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

Posted on by jane

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

A!life Nurtures the Nurturing Woman

Posted on by jane

Been there, done that!

I’ve led a very busy and fast-paced life as an IT auditor, IT consultant and banking executive for close to 20 years while trying to raise 4 kids. I almost lost our youngest child due to a threatened abortion while in the midst of a very stressful joint venture negotiation. When I quit working cold turkey to become a full-time homemaker, my busy day just shifted from work to home. I became busy attending to the needs of the children, making myself very visible as class officer, then parent council member.
My life is similar to those of other women out there who pursue a second career while still trying to be as nurturing as possible to children and to spouse. Our days are not over when we come home. We just exchange our corporate hat for our homemaker hat. This life can get very stressful when children and spouse get sick because we have a third hat – that of a caregiver.
The woman who takes care of everyone has to have someone (or something) take care of her as well so she can continue functioning the way she wants to. I know what it is like to be so busy that sometimes I forego a meal or forget to take my vitamins. And when I get sick, my family seems at a loss as to how to take care of me because I normally take care of them!
This is what Pascual Laboratories was thinking of when it created the A!life line just for women. The people behind Pascual Laboratories came up with 6 different supplements, with each one addressing a particular health concern of a woman to nurture the woman’s needs so she can continue to nurture her loved ones.

The products that they presented to us during the launch are the following:

a!life Protect – for healthy, radiant skin

Free radicals pose a health risk to people, making them ill, overweight and lethargic. These are released into the body by stress, pollution, poor diet, radiation, pesticides, etc. Constant sun exposure of skin to UV light also generates oxygen radicals which damage skin cells and connective tissues. a!life Protect is said to contain Pynogenol, a super antioxidant that helps to protect the immune system against the free radicals while inhibiting inflammation caused by UV exposure. 

a!life Posture – for stronger bones and better posture

For older women like me, the risk of osteoporosis is very real. a!life Posture contains Ostivone, a bone health nutrient that stimulates the formation of new bones and inhibits the loss of healthy bone cells. Scientifically known as ipriflavone, it significantly increases bone mineral density, especially when taken with calcium. Being found to be osteopenic for some time now, this is the supplement that I will start taking in hopes of reversing my condition to some extent.

a!life Trim – to manage blood sugar levels and for a trim figure

Our diet these days have a lot of processed sugars, starches and fats. a!life Trim contains ampalaya and banaba which lower blood sugar levels by controlling insulin levels. Proper management of sugar levels help in trimming one’s figure as well. This is a supplement that is also good for those at risk of diabetes.

a!life – for that extra energy boost

Women like me on the go cannot afford to be low on energy before the day is over. a!life Energy contains malunggay (moringga), an excellent source of nutrition and a natural energy booster.

a!life Restore – an anti-aging supplement

a!life Restore contains Injuv, a Hyaluronic Acid that is supposed to moisturize from within, erasing sings of wrinkles and fine lines.

a!life Control – controls weight and blood sugar levels

Phase 2, an all-natural white bean extract, is a main ingredient in a!life Control, to minimize the absorption of carbohydrates. This lower caloric impact, combined with a sensible diet and exercise, assists in controlling one’s weight.

a!life’s 5 Ambassadors were presented to media as well, each one representing one of the a!life products because her lifestyle complements the product. Lucy Torres, congresswoman and celebrity, represented a!life Control, Shawn Yao, a TV personality and pilates enthusiast, represented a!life Posture. Lorraine Lapus, athlete and business executive, represented a!life Energy. Lexi Schulze, TV personality and anti-cancer advocate, stood for a!life Protect and Patty Betita, model/image consultant, represented a!life Restore.

MMDA + Interaksyon 5 = Metro Manila Traffic Navigator

Posted on by jane

(UPDATE: Read my newer post, featuring the Traffic Navigator during its public launch, by clicking HERE.)

The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) has been getting a lot of praise as one of the government agencies that has been in the social media forefront, rendering public service via Twitter and Facebook. Now, they’ve levelled up once more! Partnering with Interaksyon (TV5), they have created a web-based, real-time Metro Manila Traffic Navigator.

When you go to the homepage, you are presented with the System View. At first glance, it reminds me of a subway map but it covers the major thoroughfares where the MMDA cameras (I presume) are located.

Using the red, green, yellow colors to signify heavy, moderate and light traffic, you can see at a glance where traffic is bad and where it is okay.
To get greater detail, you can also choose the Line View. In this view you can select any of several lines: EDSA, Quezon Ave., Espana, C5, Roxas Blvd, or SLEX. In this screencap, I had chosen EDSA and was presented with several streets intersecting with EDSA and their color-coded traffic status.
And when you click the Google Map icon on the extreme right of each street, this is what you see (in this case, I chose Quezon Ave.):
The website is interactive. At almost any page view, you have the chance to share the info via Facebook and Twitter as well as chat interactively with MMDA. You don’t need to open Twitter or Facebook as a separate window or tab anymore. 
I was told that updates to the website are done every 15 to 30 minutes. That’s not bad at all!
At the height of Tropical Storm Falcon, I was out of the house attending a despedida. Following the tweets of MMDA then helped me plan my route home. But this is one-up over the MMDA tweets. Why? Because if you want to check the status of EDSA-Shaw Boulevard, like I wanted to, it took a while to scroll through all the MMDA tweets to find one that reported on EDSA-Shaw. But with a visual map like this one, you can immediately check the EDSA line view and see the status of Shaw Blvd. there.
In the works also is the mobile app version of this so that it is easier for those with mobile phones to use the application.
The website is still in beta (as it says in the logo) and I think that’s because some links are not yet working. For example, I clicked on their About, FAQ and Contact Us links and was directed to the System View page. Looks like those links are still under construction.
Try it out now and see for yourselves. If you love MMDA already, you’ll love them even more after this. And thanks to Interaksyon TV5 for making this possible.
To go to Metro Manila Traffic Navigator, click HERE.

Meralco: Innovating to Empower

Posted on by jane
Who ever thought utilities could ever be exciting? 
During my corporate life years back, discussions about electricity had always been a little over my head although for a while, I was knee-deep in power discussions (financial and legal) because my employer had a joint venture with an American power company to put up a diesel power plant on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) arrangement and I was one of those in the front line. When people discussed the computations to arrive at the charge to consumers per kilowatt hour, I tended to tune out often. Talking electricity was not exactly the most exciting topic I could think of.

But a few days ago, a handful of us bloggers were invited to come see how Meralco was innovating, using available technology to empower its consumers and shape a world-class standard of living. We got a glimpse of what they are looking into to employ digital technology and incorporate it into home living.

As a consumer of electricity, walk through these possibilities with me and see which ones you’d like to see Meralco introduce soon to your home.

Innovation #1: Meralco’s Current Distribution Automation

Think of this situation. A power outage suddenly occurs somewhere in Meralco’s web of grids. In real-time, using information on their screen, they are able to pinpoint the source of the outage, shut down that malfunctioning grid, and even re-route power, if needed. The red and green icons on the screen reflect where the grids are closed or open. With these equipment, Meralco can monitor and control distribution systems from remote locations, including the overall health of the electric grid. All in real time.

They are now looking into other innovations that may be introduced to consumers. These innovations try to take advantage of existing and developing technologies to empower the consumer to manage his own energy consumption by making this information accessible even when the consumer is away from home.
I know that in North America, in particular, many green homes are already equipped with these technologies. Let’s take a look at some innovations.


Innovation #2: The Smart Meter

Think prepaid load. If it can be done with mobile phones, why not power? If you can top up your phone via SMS, it can now be done for electricity as well. Here’s how it works:

The lighted meter has load while the unlighted one does not.

Software allows you to monitor your usage and load

A light’s energy consumption reflects on this devic

Simply send out an SMS indicating how much you want to top up. 
When you’re done, this is the confirmation you see on your phone

Innovation #3: The Energy Management Portal

Imagine that now, you can have a device in your home that is able to check your energy consumption (by room or per appliance), compare your consumption to a previous month or previous year — all in real time. Via an energy management portal on a computer, you can analyze your consumption so you can turn appliances on and off to meet your power budget.

Illustration of what a smart home could look like

From your device, monitor your energy consumption timeline…

…and your utility consumption — in real-time

Innovation #4: The Smart Home

Here’s what a future smart home would look like. Add a “smart plug” to your TV, DVD player, ref or any other appliance and you can program it to switch on and off. Use your computer at home or when you’re away, use your phone or tablet to manage which devices at home turn on and off. All in real-time.

The demo below showed that with the device, you can actually set an electrical budget, say for a month. And by means of the software, lights and other pre-programmed devices can be turned off when it nears your electric budget.

Innovation #5: The Home Area Network

The prospect of a home totally controlled with the flick of a remote control was quite fascinating as I spoke with the people from Cisco. They walked us through different ways you could control your home in terms of security, entertainment and energy remotely. Your handheld device, whether it is an iPad, iPhone, Androids, etc can be transformed into control devices.

The pictures below show that by attaching a security camera (the one above costs around P800 only) to your gate or front door (or wherever you please), combined with the right software, you can actually see who is ringing your doorbell. Some security cams can be made to move around to give you a wider view. With a special door lock (they said it costs around P8,000 at hardware stores), you can open/close the door with your handheld, manually input a code to open it, or use an actual key to open the door.
The same software, via your handheld, can also act as a remote to activate your entertainment system so you can choose the movie you want to watch without physically having to go near your DVD player.

3 ways to open the door: 1) remotely via iPad 2) manually by inputting a code
3) manually with the use of a normal key
A control panel on this iPad allows you to turn lights on and off or simply dim them.
This light switch with options for Home, Away and Vacation allow you to program lights to turn on/off depending on which option you choose.
I was told that the Twin Oaks Condominium by Greenfields District along Shaw Boulevard which is being constructed, will be the first smart and green high-rise condominium that will employ this energy system. In the near future, I think many planned high-rises as well as homes will be considering these energy-saving home systems too.
Innovation #6: Meralco Apps
Got an iPad, iPhone or Android-powered device? You could have a lot more information at the tips of your fingers and available on the fly. Some time back, I wrote about the Meralco Appliance Calculator, accessible via Meralco’s website, which helps you calculate which appliances are responsible for most of your energy bill. Now the Meralco Appliance Calculator is a FREE app downloadable from the App Store. 
Meralco Appliance Calculator as seen in the App Store

But aside from this app, there are more apps coming to your device. Take a look…

Power Maintenance Schedule – Find out if there is a maintenance schedule in your area.
Business Office Directory – Locate the nearest Meralco Business Center.
Meralco e-Bill – No need to wait for the bill to be delivered to your home. Get the details right away online.
After I finished the walkthrough, I actually felt excited to test out, for real, the energy innovations shown to us. Of course, I realize not all of these can be implemented all at the same time but being a bit geeky, I really appreciate the ease with which energy management and conservation can be done both online and remotely. But for these innovations to work, there needs to be a critical mass that will be willing to pay the price for the convenience. That is the magic number that Meralco still needs to work out.
Considering the present Philippine demographics, with many still living below the poverty line, the innovation that will be most helpful and probably most used across society classes will be the prepaid load concept. I think the prepaid concept just naturally clicks with those on a very tight budget and many Filipinos are unfortunately in that situation. By allowing them to consciously top up based on their own budgets, it also makes them more conscious of energy conservation.
How about you? Which innovation did you like best?

High-Speed Smart LTE 4G Technology is Coming!

Posted on by jane

Download movies in minutes. Download songs in seconds. Watch an HD YouTube video without buffering. Seriously.

Am I excited, am I excited? You bet I am! Because I got to hold in my hands the device and watched a demo showing that the upcoming Smart LTE (Long Term Evolution) 4G technology can do all that. And all I can say is — IT’S WICKED FAST!

The LTE dongle – from the front…

…and from the back

A few of us bloggers were invited to sit down with some of Smart’s executives from their networking and marketing divisions and here is what we learned.


Info # 1 – The LTE infrastructure will be totally separate from all existing infrastructure.


Unlike all previous technologies at Smart that are built on top of each other, the LTE technology will sit on an infrastructure separately built from the ground up specifically to handle very large amounts of data from LTE subscribers. 
Info # 2 – LTE can go up to 100 MBPS


At present, actual download speeds are up to 70 MBPS according to Smart. But theoretically, the technology can handle up to 100 MBPS. Just look at that chart. The current 3G standard is only 2 MBPS. That places LTE at 35x the current 3G standard! And it is so much faster than most DSL and cable services being offered at present.
Info # 3 – Field trial results show LTE leaving old technology behind by a wide margin


The low latency connection makes LTE ideal for viewing streaming videos and engaging in other media-rich online activities such as gaming and accessing web-based applications and programs. Gamers and those in data-intensive tasks will thoroughly enjoy this as they say goodbye to lag time.
Info # 4 – LTE will be introduced late 2011 in major cities
First introduced in Boracay last April, some of my blogger friends were able to test its speed onsite. Smart plans to roll this out and test it in major cities, Metro Manila included. But I think only select cities in Metro Manila will be pilot areas.
Test Results
At the demo area of Dusit Thani Hotel, we were shown speed test results. Of course, there is nothing like a real stress test under more normal conditions (and I am looking forward to participating, if one like that is conducted) but even if you discount the fact that the setup was done under ideal conditions and the ping server was only in Cebu City and not in some server in the US, LTE was still incredibly fast! See the results we got…

Speedtest results on Noemi’s iPhone 4
If you’re asking me what the downside of going LTE is for now? You will need an LTE-enabled mobile phone to take advantage of the technology. Sorry folks. All our 3G mobile phones are not eligible. I am holding out hope that the soon-to-be-released iPhone 5 is LTE-enabled because that’s the next phone I am considering.
I asked how much such a service would cost but Smart could not answer for now. But I believe they will make it price-competitive.
High-speed internet is on the horizon and it looks like the pioneer in the Philippines will be Smart as they plan to introduce this service in late 2011. Several companies in other parts of the world have already rolled their LTE services out such as NTT DoCoMo in Japan, Verizon in the USA, TeliaSonera in Europe and Telstra in Australia. In Asia, Smart is ahead of its peers.
Read more about Smart LTE in Smart’s press release HERE.

A Pampered Afternoon at Nuat Thai Libis

Posted on by jane

One Saturday afternoon, a group of mommy bloggers, including myself, headed out to try a spa we had never been to (at least for most of us) — Nuat Thai Libis.

I was only familiar with another spa place along Libis so it was nice to find out that there was an alternative one. I had a pretty looooong week then so getting a Thai body and foot massage was something I was really looking forward to. The fact that I was going to experience this with mommy bloggers was an extra treat!

With Janine Ching-Go and Jay Tiu of Nuat Thai Libis

My pictures from hereon are few and a bit dark. After all, why would I spoil a spa experience by taking lots of pictures instead of just surrendering to the hands of our masseuse?

My choice for the afternoon was a Swedish body massage followed by a foot massage. But first, we had to have a foot bath.
Entrance to foot bath
The ambience was truly Thai — including the touches with flowers floating on water, tiles with flat, dark stones in between them, and strategically placed lighted candles to give it that warm, inviting, relaxing feeling. Inside the foot bath room, I saw two foot ceramic basins with individual faucets and a raised wooden seating area.
That’s me getting a nice foot scrub

Rubber slippers were provided after the foot scrub and I was led to the area where they do the back massages. Oh! They had mattresses on the floors and each cubicle was discreetly separated by dark curtains for privacy. And I thought my friends and I would be lying visibly next to each other! Hahaha.

I changed out of my clothes and promptly lay down on the mattress. I was a bit afraid of how the Swedish massage would go because the last time I had one at another massage place nearer home, the lady masseuse seemed to have had a bad day because she pounded me no end, leaving me feeling worse after the massage and achy all over.
To my relief and great delight, I had a very good masseuse. She kneaded me all over, just exerting the right pressure. I had a choice of eucalyptus oil, green tea or lavender oil. I chose lavender oil, my favorite aromatherapy scent for relaxing.
Choice of scented oils
(photo courtesy of MyMom-Friday)
I felt totally relaxed under the skillful hands of the masseuse assigned to me. I just regretted that I did not thoroughly enjoy the experience because in the cubicle right next to me, a guy who was also getting a massage insisted on talking on his mobile phone for a very long time. That, despite the shushing that my masseuse kept giving him. Some people really have no ethics when it comes to mobile phone use.
Anyway, back to my massage experience…
After the body massage, I dressed up and was led to still another room where Lazy Boys were. Again, my masseuse did a good job with the reflexology points and the Thai stretching that came after. One slight discomfort though. I was seated right next to the door, with my chair facing the reception area. So since the rooms were all dark, every time someone opened the sliding door from the reception area to the hallway, the sunlight from outside would blind me. Next time I go visit them, I’ll specifically ask not to be seated in that chair. Or maybe they can reposition the chairs, taking that into account.
View of body massage and foot massage areas
(photo courtesy of My Mom-Friday)

At the end of our massage, the Nuat Thai people made sure we were well fed – Serenitea (my favorite!) and some cookies and ensaymada completed the afternoon as we mommies spent time chitchatting around the reception area.

All in all, it was a wonderful experience despite some problems I encountered. Nuat Thai does have good masseuse and that is actually one of the key successes of spas. Their gowns and towels are very clean and look hygienic; the wonderfully scented oils they use truly enhance the relaxation experience.

Last but not least of all, their prices are so reasonable! Take a look at these:

Nuat Thai foot massage (1 hour) – Php 250
Thai body massage (1 hour) – Php 250; Php 300 with oil
Thai back massage ( 1 hour) – Php 250; Php 300 with oil
Swedish massage (1 hour) – Php 350
Aromatheraphy massage w/ herbal balls (1-1/2 hrs) = Php 550
Hot oil massage (1-1/2 hrs) – Php 550
Thai head, back & shoulder massage (1 hour) – Php 250; Php 300 with oil

My boy has been hankering for a foot massage so one of these days, I’ll probably bring him there for one while I try their back massage once again. This time I am hoping there won’t be a repeat incident with anyone who cannot even leave his mobile phone on silent in order to fully enjoy his own spa massage.

Nuat Thai Libis
2/F 90 E. Rodriguez Jr. Ave. (across Shopwise, above Allied and RCBC Bank)
Libis, Quezon City
Tel (02) 477-5004
Open daily 12 noon to 2:00 AM

A Flexi Career as Sun Life Financial Advisor?

Posted on by jane

Do you wonder if an 8 to 5 job is really for you?
Do you have young kids and you wish you had more time with them?
Do you wish you could earn more than your current salary?
Do you love traveling but you know it takes a lot of money to do so?

If you answered YES to any of those questions, read on because this may be an alternative career path for you.

Quick Flashback…

I quit cold turkey from a job as Vice President of a bank, with a fairly promising career path, in order to be a full-time Mom to four kids. It took a while to make the decision, primarily because I was a very driven corporate person, had never been jobless since I graduated, and I knew going back to a single income would make a dent in the family’s income stream. But I knew inside me that I did not want a job that kept me till weekends and late nights at the office while my kids were raised by yayas. I wanted to be present to them.

Some female colleagues in the bank who heard I was quitting actually wished they had my kind of option. Many of them had to work to augment the family income. It was sheer prudent spending and tight budgeting that got me through all those years without a job.

Thankfully, the internet and technology have now developed to the point where a new direction has opened up for people like me – telecommuting work. I am kept busy by blogging, article writing, advocacies and all these while being able to stay home most days, visible to my kids.

But are there options other than telecommuting work?


Of course. One can get into entrepreneurial ventures, join multilevel marketing companies, and other business endeavors but often, these do take a lot out of you at the onset due to startup pains.

There is another way that is less painful.

Several of my lady blogger friends and I met up over lunch with Christine Lee and Dar Uyco from Sun Life Financial, so they could present opportunities for you if you wish to consider becoming a Sun Life Financial Advisor.

If any of you are cringing right now, you are probably thinking this post is for someone who will be hard-selling insurance just like those who approach you in malls, go door to door, or aggressively call you up to ask to make a presentation. Before coming to this meeting, I asked precisely about this because the last thing I wanted to do was to attend a meeting where I’d be invited to be some kind of insurance agent or ‘ahente’. I personally avoid hard-selling agents and one of my pet peeves is to be accosted at a mall and be offered some kind of product.

I was assured this wasn’t the case.

Financial Advisor vs The ‘Ahente’

Thankfully, this was the first apprehension tackled by the Sun Life Financial team when we met up. The ‘ahente’ stereotype is what Sun Life wants to redefine and differentiate. With the backing of a large insurance company, they want to equip their financial advisors with professional skills — not simply selling skills — to read into the situation of each and every potential individual or company they are approaching in order to offer a product which comes close to, if not exactly to, what the client needs.

With interest rates so painfully low, simply parking money in savings or even time deposit is no longer an investment option. Inflation will easily eat up the interest gains in those products. If one is planning to build a financial nest large enough to sustain him into his senior years, then more strategic and well-placed investment choices need to be made early on.

The role of a financial advisor is important in identifying the long-term financial goals of each individual and recommending the appropriate insurance product that one can ably pay for during earning times and which will cover him/her when capacity to earn is diminished or lost. In a way, I think it is fulfilling to be in the shoes of a financial advisor because you are not earning just for yourself and your family but you are ensuring that someone else’s future is also secured.


What Sun Life Financial is offering someone interested in becoming a financial advisor (FA) are the following:

1. Monthly Kapihan sessions – give current market updates and trends to look out for;

2. Leadership programs for its Management team as opposed to Management programs. Why? Because one can have the title ‘Manager’ and yet, lack leadership skills.

3. Collaboration with the Asian Institute of Management (AIM) to create the 1st Certified Financial Planning Course (CFP) in the Insurance Industry. This program already produced 27 graduates. It will be cascaded down to its FA’s in the next 3-5 years.

Dar and Christine related how they actually never contemplated working in the insurance industry but their separate circumstances eventually led them to Sun Life Financial. They were part of the first batch that finished the CFP course in AIM. And the financial rewards that came with their efforts were more than they initially expected. Through Sun Life, they were also able to travel to foreign places that are not normally the run-of-the-mill tourist places but exotic, educational ones (think Russia, for example).

But just so reality sets in, here’s a table showing the pros and cons of this kind of work:

I think the major CON for many looking for something stable is the lack of a fixed monthly compensation. The salary scheme is purely commission-based. But, if one has the business aptitude, positive attitude, right network and hardworking, the financial rewards can actually significantly exceed a regular monthly salary.

For starters, this is a brief of the type of people they are looking for:

Male or Female, 21-35 years of age
College Graduate
Filipino/Foreigners with ACR/ICR
Driven to Succeed
Sales background not necessary
High Integrity
People Person
Financial Background a plus, but not necessary

If you are beyond the age mentioned above, no worries. Just give them a call to see if you can still apply. Not sure if your educational background is sufficient to make you a financial advisor? They do say it is a plus to have some financial background but their training programs pretty much prepare one who doesn’t have it.

Sometimes, you never know if you have it in you. Many of those with Sun Life Financial now never planned to join but somehow found their way to it and now attest to its being fulfilling and financially rewarding.

If you are in between jobs, have been a stay-at-home parent or still employed but looking for more flexi options, could this be an option for you?

Contact: Darwin Uyco, Unit Manager
Tel: (02) 719-3815

Mobile: +63917 8988926
Email: darwin.d.uyco@sunlife.com.ph


Sun Life Financial – Red Spruce Unit
G/F E-Square Building
Ortigas Ave., Greenhills
San Juan, Metro Manila

VitWater Power and Phil Younghusband

Posted on by jane

Recently, media was introduced to the launch of RFM’s leading energy brand Vitwater Power. And who better to endorse Vitwater Power(also called VitPower, for short) than one of today’s heartthrobs, Philippine National Football Team power player, Phil Younghusband.

It is so important for anyone, whether leading an active life or not, to stay hydrated. Adequate hydration keeps the body’s system functioning well. After all, 75% of our body is water. We remain active, full of energy, and skin is soft, supple and younger looking when hydrated.

Phil is known as one of the most active athletes in the country today. Just take a look at his schedule. Every day, he trains 2 hours in the morning and another 2 hours in the afternoon as part of his rigorous football training. He and his older brother James also put up the Younghusband Football Academy in 2010 to promote the game of football in the country and to help train young kids in the sport. And he has been an active endorser of brands that espouse a healthy lifestyle as well as fashionable ones so Phil’s 24 hours in a day can easily fill up.

We were given bottles of VitPower to drink and I was delightfully surprised that the taste was very pleasing to the palate. The apple-flavored vitamin water, according to Mr. Cris Canaria, RFM’s Brand Manager for Beverages, has higher contents of Taurine (aids in the breakdown of fats and absorption of vitamins), Inositol (helps prevent collection of fats in the liver), Vitamin B and ginseng, making this an ideal refreshment for individuals who are as active as Phil. It has zero sugar, is low in calories, and does not have that medicinal aftertaste in drinks with artificial sweeteners.

My ice-cold bottle of VitPower
Ingredient Comparison: VitPower vs competing brands
For Phil to endorse VitPower is testament to his confidence that after a hectic day and in between activities, this is all he needs to give him an energy boost that allows him to extend his day with enough energy.

But Phil knows that the career of a footballer often does not last for long especially after the age of 30. And since his Dad is no longer around, he gives a lot of importance to family. In fact, at the press conference, when he was asked what other activities he had, he said that when there were no games, practice or brand endorsements, he would just spend time with his family.

Want to see how busy a day is with Phil? Watch this. If I had a day like this, I definitely would need an energy drink to get me through.

VitPower retails currently at P15/bottle.

Clear’s Total 3 Scalp Care Line

Posted on by jane

I have been buying Clear shampoo for my boys for some time now. They love the Cool Sport Menthol variant. This was an additional incentive for me to go and attend Clear’s event recently at Midas Hotel. Curious me wanted to find out why my boys would specifically ask me to buy this brand over others they’ve tried.

Midas Hotel (which, I found out later, was a renovated Hyatt Regency Hotel) sported a unique, yuppie kind of look at the lobby, with a grand piano on a raised dais and modern glass and orange-accented decor
Midas Hotel lobby
Entrance to Midas Hotel
I was ushered by receptionists to an escalator and took an express ride all the way to the penthouse of the hotel. Good thing I had just washed my hair because it would have been totally embarrassing. I found out, upon reaching the penthouse, that like everyone else there, I was going to have a… SCALP TEST!
A hair analyzing probe was rolled over a portion of my scalp. Thankfully, I had no dandruff and no sebum (the oily substance secreted which, if in excess, can cause very oily hair and odor if bacteria feeds on it. But because of other hair concerns like dryness and hairfall, my overall score was an acceptable 70%.
My scalp test score – 70%!

After some canapes and cocktails, we were led into the main area to wait for the program to begin. Fortunately, we got a good place in the front of the stage with no cameras blocking our view.

Borgy Manotoc and Bianca Valerio were the hosts for the event and we all had such a good time listening to them because they were very casual, joked around a lot and were simply entertaining.
Borgy Manotoc and Bianca Valerio hosted the event
Clear’s brand ambassadors, Piolo Pascual and Bea Alonzo, were introduced. Finally, I got to set my eyes on dreamy Piolo and really admired how utterly straight and beautiful Bea’s hair was!
But on to the real VIPs of the day — the Clear Total 3 line of scalp care. Here’s the total line.
DID YOU KNOW…?

– that dandruff is primarily a fungal disease caused by Malasezzia?
– that we all have Malasezzia and when our scalp is unhealthy, the fungi could take over and cause flakes to appear?
– that our scalp is just like our normal skin except that it has more hair follicles, more sebum, more nerves and a lot of Malasezzia?
– that scalp damage can be caused by harsh shampoos, microbes, stress and poor diet habits?
– that dandruff is worse in cold season than in the summer?
– women’s scalps are tougher than men’s but get easily damaged due to more frequent styling and is prone to hairfall
– men’s scalps are weaker, have more sebum than women’s and so are more prone to dandruff?
With extensive research, the people behind Clear incorporated two nutrients into their Total 3 scalp care products that do not just wash away flakes from the surface of the scalp but penetrate deep down — to be exact, 3 layers down into the scalp — to give:
1. No Dandruff
2. No Dryness
3. Less Hair Fall
These nutrients are Nutrium 10 for women and Pro-Nutrium 10 for men. There are 10 vitamins and mineral nutrients inside Nutrium 10. And in Pro-Nutrium 10, there are two powerful anti-dandruff actives: Zinc Pyrithione and Climbazole. 
WHICH CLEAR VARIANT IS FOR YOU?

Unisex/Women (4 variants)
Complete Soft Care 2 in 1 – for all scalp and hair types; transforms hair from dry to soft and shiny
Ice Cool Menthol – for all scalp and hair types; refreshes and revives scalp and hair with a burst of menthol freshness
Dry Scalp & Itch Control – for dry, itchy scalp
Anti-Hair Fall – for weakened scalp and hair’ strengthens hair from roots to tips and increases hair’s defense against hair fall
Men (3 variants)
Cool Sport Menthol – for all scalp and hair types; the ultimate anti-dandruff refreshment
Anti-Hair Fall – for weakened hair fiber; strengthens hair and defends against hair fall
Cooling Itch Control – for dry, itchy scalp
I’ve seen Clear in action already. Right after the event, I gave the Cooling Itch Control variant for men to one of my boys who was showing signs of dandruff from another brand’s shampoo (it was something I picked off the shelf randomly but which turned out very ineffective). It hasn’t even been a month yet since he started his regimen on Clear but last time I looked, his dandruff was gone. Yay!
I’m excited to try the variant for hair fall. With my super long hair now, I need to make sure I keep the roots really strong and the tips soft.
Thanks to Unilever’s Clear team and to Bridges for this event.

My Yellow Cab epic fail dinner

Posted on by jane

(UPDATE: Yellow Cab responded proactively to my complaint and the store manager herself invited me and my family to another meal at their branch so that we would end up with a positive experience. And we did! Thank you, Yellow Cab. We still love you!)

There are nights when luck isn’t on your side and tonight I struck out on dinner. Rather, Yellow Cab struck out on us.
Since I only had 3 kids at home, we decided to treat ourselves to Yellow Cab pizza and baked potato wedges. To be fair, we love Yellow Cab and have not had any bad experience with them in the past.

But tonight went down as a true Murphy’s Law dinner.

I placed my order at 789-9999 and spoke with an Eric, who took my orders down: one 18″ pepperoni and mushroom pizza (I specified crisscut and Eric specifically told me it would be 32 crisscut slices) and an order of baked potato wedges. Total bill: P987.

When one of my boys called me to the dinner table, we excitedly opened up the pizza box and this was what we saw.

Pepperoni and mushroom – Yes
18″ pizza – No

At first I thought they just forgot to cut the pizza into crisscut but when I opened the box that was supposed to contain the baked potato wedges, this was what was inside:

They call it Charlie Chan Chicken Pasta

So I call the Yellow Cab hotline again to complain (the same Eric answered the phone). A while after he put down the phone, someone named Hatch called me apologizing about the misdelivery. But he insisted that the pizza was really ours, it was just not cut. He suggested that a rider would bring over our baked potato wedges and bring a pizza cutter to cut the sliced pizza into crisscuts. WHAAAAT?

Look, sliced or crisscut, it’s just a shape. I don’t like the idea of strangers coming into my home at night to what, cut a pizza up?

So I told Hatch no thanks, we’d eat the pizza the way it was. Hatch also said they’d be refunding me money representing a discount they are giving me for the inconvenience. My bill was to be P888 instead of P987.

We were a bit hungry already by then and I knew the pizza had gone cold so I agreed to just get the money back and get a fresh batch of the baked potato wedges in exchange for the pasta. But by the time I went down to tell our househelp that, their rider had already come by and got BOTH the pizza and pasta. He said both orders belonged to a condo nearby and his plan was to retrieve our orders from the condo and deliver what he retrieves to us.

Did he expect us to eat the pizza and potato wedges that some other people probably already opened up in their condo unit?

For a third time, I called the hotline and spoke with Hatch. Yes, he understood why I didn’t want to eat food that is no longer fresh. And yes, he’d send over an entirely fresh batch of both pizza and baked potato wedges.

Wait. wait, wait. Finally another rider came along (nope, he wasn’t the one who misdelivered. That guy went off-duty already, said this rider). We checked our orders at the gate. This time, they got it right. And I got P94 back as my discount for the inconvenience.

We finally sat down to dinner with our true order at around 9 pm already. And guess what. Good thing we did not settle by eating that first pizza because, as it turns out, our true order was a lot bigger than the first one delivered! Sus hindi pala 18″ yung unang pizza! It was not true after all that our pizza was not just cut crisscut style. It was really the WRONG pizza! Because here’s the right one:

Our real order: 18″ Crisscut pepperoni and mushrooms
Finally, THE baked potato wedges!

To be fair to Yellow Cab, your people on the phone were quite apologetic and understanding. But if you are to improve your service, allow me some suggestions in light of this incident:

1. Improve the dispatching procedure so mix-ups are reduced or better still, totally eliminated.
2. Before you tell us that the pizza was just not cut up crisscut style, make sure it is the same size as the pizza we ordered. What would have happened had we eaten the 1st pizza on your say-so, only to find out what was due us was a bigger pizza?
3. Never, ever let your riders take back misdelivered orders and expect us just to accept them. Once food is opened up by someone else, elsewhere, it should not be re-delivered to the right people. It behooves a true food company to order up a fresh batch for sanitation purposes.

I was assured that this incident would be elevated to the higher-ups of Yellow Cab. I really hope it gets to them so that this incident will never happen again. As for me, what was supposed to be my comfort food tonight unfortunately turned out to be a very stressful dinner.