filters require very little maintenance, and are perhaps the most powerful chemical absorbents known to man. bobble’s carbon-based filter removes organic contaminants from regular municipal tap water and meets or exceeds NSF International Standard 42 for chlorine, taste and odor reduction.

The filters can be replaced every 2 months or about every 40 gallons of water without throwing the water bottle away.
Each Bobble water bottle is also equivalent to about 300 single-use plastic bottles. That is a lot of PET bottles we save from clogging up the landfills. You can do your part to protect Mother Earth while using Bobble water bottles.
Since its introduction in February 2010, Bobble has won many industry awards including a Green Good Design Award in 2010 and 2011. It’s now here in the Philippines and comes in 6 luscious colors: green, red, black, yellow, magenta and blue.

There are also 3 variants. The 1000-ml model retails at PhP 695; the 550-ml model goes for PhP 595; and the 375-ml one sells for PhP 495. Filters cost PhP 345 each.

Watch this short video.

Bobble Philippines
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/bobble.ph
Twitter: @bobblePH

The 2012 Starbucks Christmas Food Items

Posted on by jane

Want to know what Christmas goodies are available at Starbucks already? We got a sampling of them recently. Here they are!

New Items

Chocolate Cake made with Splenda (slice-PhP 150, whole-PhP 1,650)

A diabetic chocolate lover’s dream come true, the Chocolate Cake made with Splenda is going to be a popular, sugar-free dessert item for sure. Several layers of sugar-free chocolate sponge cake is filled with sugar-free chocolate cream filling, iced with chocolate ganache and topped off with a dark chocolate garnish.

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake with Nestle Crunch (slice-PhP 140, whole-PhP 1,450)

Cheesecake lovers, this is a must try for you. The Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake with Nestle Crunch melts in your mouth just like chocolate truffle is the base filling, topped with lots of chopped Nestle Crunch chocolate (one of my favorite kinds of chocolate!!!).
Dark Cherry Silvana (PhP 95)

Much like a regular butter silvana, the Dark Cherry Silvana is made of creamy chocolate butter cream icing but with a twist. It is topped with bits of chopped maraschino cherries in between crunchy meringue layers, glazed with Belgian chocolate and topped with grated chocolate shavings. A maraschio cherry finishes off the top for accent.
Chicken Fajita Roll (PhP 95)

Chicken Fajita Roll is like a stuffed loaf of bread done up in Mexican style. The stuffing is made of Mexican flavored chicken breast and cream cheese. On the top of the bread are toppings of cheddar cheese, red and green peppers to give it a Christmas-y look.
Garlic Roasted Chicken Wrap (PhP 150)

One of my favorite wraps, pita bread, is filled with garlic roasted chicken rolling in Italian spices and sauteed fresh assorted veggies, then drizzled with a special garlic sauce. This is the Garlic Roasted Chicken Wrap.

Holiday Apple Glazed Porkloin Roast on Jalapeno Cheese Bread (PhP 160)
We were supposed to have the Holiday Apple Glazed Porkloin Roast on Jalapeno Cheese Bread but during our event, the bread was unavailable so we had the porkloin roast on ordinary bread. Not as great, I suppose, but maybe it means I need to go and order the real thing another time. Best when served warm!
Christmas Turkey & Chicken with Pear Chutney on Cranberry and Walnut Bread (PhP 160)
Turkey slices and chicken breast fillet combine in a cranberry and walnut bread spread over with pear chutney. The Christmas Turkey & Chicken with Pear Chutney is best served warm!

Returning Favorites
Starbucks brings back five (5) popular food items.
Chocolate Toffee Nut Loaf (slice – PhP 60; whole – PhP 550)
The Chocolate Toffee Nut Loaf (whole) looks like a moist, chocolate loaf. Sliced through, you find that it is frosted with smooth chocolate icing and topped with crunchy toffee for that nutty texture. It’s not too sweet also so just right for my taste.
White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie (PhP 60)
Cookie lovers, you’ll love how big and chewy the White Chocolate Cranberry Cookie is. Bite into it and you taste the chunky white chocolate mixed in with freshly roasted walnuts and great antioxidants – chopped dried cranberries. 
Peppermint Brownie (PhP 80)
I love mint chocolates so it’s natural that I’d take to the Peppermint Brownie right away.  This is made of fudgy, chewy chocolate brownie with peppermint cream cheese filling. Its topped with chocolate ganache and decorated like a Christmas tree with white, red and green chocolate drizzle, accented by small golden edible beads.
Gingerbread Cookie (PhP 55)
The Gingerbread Cookie is baaaack!!! Of course this year’s designs are different from last year’s but inside, it’s the same, loved ginger, allspice and cinnamon combination that gives the cookie its fragrance and flavoring as well.

Vanilla Pecan Butterscotch Twirl (PhP 90)
The Vanilla Pecan Butterscotch Twirl is a wonderfully light and flaky spiral roll. Biting into it, you taste the cinnamon and vanilla pastry cream filling together with its topping of roasted pecans drizzled with butterscotch sauce and slivers of white chocolate stripes across it. 
And….
the Christmas seasonal favorites (Toffee Nut Latte, Dark Cherry Mocha and Peppermint Mocha) are here too. Tall – PhP 155, Grande – PhP 165, Venti – PhP 180.

Meet myBRO: the latest in wireless home broadband

Posted on by jane

Our family cannot live without WIFI at home. My small write-from-home work as well as my social media requirements find me online from the time I wake up to the time I sleep. Add to that 4 internet-savvy kids who also MUST be online due to school work and of course, gaming. It is so important to us that the moment the internet lags or goes down, the whole house is in an uproar.

But seriously, that’s how important it is for me to be connected ALL THE TIME.

So I am quite picky and choosy when it comes to selecting an internet service provider (ISP). Well, to be realistic, there is no perfect ISP. But at the very least, the ISP must have fairly good service coverage, minimum downtime, and acceptable, consistent internet speed based on one’s subscribed plan.

I’ve learned of another option for people looking for a fixed wireless connection at home – myBRO.

The power of PLDT and Smart combined can now be seen in their HOME megabrand. The Fixed Broadband variants previously known as Bro Canopy and Wimax have now been merged and will be known as myBRO Wireless Home. It features a reliable internet connection at 512 kbps using the nationwide cellular network of Smart in order to bring wireless internet service right into your home and into your PC or laptop.

The first thing that caught my eye about myBRO was its AFFORDABILITY.

What can one buy for P26 these days? I cannot think of a decent meal or snack that goes for P26 or under. But for P26 a day, you can already get unlimited internet connection with myBRO’s Plan 799 (with speeds up to 512 kbps).  Your family can now be connected to the internet 24/7.

This is just right for families on tight budgets with children who are schooling and need internet connection. It’s great for yuppies who are just starting out their careers and need to tighten their belts. Even for those with existing internet subscriptions, myBRO’s Plan 799 can be a great secondary option as it is so reasonably priced.

Up to July 15, 2012, there is also a Back-to-School promo for myBRO’s Plan 999 (with speeds up to 1 Mbps). You get 50% off your initial cashout as well as on your first monthly fee. Huge savings for families watching expenses. Check out the mechanics for availing of this promo HERE.

myBRO utilizes Smart’s cellular network service nationwide. I can personally attest to how RELIABLE Smart’s service is. On one summer some years back, on a ship in the middle of the seas between the Visayas and Manila, I had a Smart signal!

Here’s one more thing you might like. It does not take long to install myBRO in your home. 48 hours after you pay for your subscription, your internet connection is up and running. That is FAST!

I know that many parents who do not have internet at home have to tolerate their kids’ going to internet cafes to do schoolwork. Not only is it expensive in the long run but if they have to work late, it can also be a risk to their safety. That’s why I like to spread around the word about reasonable internet plans like myBRO. It is now that much easier and affordable for all of your family members to be connected to the web from the safety of your home.

You can get more information about myBRO by dialing *1888 from your Smart phone. To apply for myBRO, just go to any Smart Store or PLDT Business Office nationwide or any accredited Smart or PLDT sales agents. You’ll need to bring along with you proof of identification as well as proof of billing address. You can also subscribe by logging on to www.mybro.com.ph/apply-now.html.

*This is a sponsored post.

The latest Sun Cellular promos

Posted on by jane

I had been wondering already for some time why Sun Cellular, which began with a bang and appeared to be eating up subscriber market share when it started out, was very quiet lately on social media although very much present on print and traditional media. So when some bloggers were invited to dinner, I decided to attend and see what was up with Sun.

I used to be a Sun prepaid subscriber when I went back to a part-time job. At that time, I loved it. I would buy the P150 card that gave me unlimited Sun-to-Sun texts plus 4 hours of call time within the Sun network. That worked well for me then as 4 hours were usually more than enough for me. After my work ended and I spent most days at home, my usage of Sun dropped significantly so eventually, my sim expired.

For those of you wondering what are the latest Sun promos out now, here’s a rundown.

BROADBAND

BLACKBERRY
INTERNATIONAL

Right now, we use Sun’s international service a lot to call our daughter who is abroad. At P2/minute only, it is even lower than a local mobile call. We buy the P100 card, which gives us 50 minutes of talk time with her.
For prepaid roaming, here is a comparison of Sun’s rates vs Globe and Smart:
(click to enlarge image)
In addition, there are even cheaper services while roaming.
1. Cheaper Text Rates – Pay only P5 to text the Philippines by dialing *111# while abroad to access. Countries currently include  US, HK, UK, Italy, China, Japan

2. Cheaper Call Rates – by dialing *111# you can also save up to 75% in roaming calls.

PREPAID
There are many things about Sun’s prepaid features that you will like.
1. Because of the tie-up with Smart, Sun now uses the backbone of Smart for texts and calls. That means that you now have the same nationwide coverage as Smart. Their broadband, however, still uses only the Sun backbone (maybe down the road it will also use Smart’s).
NEW Sun subscribers AUTOMATICALLY get connected to the Smart backbone for texts/calls. EXISTING Sun subscribers have to dial *247# in order to gain access to the new Sun areas.
2. When I was still using Sun, what I liked was its Cumulative Expiry Feature. If you reload before your existing load expires, your previous load’s expiry date is changed to that of the new load.
3. No Maintaining Balance – you can use up everything. No need to maintain at least P1.
4. They also have a promo up to Aug. 31, 2012. You can convert your regular P300 load into Sun Text Unlimited 300 via Conversion Xpress Load. You get unlimited Sun texts, 500 texts to other networks, plus 5 hours of calls (broken down as follows: 3 hours Sun calls + 2 hours Sun, Smart, Talk ‘N Text calls). Validity period is 30 days.
Are you a Sun Cellular subscriber? What’s your experience? 
Disclosure: This writer is using a mobile phone won at a press event sponsored by Globe.

The “Live, Love, Firande! Electrolux Photo Contest” lets you share your moments of celebration

Posted on by jane

Life is always a celebration. The fact we are able to wake up every day is already cause for celebration. That’s why the theme of one of my blogs is: Live, Love, Laugh.

I’m sure you have tons of digital photos in your computer or digital media of memorable moments in your life that are causes for celebration, right? After all, we Pinoys really love to celebrate everything – a birth, birthday, baptism, marriage, anniversary, barkadahan days, graduations. You name it, we Pinoys have probably celebrated it in some way. Even vacations are filled with tons of photos.

Why not share those photos with the world so they can see how the Filipino celebrates life? There’s a way to do that now. And it gives you a chance as well to win something from Electrolux which is celebrating its 10th anniversary presence in the Philippines.

Electrolux is a Swedish brand and in Sweden, the term for Celebration is Firande. They’re launching a photo contest where you can share all sorts of photos – from remarkable achievements and important personal milestones to fun, family vacations and exciting getaways with friends.

How me and my girl friends celebrate and bond

Photo Contest Mechanics

Here’s how to join the “Live, Love, Firande! Electrolux Photo Contest”:

1. Visit the “Live, Love, Firande! Photo Contest” tab of the Little White Book Facebook page from April 1, 2012 to May 20, 2012 and fill out the required participant details.

2. Submit your Firande photo along with your answer to the question, “What’s worth celebrating to you?” in 50 words or less.

3. All qualified photo entries will be uploaded in the Live, Love, Firande! photo album of the Little White Book Facebook page and will be featured in a commemorative 10th anniversary advertisement in leading newspapers, magazines and TV seen nationwide.

4. Get a chance to vote for your favorite among the Top Ten Firande photos from May 28 to June 10, 2012.

5. The top 3 Firande photos will get a chance to win exciting prizes from Electrolux Philippines including Electrolux appliances and a luxury and travel package.

Updated May 5, 2012:

Prizes at Stake 

1st Prize – 3D/2N stay at Makati Shangri-la Hotel with P35,000 worth PAL Travel Certificates
2nd Prize – Electrolux Kitchen Showcase: EGG7422S Built in Hob, EFT9510X Hood, ETB 2603SC No Frost Refrigerator, and EMM2007X Microwave Oven
3rd Prize – Electrolux ESV112CRC-A4 Inverter Split Type Air Conditioner

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