Study: Too much smartphone use linked to lower grades

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smartphones useEverything should be taken in moderation. So should be the use of smartphones especially for children, a studysuggested.

A survey conducted by Japan’s education ministry revealed that schoolchildren who spend more than four hours a day on their mobile phone perform significantly worse on school tests.

A report by Japanese local media said that nearly half of third graders at junior high schools in the country spend one hour or more per day using smartphones, with over 10-percent spending four hours or more.

The survey also found that over half of sixth graders at elementary schools have mobile phones.

Students who spend more time on mobile phone use, such as e-mailing and browsing Internet sites, tend to have poorer results in terms of academic performance, according to the survey.

Meanwhile according to a report by an Asia-based cable news agency, among the nearly one-in-nine 14 and 15-year-olds who use their handheld device for at least four hours daily, grade scores suffer an average of 14 percentage points across all subjects. The deficit rises to more than 18 points in mathematics, figures from the study showed.

The report also noted nearly half of all third-year junior high school students questioned spend more than an hour a day on their phones, browsing websites, sending e-mails and playing games. Less than a quarter of those in the age group do not have a mobile. Smartphone use is also prevalent among 11-year-olds, the survey found, with 54 per cent of those in their final year of elementary school having a phone of their own. Fifteen per cent of them spend at least one hour on their device every day.

On the other hand, students who spent more hours playing videogames also scored lower on a national academic test in Japan.

A blog post by the Wall Street Journal disclosed elementary school students who answered that they never played video games on weekdays answered 77% of the questions correctly on a test of basic language skills, compared to a 70.5% score recorded by those who said they played two to three hours. Elementary students who said they spent more than four hours a day playing games scored the lowest, getting only 64% of the answers correct.

Similar patterns were observed on the math tests, the report added quoting the study.

iphone-388387_640Among the test-takers, 54% of elementary school students and 56% of junior high school students said they spent at least an hour on weekdays playing games on television screens, portable handsets or smartphones. Nearly 11% of junior-high students and 9% of elementary-school students said they spent more than four hours a day playing games, the survey found.

The exam was conducted in April this year with more than two million elementary and junior high school students across Japan tested on their language and math skills. They were also given a survey with questions about their daily activities, including how much time they spend playing videogames.

The results of the survey, which is the first of its kind by Japan’s education ministry, have sparked fears that schoolchildren are “neglecting their books for the allure of the small screen.” Kazuo Takeuchi, who has studied the way youngsters use mobiles, told local media that children with the devices tend to lack confidence in their academic ability, and urged parents to set limits on their usage.

Meanwhile in the Philippines, the Department of Education reiterated the ban on the use of cellphones during class hours through its three orders, namely: Order No. 83, series of 2003; Order No. 26, series of 2000; and Order No. 70, series of 1999.

Also, in a recent interview by GMA News TV, child development specialist Clarissa Reyes stressed that more time spent by children in using their smartphones could lessen the time allotted supposedly for their studies and daily interactions.

She suggested the following for parents to guide their children on smartphone use and studies:

1.       Teach them that the time spent on smartphone use on one day should be added to their study time on another.

2.       Teach them to set their goals so they have the ability to plan what to do to achieve them.

3.       Discipline, according to Reyes, “is according to the management of time and the priorities of the children.”

Image by Phil Campbell from Flickr.com. Pixabay image. Used under CC license. Some rights reserved.

Written by  as originally posted at the Philippine Online Chronicles

A family vacation: “Find what brings you joy and go there”

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Family vacations can be a challenge but I was determined to make it happen. Four years ago, I planned a family vacation in Singapore for the Holidays but unfortunately I had to spend Christmas day in a hospital.  Finally after months of planning, we are almost at our final destination- to be reunited with our daughter. I have not seen her since April 2013 and I missed her so much. I thought of Christmas in Europe but I cannot bear the chilly weather . Summer  seemed the most ideal time. When I applied for an appointment for a Schengen visa, my heart skipped a beat when I was told that it was “May 27”, Luijoe’s angel date. It is a sign! Luijoe is always with us. We always take him with us wherever we may be.

luijoe with us

Yes, I brought a rice cooker. It may seem silly to bring a rice cooker but I wanted my daughter to still cook rice even if she is far away from home. This Tiger’s TaCook smart rice cooker is not your ordinary rice cooker too. Well, the TaCook rice cooker can cook side dishes using high temperature steam generated when cooking rice.

rice cooker

Expect updates in my blog as I  explore some places in Europe.

This is our first time to check in at the Clark International Airport using Qatar Airways. It is quiet and less stressful to check in here. Despite the distance, I think it is worth flying out from Clark . I must say Qatar Airways  has superb service.

europe trip

Arriving at the Hamad International Airport , Qatar provided us a transit visa and a hotel to rest before our final destination.

DOHA airport

The warmth of the 38 Celsius temperature outside the airport felt like a blower heating up my face.

going around DOHA

I liked the short ride to our hotel and seeing the Palm trees and a preview of DOHA.

DOHA

Qatar booked us at the Plaza Hotel. Soon I got messages on facebook and twitter from my social media friends which I have never met. I can finally put a face to that facebook like and twitter mention. What a fantastic day it was.

DOHA

It is a matter of hours now . Europe here I come.

8 fantastic benefits of vOffice, my virtual office

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If you do need an office within minutes,  check out the website of voffice.com.ph for the plans you want to avail then use my referral page or call +632 2242 000 and tell them that I referred you.

Remember my small office home office? This is in the second level of my home.

workstation

Before the move to my current residence, my home office was beside the kitchen.

virtual office at home

I called it either Home-office, Business-office (HOBO) or Small-office Home-office (SOHO) . Whatever you call it, I’ve been a work-at-home-mom since my second daughter was born in 1987. I like that my home office is a small nook that allows me to be in touch with kitchen activities and family members hovering behind me. Everyone was yelling distance away except for my kids if they are in their bedrooms. That’s because the walls of their rooms are almost sound-proof.

Now that I got even busier as a social business consultant and blogger, meetings took place in coffee shops. Meeting at my SOHO was not ideal because of the distance and secondly I wanted my privacy. Having to meet at coffee shops has its space limitation during meetings. The solution was a virtual office space .

.

I discovered voffice.com.ph,. vOffice in short for Virtual Office, gives you everything you need to efficiently run your business less the cost of maintaining a physical office. It gives you a prestigious business address, telephone & fax number, professional receptionist to answer your call, working space, full equipped meeting facilities, on-demand secretary and more. I got their Platinum plan.  Let me tell you about the benefits of using vOffice, my virtual office.

 

1. Prestigious Bonifacio Global City address at One Global Place (5th Avenue & 25th Street)

virtual office one global

I am always at the Global City so I liked that there are offices there at the Fort Legend and One Global. My Fitness First Gym is just across One Global Place so that is quite convenient for me. They also have a Makati address at Mavenue building. The best part of the voffice experience is I can also use the facilities of the Fort Legend (open 24/7) and Mavenue in Makati. . I like the idea of the Makati office with an open space, fresh air, roof deck area, fresh plants and a cup of hot tea to accompany you while you work.

mavenue makati v office

I have only experienced One Global Place so far but in the next few months, I will be visiting the two others. I can also use the virtual office at Melbourne, Singapore , London, Hongkong, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur Jakarta Selatan ,Jakarta Pusat, Shanghai , Beijing and Bangkok.

2. Affordable rates.

For the platinum plan, it costs 3,600 pesos a month. If you divide that by 25 working days, that is only 144 pesos a day, pretty much the cost of a large sized coffee mug order. One can get more out of the 144 pesos a day.

Screen Shot 2014-08-15 at 5.46.24 PM

Here is what I can get:

1. Receive Mails & Parcels on my behalf.
2. SMS or Email notification.
3. Local & International Mail Forwarding.
4. Scan & Email service is available upon
5. Elegant Reception Service.
6. Calls Handling
7. Dedicated Local Telephone Number.
8. Professional Call Answering.
10. SMS or Email notification.
11. Call Screening and Transfer.
12. Personalized Voicemail.
13. Fax Services
14. Dedicated Local Fax Number.
15. Instant Fax Forwarding to your email

and comes with an unlimited use of a fully WIFI-ed business lounge and

– 8 hours per month worth PHP 7,200 per month
– 2 teleconference at 20 hours per month
– Executive Office Suite at 3 hours a month

I will expand on this more.

3.  Flexibility of using meeting rooms at 8 hours a month in over 25 locations

virtual office

I log on to MyvOffice.me to reserve a meeting room in real time. The voffice was quite useful when I needed to power my gagdets after a storm. My home did not have power for three days.

virtual office meeting room

4. Unlimited use of the fully WIFI-ed Business lounge

virtual office lobby

if you have used up your meeting room hours and are not willing to pay for additional, using the business lounge or pantry is an option. Those nifty white chairs are quite functional. There are power outlets within reach unlike a coffee shop where it is “first come first served”. It can get noisy though since this is the main lobby and there are many people coming in and out.

virtual office chair

5. Unlimited coffee at the pantry

How I love the pantry. There is a ref, a microwave, water dispenser , spoon , fork , glasses and mug.

virtual office kitchen

The best part is unlimited quality coffee . Now that is worth the 144 a day cost of a virtual office, right?

voffice coffee

6. Close to my gym

This is the “The Fort Strip” , a view from the pantry and where my Fitness First gym is located.

virtual office view

Physical activity can’t just be limited to tapping on my macbook finger exercises . My daily routine entails a two-hour gym workout in between my work After a workout, I can just walk towards One Global Place.

7. Receive calls and parcels

The ability to receive small parcels is an advantage. Having been stalked for over seven years now, I do not relish giving out my address or phone number to anyone. In fact, I had to change my landline and mobile phone numbers last year . With a dedicated phone number, the receptionist receives calls for me and then forwards it to my mobile number

virtual office mail box

 

8. An Elite Card Advantage

Having this Elite Card gives me discounted rates from their partner hotels, restaurants and boutiques with as much as 15% discount on selected partners. Click here to see the list.

voffice card

I can see the benefits of a virtual work space for start-ups and small sized entrepreneurs. One does not need to invest in a lease for office space or get a mortgage for a building. My business operates well in a virtual environment. Technically, my office is wherever I am . With the current technology , I can conduct my business anywhere but having an address in my business card is more professional. First impressions mean a lot. I don’t want to use my home address as the business address. With a virtual office, there is relief from the stresses of a traditional one.

If you do need an office within minutes,  check out the website of voffice.com.ph for the plans you want to avail then use my referral page or call +632 2242 000 and tell them that I referred you.

Vamping teenagers: When social media and gadgets keep teens up all night

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vampire dollMany teenagers nowadays are staying up until the wee hours of the morning doing variety of things like texting on their mobile phones; chatting online; playing video games; downloading movies; watching TV, DVDs or videos; listening to music; spending time on social media; and engaging in other hobbies and activities. They think that staying up late is cool and part of a life of a teenager. Some say it’s a trend that influences the young generation to cut their sleeping time in favor of the Internet, social media, and gadgets. They call this teenage nocturnal behavior vamping.

What is vamping? The word vamping is obviously derived from the word vampire.  The popularity of Twilight andTrue Blood probably has something to do about the term.  A lot of teenagers love staying up all night.  They go to bed when the sun comes up as if they are afraid of turning to dust.

The hashtag #vamping has made its mark on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Teens are using the hashtag whenever they stay up late at night; often without their parents knowing.

Vamping is associated with kids and teens around the world including the Philippines.  Many Pinoy teenagers have jumped into the bandwagon. I have seen evidence and subtle hints ofvamping on my newsfeed from younger cousins, nieces and nephews.  They sometimes post vamping selfies on Instagram.

Jennifer, 45 years old has two teenage daughters.  She considers herself as a digital parent.  She says that with myriad of electronic gadgets like laptops, tablets, smart phones, mp3 players, and video game consoles, her teenagers have many things to keep them busy without noticing the ticking of the clock. Jennifer is concerned that vamping will affect her daughters’ health and grades. As a mom, she tries to put some parameters of control to protect her girls from getting tangled in the nocturnal web. The family agreed that bedtime during school nights is not later 9:30 p.m.  Jennifer and her husband give their daughters a bit more freedom during weekends. They can stay up until 11 p.m. during Fridays and Saturdays but they have to be in bed by 9:30 p.m. during Sundays.

Jennifer makes it a point to occasionally check the bedroom of her daughters to ensure that they are sleeping at the right time.  She admits catching them a few times staying up way past their bedtimes.  There was a time when the girls got grounded for staying up until 1 a.m. during a school night.  Jennifer read the tweet of one of her daughters about #vamping until 1 a.m. to chat with friends which got them both in trouble.  The girls have learned not to cross their parents again; otherwise they might end up losing their gadget privileges for an indefinite period. Jennifer says that it’s not easy raising teenagers in this digital era.  She and her husband try their best to set ground rules at home but not to the point of being too strict.   She says that parenting is a learning process.  She gets helpful tips by reading parenting articles, getting advice from family and friends and firsthand experience.

What motivates kids to engage in so-called vamping? According to The New York Times, teenagers are often swamped with homework, papers, reports, and projects. They also tend to juggle extra-curricular activities like music lessons and sports with academics.  Their busy schedules give them little time to enjoy personal interests. Many teenagers find a sense of freedom at night when homework and other school-related responsibilities are done.  Teens take advantage of late hours because that’s the time when most parents have gone to bed; giving them more leverage to do the things they like without prying eyes or words of disapproval.

What are the negative effects of vamping? Many parents are becoming concerned because vamping is not limited to teens anymore. It seems that younger kids are picking up the habit. Perhaps seeing older siblings staying up late and going under the covers to use their gadgets are giving young ones the wrong idea thatvamping is a fun and cool thing. Vamping has become a rampant behavior among teens that school administrators are also beginning to notice. Lack of sleep can affect children’s ability to focus on their studies.

Based on WebMD, sleep plays an important role in thinking and learning.  Cognitive processes are negatively affected by lack of sleep.  Kids and teens who don’t get enough Zzzzs may experience difficulty concentrating on school work, staying alert in class, focusing their attention on lessons, reasoning, and problem solving.  Lack of sleep can hurt school performance. Children who often stay up late at night have less time to review for exams. Learning inefficiency can occur because lack of sleep could make it more difficult to process what they learn in class. According to Kids Health, school-age kids need 10 to 12 hours of sleep a night. Lack of sleep can also affect children’s behavior. It can cause kids to become irritable or exhibit hyper behavior. It is vital for growing kids to have consistent bedtime, especially during school nights.

How can you protect children from the ill effects of vamping? It’s a good idea for parents and their children to discuss and agree on an ideal bedtime during school nights and weekends.  It is also advisable to agree on a fair form of consequence when rules are broken. For instance, kids can get grounded from using electronics for certain number of days if they are caught staying up beyond their bedtime using gadgets.

You can also consider using forms of Internet parental controls that can limit Internet usage at certain time of the day.  Establish ground rules when it comes to use of electronics. Some suggest that parents do not allow the use of gadgets in the bedroom after bedtime. You can also turn off the Internet during bedtime. This can prevent kids and teens from sneaking during the night to use their laptops, tablets, mobile phones, and other electronics.

Make sure that your children understand why you set certain rules and limitations.  You can start by explaining the negative effects of vamping.  It is recommended to monitor your kids’ activities on the Internet especially on social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  It is vital to be a good example to your children by following the same rules that you set in your household.

Photos: “Vampire doll” c/o Flickr. Some rights reserved; “Time” c/o Flickr. Some rights reserved; “Blogging” c/o Pixabay. Public domain.

 

by Ma. Rachel Yapchiongco as originally posted at the Philippine Online Chronicles.

Embracing our Roots, Learning from the Past

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By Richard Leo Ramos as originally posted at the Philippine Online Chronicles

memories

It is at once one of the greatest strengths and one of the most striking weaknesses of the Filipino psyche: Somehow, Filipinos seem to have a very short memory when it comes to unpleasant events. Depending on the context of the situation, this is either proof of the Filipino’s capacity to forgive, forget, and move on, or it could also be evidence that Filipinos are culturally hopeless, as they will be doomed to keep on making the same general mistakes over and over again.

And the sad part is, we do actually have a saying about it:

“Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan.”

Traditionally said to be from Jose Rizal, this quotation is already a warning to the Filipino people to start remembering what went wrong in the first place, and to fix it, if possible.

The irony of the situation, however, is that it is usually used as a way to guilt-trip people into supporting old friends, or giving money when there is a need. Even worse, it can also be used as a way to create a “class divide” when someone from a poorer neighborhood makes it big and moves on to a better financial scale of living.

Here are some things we shouldn’t forget – even if it means we stop being the “nice, likeable Filipinos” that we are stereotyped as being.

Debts and favors given
This one is a classic: An old friend from your past, someone who may not even have been in touch with you for quite some time, suddenly knocks at your proverbial door to ask for help. It could be help in finding a job, but it usually is about borrowing money, with the promise to pay it back when things get better.

It all sounds fine, until you start asking for the money. The next thing you know, you’re being told that you’re not acting like a friend, or, worse, the person will avoid you or even try to ruin your name by spinning a different tale about the money involved.

Our piece of advice is to do a “Frozen” and let it go. However, it does not mean that you should forget. The next time that person comes knocking at your door (if ever), smile, offer them a drink… and nothing else. Don’t do anything for them again. While it may not be the Christian thing to do, by some people’s eyes, it is definitely more Christian in the sense that you are helping yourself to less stress, and helping the other by giving them a character-defining moment.

Accepting a less-than-stellar past
If there’s anything that a person should be proud of, it’s rising from humble beginnings to become a more successful person. And this isn’t just about financial success, but also about personal and artistic triumphs as well.

Some people, however, seem to feel ashamed about not being successful early in life. This is understandable: after all, it could be about peer pressure, where they could lose some strategic friendships or alliances if it were found out they were “not one of us” in the beginning, or it could simply be about not destroying the personal narrative that has been created.

What these people fail to see is that this turn of events in one’s life could be even more powerful than perpetuating a “mysterious past.” Rags-to-riches success stories are the best examples of human determination and passion. If you have “friends” who can’t handle it, that’s their problem. And you will always find better allies who will respect what you’ve done.

Our advice is to accept your origins, and use it as part of your strength moving forward. Ignore the people who love to harp on it, because that’s either insecurity or limited thinking at work. Your only concern is to do well for yourself, and to be a good person.

Charity, social responsibility, and crab mentality
Now, this is somewhat related to the first issue about old friends knocking at your door. However, in this case, it’s about the community that can build around people who are successful, one way or the other.

Filipino communities, for want of a better term, are held together in part by the power of tsismis, or the gossip grapevine. It’s no surprise, then, that some people you may not even know, or community leaders, may come knocking at your door, if they know you have particular skills, financial reserves, or connections. Now, many of these requests definitely fall in the reasonable side of things, and should be entertained and acted upon as best as possible. After all, what’s a little goodwill? However, when you do start noticing that people are beginning to see you more as a favor-mill than as a person, then you should find a way to explain that your resources are limited – and that you do have other things to do with your time.

The bad part is: many people won’t take it well. Welcome to the wonderful world of crab mentality, where people will start all sorts of gossip about you, just because you had the temerity to say “no” to their request.

Our advice on this one is: again, keep on doing good for the people who ask you correctly, who don’t impose on you. Keep on minding your own business. If people believe the gossip, let them – at least you know whom you should not trust, and who will never ask for your help.

The two sides of the coin
If you’ve noticed, it seems that the whole idea of “remembering your roots” has both a dark and light side to it, particularly for Filipinos. Now, this isn’t something you should despair about. Instead, think about it as an effect of the difficult times the Filipino people has had in the past few decades. People need help from each other, and in some cases, this has become rather negative in aspect, where people expect those who are more successful to share the wealth. And traditions can be twisted such that if you try to be reasonable and strict about your contributions, you will end up being the bad guy.

If anything, the best way to help yourself in staying true to your roots and the past, it is to do as much good as possible, by being fair in your business practices, by being an ethical and moral person, and simply knowing when to say no. Your personal and public dealings must reflect your real character. That way, no matter what people say, you will be doing right by your own traditions, your own past.

Photo: “Memories” by Marina del Castell , c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved

The indomitable spirit of the Filipinos #SarapMagingPilipino

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sarapmagingpilipino
Ang sarap talaga maging Pilipino. Masarap ang kainan . Masarap ang tawanan. Masarap ang kantahan. Masarap ang mahalan .

What do foreigners see about our Filipino culture that we take for granted? I watched this video on Bakit pati ibang tao, napapamahal sa Pilipinas? which features foreigners living in the Philippines, sharing their observations on Filipinos and our culture. The video touched me so much that I found myself welling up in tears…out of love of country.

Anna Rabstun-Baylosis is one of the foreigners in the video. She is a Russian, married to a Filipino with two children. She has been living in the country for two years now and proudly embraced the Filipino culture so much that she not only speaks and understands Tagalog quite fluently, she also sings in Tagalog. In the video, she lovingly reminisce about the 500 pesos worth of phone cards that her husband spent to call her daily. “He did not just buy phone cards…he really took care of me”, Anna adds. It must be our sense of humor, our wonderful culture and the colorful heritage. Anna adds that “It’s so personal here in the Philippines. There is no handshake, there is kissing and hugging.”

anna rabtsun baylosis

A few weeks ago, I was seated next to Henry, an American expat who gushed to me how much he loved Kare-kare. adobo and the karoake singing. I thought he was just being polite. See how much I take things for granted. I was surprised when he stood up to sing “Ikaw Na” that I recorded it below.

Wow, he sang with gusto! IKAW NA, Henry!

Almost everyone in the Philippines loves to sing. It is one great way to relax and for others a way to cope during tough times.

me and the Philippine flag

As a citizen advocate, I often see some criticisms online that focuses on the negative side of the Filipino value system. There is the ambivalence of the “bahala na” mentality but it can actually have two sides. This Filipino attitude could be the root of the positive value of risk taking, entrepreneurship, and social responsibility.”

A people’s will to take chances and risks, no matter what difficulties and problems the future entails, is necessary for a nation’s growth and destiny. Bahala na could be a genuine faith and trust in Divine Providence that also presupposes a self-reliance (pagsasarili) that took the form of People Power in the EDSA revolution. Bahala na was a positive and nationalistic virtue for Jose Rizal, who believed that Filipinos could no longer rely on the Spaniards, but only on themselves and on God.

That is the positive way of looking at the “Bahala Na”. “When negative bahala na prevails, nothing ever gets done. Potholed roads, uncollected garbage, countless unsolved murders, carnaping and smuggling remain year after year. How many have ever been arrested, convicted or jailed for wanton murder or for notorious graft and corruption?”

june 12 2014 OUCHPiNoy

There is so much goodness in the Filipino values and traits that I want to work with that. Positive traits speed up progress. I believe we should all step up and and ask ourselves , what can I do for my country? We are all doing our part and beyond our duty as citizens of this beloved country through our advocacies. Consistent, committed courageous people have changed the world as Mae Paner, my fellow advocate says.

Shall we?

Bukas ay Araw ng Kalayaan, ipagmamalaki natin kung bakit ang sarap maging Pilipino.

sarap maging pilipino

QualiMed: affordable & quality healthcare services for all

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I still remember those sleepless nights filled with anxiety whenever one of my kids fell ill. This particular child was often sick every month. Driving to the Emergency room at least once a month was routine already.

sick kid in hospital

Getting hospitalized is another thing. On one occasion, my toddler got struck with broncho-pneumonia which I knew to be deadly even during those days. Fortunately she got well and we were so grateful to the doctors and the hospital. Though we were happy at her recovery, the bill of 25,000 pesos in 1989 was more than our monthly income. Borrowing money from relatives was our only option to pay the hospital.

sick kid in hospital 1

My husband was not yet a lawyer and our source of income was his part time job. To give you perspective, he was only earning 5,000 a month while I had a monthly income of at least 2,000. I resolved to get coverage from a Health Maintenance organization (HMO) for the family instead of a college plan. It’s been over 25 years now and it has served us well.

QualiMed queue

Not everyone has an HMO plan unless one gets these benefits from an employer. I am always in the lookout for an affordable HMO. Twenty five years later, my HMO is charging me 15,000 pesos a quarter. I guess as one gets older, the premium gets higher.

Enter QualiMed, offering affordable healthcare services for all. It is not a full-pledged HMO at this point but it can tie up with your HMO.

qualiMed affordable health care

When I received the mommy blogger invite, I was impressed that QualiMed is a network of healthcare facilities owned and operated by Mercado General Hospital, Inc. (MGHI) in partnership with Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI). Dr. Edwin Mercado, is a close friend of my brother-in-law, a surgeon and my sister, a dermatologist. Even before QualiMed, Dr. Mercado was already serving affordable health care in their hospital in Tanuan, Batangas. I can tell you with confidence that you are in good hands with QualiMed only because I know the doctors behind this.

qualimed edwin mendoza

The first question that comes to mind is …Eh Ayala kayo, di mahal kayo? . I guess that is the first impression but what comes to my mind is quality service. There is a promise of “Integrated care delivery with strong focus on primary care”. With “Alagang Abot-Kaya” as brand promise, the healthcare facilities are intended to cater to the needs of the broad C market. QualiMed Health Network is devoted to fulfilling a commitment to 3As – Accessibility (ease of financial and physical access), Affordability (price predictability and competitiveness), and Appropriateness (quality service and genuine care).

qualiMed event

Mommy bloggers got to tour the main QualiMed healthcare facility along Taft Avenue (formerly University Physicians Medical Center) which has the capabilities and services ranging from a multi-specialty medical clinic, an ambulatory or day surgery center, to a full-service general hospital. It is quite impressive.

ct scan

Lorna Lardizabal-Dietz , my balikbayan sister already used the laboratory facilities in the main clinic along Taft Avenue in her two visits to the country. She says “state-of-the-arts services with great customer service and affordable rates.” As a happy customer , she availed of these services: CT scan, mammography, 2D echo, opthalmology exam, complete laboratory workup, colonoscopy, EKG and visited endocrinologist for her diabetes. I am planning to use their digital mammography service since they have a promo price of 999 pesos till mid-June. Dr. Mercado told me that this is less painful than the usual mammography.

qualidmed

Each hospital or clinic under QualiMed is strategically located in mixed-use developments that have commercial, office, and residential areas, making QualiMed services physically accessible to all.

There are plans to develop an HMO plan starting at 250 to 300 a month which I believe is affordable. PhilHealth only pays for hospital benefits. The key to good health is preventive health care. Filipinos need this accessibility . QualiMed’s advocacy of providing affordable healthcare services for all, is attained by a well-established procurement system and operational efficiencies. Every Filipino – regardless of socioeconomic status – deserves access to quality healthcare whenever and wherever a need arises. Prices are 30-40% lower than the market.

chest x ray

I am confident that the QualiMed healthcare services are provided by a competent medical team. My sister who practices dermatology has clinic here too. Dr. Mercado told me doctors are governed by clinical practice guidelines, duly credentialed by MGHI’s Office for Quality and Safety, and evaluated using performance metrics focused on output and patient outcomes.

laboratory at qualiMed

Because of these, patients can expect to receive only the appropriate procedures and diagnostics corresponding to what they actually need. Here are the rates at their Trinoma Health clinic . Just click image to view the bigger file.

TriNoma Services Price List for Doctors_front

TriNoma Services Price List for Doctors_back
Click image for a bigger file

The health network’s operational facilities are QualiMed Manila (Taft Avenue, Manila), Daniel O. Mercado Medical Center (Tanauan, Batangas), and QualiMed Clinic in TriNoma (North Avenue, Quezon City). More facilities will open in various locations around the country. These are QualiMed Clinic in Fairview Terraces in Novaliches, Quezon City (opening in 3Q 2014), QualiMed Hospital in Sta. Rosa, Laguna (opening in 4Q 2015), QualiMed Hospital in San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan (opening in 4Q 2015) and QualiMed Hospital in Iloilo (opening in 3Q 2014). QualiMed Hospital in Iloilo is a women and children’s center. You can visit their facebook page at facebook.com/QualiMedPH or twitter and instagram account : @QualiMedPH.

More about QualiMed

MGHI is the parent company behind QualiMed Manila (formerly University Physicians Medical Center), the only advanced multi-specialty outpatient diagnostic and surgical center in Taft Avenue, Manila. MGHI also owns and operates the Daniel O. Mercado Medical Center (DMMC), a tertiary hospital in Tanauan, Batangas, recognized as a Center of Excellence by PhilHealth. MGHI also founded the DMMC Institute of Health Sciences (DMMC-IHS), a tertiary healthcare education institution, which also houses the Newborn Screening Reference Center for Southern Luzon.

ALI is the real estate arm of Ayala Corporation, one of the largest and most respected business houses in the Philippines. With its promise of “Enhancing Land, Enriching Lives for More People”, Ayala Land has a legacy of building large-scale, fully-integrated, mixed use communities that are sustainable and increase in value over time. Ayala Land’s product lines range from residential, malls, offices, hotels and resorts to new product lines such as convenience stores, supermarkets, and department stores.

ALI’s partnership with MGHI is its first healthcare venture. This would further complete and enhance the experience in ALI’s mixed-use communities. You can visit their facebook page at facebook.com/QualiMedPH or twitter and instagram account : @QualiMedPH.

Why “Glam moms” is an elitist, misleading concept

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Written By Alina Co

katieA little over two years ago, I shot a promotional video where the TV host/glam mom was telling us all about her new TV show.katie But what she said sort of disturbed me. She said, “I want moms to know they can have it all.”

By saying “having it all”, she meant that moms can do everything: care for your family, maintain a flourishing career and stay beautiful and fit all at the same time.

Really now? If only she could have read the subtitle in my head.

For moms, “having it all” can be easy if your husband earns a living, high enough to sustain you whole family. It’s easy if you and your husband were born from rich families, and you have all the support you need: yayas you can hire, a grand mom who’s eager to babysit the kids anytime, a driver who can ease Manila’s traffic woes. “Having it all” means mommy can take a part-time or consulting job, and have time to sweat it out at the gym and get pampered in a spa.

The concept of a “glam mom”, as what the TV host and her show espoused, remains elitist, an ideal that upper-class women uphold so they can claim their superiority.

I am not a mom myself, but I couldn’t help but cringe when magazines present these women as picture-perfect ladies who live their happy endings everyday. Sure, I don’t think what they’re presenting are lies. But I hope the writer won’t forget to add that these women have high disposable incomes.

I cringe because there’s Telly, a single mom who struggles with a high-paying yet stress-inducing advertising job to give her child a good future. I roll my eyes because Nina, a bank manager, works full-time so that she and her husband can have enough money to buy a house and an educational plan for their daughter. She takes on the “mom” hat in the morning before she commutes to the office and in the evening, takes it off, because her little darling is already asleep. This “perfect mom” misrepresentation can make moms like Krisel feel inadequate because she’s gotten overweight and she hasn’t found time to shed the pregnancy pounds since she went back to work.

“Glam moms” can be too shiny and sparkling that people cannot see what’s behind those pearly white teeth. I just think it’s about time people spoke the truth.

Because the truth is, it shouldn’t be about “having it all.” Magazines and glossies should show real women and their real struggles. Women who try, despite the obstacles, should be the ones celebrated.

For these are the moms who really had a lot to sacrifice. Being “glam” is just the package. Tear that up and you’ll see beauty in the half-blow dried hair, the frazzled commute to make it from the office to the family day, her tearful smile when the sleepy toddler, half-awake on a weekday evening, whispers “Mama, I love you.”

* This piece is dedicated to my mommy, who didn’t have it all, but instead gave us her all.

A Cherie Blair Foundation Mentee in the May 2014 group of the Mentoring Women in Business Programme

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Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.
Mahatma Gandhi

One is never too old to learn. At 56 years old, I continually challenge myself to learn new things because I want to enjoy every minute of my life. I am honored to be one of the 17 Filipinas nominated for the May 2014 group of the Mentoring Women in Business Programme which is a one year mentoring program of the Cherie Blair Foundation.

cherie blair foundation for women

The Cherie Blair Foundation matched me with a mentor who lives in the UK based on the goals and interests I outlined in the application forms. I met my mentor for the first time last night and we had a great time, chatting over Skype. I believe we are great match and look forward to working with him over the next year.

There are a suite of free, online tools for our meetings –Gchat, Skype, Google Hangouts, Viber, etc that will be quite useful. This mentoring program is really exciting for women around the world.

We match women in developing and emerging countries with male and female mentors around the world. Using our online platform, they spend 12 months working one-on-one to achieve key business goals. Participants build their business skills and digital literacy through our trainings, and become part of a global community of committed, ambitious entrepreneurs who are invested in each other’s success.

Many women in developing and emerging markets have the ideas and ambition to become successful entrepreneurs but are held back by barriers such as lack of access to business skills, technology, networks and finance. In response, the Foundation has developed an innovative solution that combines mentoring with technology to offer cross-border support to women entrepreneurs.

The programme boosts confidence, improves business performance and ultimately creates wealth for the entrepreneurs we support.

Mentoring is a great opportunity to help both the mentee and mentor grow. This is an exciting year and I am challenged to meet my goals.

“Encouraging women to become entrepreneurs has the positive effect of helping more women participate in the workforce”

Hey Mom! portal : an online sisterhood for moms

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hey mom

I am quite honored to be selected as one of the mom contributors for Unilab’s Hey Mom! portal. Most mom-oriented brands prefer the younger moms to engage with their products or services. I believe I have a lot to share about parenting and am grateful for being given this opportunity to share these stories outside my blog. Aside from myself, former international model and VJ Amanda Griffin Jacob is one of the celebrity contributors. Her projects revolve around motherhood which has proven to be Amanda’s passion. Actress Mylene Dizon is another contributor as a single and playful mom.

hey moms mommies

Unilab prepared this very special gift for moms just in time for Mothers’ Day—an online community made by Filipino mothers for Filipino mothers. Hey Mom! is an online portal specifically designed to be a resource for moms to access and exchange relevant information that will help in their everyday parenting tasks.

Hey Mom! provides mothers with knowledge on a wide variety of topics: pregnancy, childbirth, nutrition, raising kids, taking care of themselves, and more. It contains stories from friends—Filipino moms who speak from experience who are sincerely there to help. It is a community so diverse that moms are bound to find a friend who they can share different parenting techniques with, parenting statuses, and many other parenting stories.

Here is what I shared during the May 8 website launch:

For Moms, By Moms

Moms are very blessed in this day of the information highway. During the eighties, I relied on books and some friends for tips. My mom died when I was a teen so she was not there to guide me. The Hey Mom! Portal will certainly be useful for first-time moms who may need some guidance.

Mothers are naturally hungry for information when it comes to parenting and their children but because information is readily available on the internet, it can get confusing for moms. The Hey Mom! portal also wants to acknowledge that there is no single rule when it comes to parenting. What worked for one mom may not necessarily work for another and this where Hey Mom! can help.

hey mom website 1

Simplifying Information

To further help moms simplify the information that they get, the Hey Mom! portal is customizable to the needs of the members. Upon sign-up, information about the moms and their children will be collected and will be used to tailor fit the topics that will appear on the homepage.

Hey Mom! does not offer one point of view but explores different opinions and parenting styles. The portal encourages conversations between our members in our portal as we know that moms usually listen to other moms. Articles for all types of moms—expecting, new and experienced—will be available in the portal. Moms are free to express their own opinions on the topics and share their experiences in the website through the comment boxes.

To register and find out more details about Hey Mom, users can visit heymom.com.ph or join us on www.facebook.com/heymomph.