Six reasons an ING digital savings account is worth looking at

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A digital savings account that encourages a healthy savings mindset is now possible. ING Philippines redefine savings with the launch of its all-digital platform. Opening an ING digital savings account was seamless. I downloaded the ING mobile app and in 10 minutes, I was ready for mobile banking by depositing a check through the app.  How convenient that I need not go to the bank to deposit the check.

ING’s country manager in the Philippines Hans Sicat described this as an opportune moment for ING to expand its presence in the country with a retail banking service anchored on a digital platform.  With a universal bank license in the Philippines, ING has been active in the country since 1990. “ING wants to encourage more Filipinos to save by giving an attractive interest rate of 2.5 percent per annum (p. a.) with no minimum amount and no lock-in period,” Sicat said.

READ: The ING app, an all digital savings account

There are six reasons ING digital savings account is worth looking at.

1. It is the first bank savings product where all bank transactions are conducted through the ING mobile app. 

It is the first bank authorized by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to allow end-to-end electronic onboarding of the customers via the mobile phone by using the latest in facial recognition technology.

2. A higher interest rate of 2.5 percent p.a. on savings balance of up to P10 million would be offered to ING users starting June 1, 2019. Any amount over P10 million would earn an interest rate of 1 percent p.a.

If you compare the interest rates with other banks, ING offers even higher than time deposit rates. Most savings accounts from major banks in the Philippines grow funds at 0.10 percent to 0.25 percent p.a..  A few high-interest savings accounts give up to 1.56 percent p.a. depending on the amount. All these banks require a minimum amount to earn interest. What’s the catch? One gets better rates because ING has lower operating costs since they do not have physical branches.Advertisements

3. No minimum amount or holding period.

The ING Savings Account offers high interest rate with no minimum amount. If one wants to withdraw the money from their ING Savings Account, transfer of funds is free to any bank in the Philippines in just a few clicks via the ING app. There is no holding period to enjoy the 2.5 percent interest rate p.a.

4. Deposit anytime, anywhere.

You could deposit money into your ING Savings Account through your mobile phone, either via check deposit or money transfers from other banks’ online banking channels. Your bank must have the PESONet or InstaPay system which lists “ING” as one of the receiving banks. Using the ING app, a customer could deposit to his account by taking a picture of any check issued by any bank based in the Philippines. The check image goes to the same interbank check clearing system. This game-changing feature is the first ever approved by the Philippine Clearing House Corp. Deputy Governor Fonacier of  BSP says “ING is one of the first few banks to adopt PESONet, and now, they are also connected to the Instapay platform. Both are initiatives by the BSP to promote digital fund transfers.”

5. Convenience is a primary consideration.

Whenever I visit the nearest branch of my bank, I need to park and pay at least P50 for parking then queue to deposit my check. I end up spending too since I am already at the mall. Even looking for a parking space in branches outside the mall is a challenge. Those working close to the banks don’t face the same challenge as a work-at-home mom like myself.  Since it’s all digital, you need not take a day off to take care of your banking needs. They could answer questions through the 24/7 customer chat support on the app.

6. Compliant with ING’s global standards and BSP’s standards.

ING mobile-only business model in the Philippines was built from the ground up. As a global bank with over 20 years expertise in branchless banking, they use the latest security

features under ING’s global standards. Since ING is a member of Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp. (PDIC), the maximum deposit insurance for each depositor is P500,000.

The ING savings account is its first product. More products would be rolled out soon, focusing not just on the features but also how the product would be delivered. ING is not just another digital banking product. With its high interest rate, it allows Filipinos to achieve their savings goals faster such as building an emergency fund. I could see myself saving more with the ING app.

Originally published at “A savings mindset with the ING full-digital savings account” on Sunday Business & IT, May 26, 2019.

Once a young mom with small children

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Youth fades, love droops, the leaves of friendship fall. A mother’s secret hope outlives them all. – Oliver Wendell Holmes

my children

I was once a mother with small kids. There are so many amazing mommy experiences that I want to capture them in a few photos. I loved watching my girls sing, laugh, and play together. There were just two of them for the first six years until Luijoe came later. I miss being a mom of little kids. At that time, all I could think of “hurry up. Grow up fast”. Now I look back and see their cute adorable faces and often sign “why did they grow up so fast”. I will always be a mother in every stage of my children’s life. There is a quote that says “a man’s work is from sun to sun, but a mother’s work is never done.’ The needs change in every stage but they will always be my children.

Let me take you down to memory lane.

Laughing even if little Lauren says ” I am tired of this photo shoot.

Being pregnant with M. as L. turns one year old. Spacing is always a good idea.

M named after the Dutch form of Mary. I was sick with acute Hepatitis B when I was 6 weeks pregnant. I prayed to Mother Mary so that my baby won’t get sick.

Not a good idea to wear longish hair style if your kids sleep with you.

Having two little kids in tow cause competition. Who should be in my arms? aww poor Lauren wanted to be carried too.

I don’t regret giving up my career to be a full-time mother. The lessons learned from being a mother makes me a better person today. My children taught me a lot. Those parenting books don’t really teach you much. One should take time to be attuned to one’s kids, and listen to their feelings.

My daughter thinks my dress is horrible in this photo but how would I have known? They have taught me how a mother should dress in style which I share in my Beauty Over 50 blog.

Then I was blessed to have three beautiful children. How I miss my little babies.

Having Luijoe at 35 years old meant it was harder to lose weight. I was 48 years old when I finally lost significant weight.

I was so fat that I was not inspired to have photos with Luijoe and me together. One of my regrets.

The truth is I made mistakes that makes me wish I could turn back the time. Yes, I cannot undo the past  but I wish I had a support group of mom friends.  Looking now at my mistakes, I would not have discovered my capacity to be a better person and more loving mother. No wonder Rajneesh mentioned that “the moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new. ”

Mothers these days are so lucky because they have access to information and support from other mothers. In those days as a young mother, I had to buy books that were hard to find.

Though Luijoe is not with me anymore, he lives in my heart. Just like my two girls, it’s been a short while I held their hands. I know I will hold their hearts forever.

I wish all the young mothers out there, to always take care of yourself . Do a “Pamper Me” once a week and most of all, play, enjoy and have fun with your kids (no matter what age they are).

Happy Mother’s Day.

Happy that Young Living Essential Oils is now in the Philippines

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I  have been a member of Young Living since 2018 after I discovered the primary benefits of essential oils in a healthy lifestyle. After the long anticipated wait, I am delighted to know that Young Living essential oils have finally made a home in the Philippines. I knew they arrived last November but I never got to visit The Young Living Experience Center in Bonifacio Global City until the media and bloggers meetup last week.

The Young Living Experience Center is a haven for all essential oil enthusiasts and a place where even the biggest essential oil skeptic could see for themselves what the big deal about these oils are all about. Here, all are welcome to experience the beloved oils first-hand, as well as be immersed with the wellness world of Young Living in its 25th anniversary.

I got my starter kit (11 oils that support every body system plus extras) as an introduction to everyday essential oils. My friend Jane Uymatiao introduced me on how to use essential oils the proper way. Our group is the Southern Blends and it helps that we have a chat group that share the benefits and challenges of using essential oils.

There are two things to remember before starting to use these essential oils.

  1. Always skin test an essential oil before using it because each body is different, so apply in a small area first. Apply one oil or blend at a time. Wait 2-3 minutes before applying another oil to allow the body enough time to respond before applying another oil.
  2. Sometimes minor skin irritation may appear when applying essential oils to skin that has been exposed to cosmetics, personal care products, soaps, and cleansers containing chemicals. Some of them contain petroleum chemicals and may cause detox reactions like , rashes, headaches, light headedness and some discomfort. Should this occur temporarily discontinue use. You may need to do a cleansing program first.

In a world that is on a constant state of rush and movement, using essential oils is a call to slow down, take deep breaths, rest, and be energized. For people who use Young Living, the brand calls to mind the calming and balancing atmosphere that its essential oils bring whenever they are used. Some of the most loved Young Living essential oils are the sweet-smelling and relaxing Lavender, stimulating Peppermint and grounding Frankincense – all regarded for their purity and high quality.

Be it applied topically or used aromatically, product users are passionate with how Young Living products not only benefitted their overall self-wellness, but how it has impacted and transformed the lives of so many people through the discovery of wellness and a life full of purpose and abundance. 

I have tested many essential oils and Young Living is one of two brands I like. The other brand is available in the USA.

The rigorous standards and sourcing discipline that Young Living has lived by for 25 years is what sets them apart from other brands. It sets the industry standards for quality and purity with its proprietary Seed to Seal commitment, which consists of 3 pillars – Sourcing, Science and Standards.

  • Sourcing
    • Sourcing the highest quality materials only from corporate-owned farms, partner farms and Seed to Seal-certified suppliers to empower the company to be a steward of the earth by sourcing conscientiously with sensitivity to community impact.
  • Science
    • With 180 years of combined research and R&D experience, Young Living’s laboratory team tests samples internally as well as through 3rd party accredited laboratories. This is all to ensure that the company only creates pure and effective products that contain the cleanest and most innovative ingredients available.
  • Standards
    • Young Living upholds its commitment to do business responsibly – from sustainability sourcing, uplifting local communities to respecting and complying domestic and international legal rules, providing top-tier standards for sustainability.

With these essential oils, I am able to do my Do-it-Yourself foot scrub or Linen spray.

During the bloggers event, I got to make my own simple “Do It Yourself Soothing Foot Scrub” using organic raw sugar, V6 oil and essential oils.

My choice was PanAway and peppermint. I love these two oils. PanAway is good for soothing muscle pain while peppermint is an added treat for soothing tired feet.

During the sumner, one can beat the heat by using the summer spritz. Try this recipe out.

I love the additional oils I got from Young Living Philippines. These will surely come in handy when I prepare my own DIY Linen spray or just use it for my diffuser or applied topically.

The Young Living Experience Center is located on the Ground Floor, Twenty-five Seven McKinley Building, 25th Street corner 7th Avenue, Bonifacio Global City (BGC) but you can also contact me for more information on how to be a member of Young Living Philippines. Or just ask me any question on how to use essential oils .

On my 13th year as momblogger

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How time flies. My blog , Touched by an Angel (aboutmyrecovery.com) is now 13 years old.

Losing a son felt like the end of the world to me . I wanted to die along with him but I had to remember that I still had two children and a husband to look after. I knew I had to transform my pain to something that will help not only myself but everyone around me. One night as I sat down on my couch, I found out there was no use making sense of my son’s death but there is hope in making sense of my life. I pondered “What can I do about it now?” “How can I help?” or  “How do I pick up the pieces and go on living as meaningful as possible?

When I look back at my grief journey, the turning point came when I became a blogger. It must have been my angel that touched me that one night.

That is why I chose to call my blog, “Touched by an Angel”.

Looking at my first post in 2006, I merely wanted to give hope to parents, siblings and grandparents that there is a new normal after a loss of a child. I did not know how to blog and merely wrote a few sentences. This is ,my first post :

After being online for the past 10 years, I felt it was time to start a blog. Not that blogs are commonplace but I felt I have a lot to share especially with regards to my grief journey and the transformation that has taken place in the past year.

I chose joy over sadness. It is said that grief is inevitable but misery is optional. I realized that it did no good to sit in my misery pit. It does no good for the loss of my son to lead to the loss of two.

What does do good is doing good. I decided to lead the second part of my life differently and better than I would have imagined in the name of my son, Luijoe. I know that as I reach out to bereaved parents , the world is changed in some small way for the better, and then the actions taken become my living tribute to my son. And then Luijoe is never entirely gone.

Indeed, it was a choice between joy and misery. I transformed my grief to joy in doing something meaningful. I know I would always be grieving for life but I wanted that pain to move to a positive resolution.


Audio-visual presentation during the launch of my ebook

Never in my wildest dream did it occur to me that this new life without my son would open doors to an even more meaningful life. I hope you will indulge me a bit more if I talk about the past 12 years.

The recognition (4 major awards plus two more from a telecom company) helped promote this blog so I could reach out to more who may need comfort.

best blog for PUP Mabini Media Awards
Best Blog, 1st PUP Mabini Media Awards
February 13, 2014
read more?

Picture 1.png
Winner, Best Website
Blogs Category
10th Philippine Web Awards
November 23, 2007
read more?

digital filipino web award
Winner, Blog- Personal Category
DigitalFilipino.com Web Awards 2007
April 27, 2007

blog awards

Winner, Best Website
Blogs Category
9th Philippine Web Awards
December 7, 2006

The Mabini Media Award is quite unique because it covers all that I am today. It affirms the evolution of my journey as a blogger and a bereaved mom to an active mom blogger who advocates constructive engagement on family and social issues.

best blog Mabini Media Awards

Three years after I started this blog, an opportunity presented itself to me to be part of the Automated elections in a 2009 training. I grabbed the chance. I felt sad that the democracy that we fought so hard in 1986 was getting fragile. I felt the same heaviness in my heart as I saw the corruption slowly destroying our country. What will happen to the country that my children will inherit one day? I wanted to be part of the change of transformation of governance.

blogwatch

I chose to be a citizen advocate making change happen, one blog post at a time, one tweet at a time. Being part of that positive change is a meaningful life to me. Blog Watch  is so much a part of my life aside from this blog.

Do I miss my beloved Luijoe? Of course , I do. Is there sadness or a tear now and then? Yes. But there is a big difference. The sadness no longer steals the joy away. The awful pain and emptiness lessened as I treasured the memories of the moments spent together, not dwelling on the times which will never happen. That pain is giving me courage to focus on my purpose in life. To live a meaningful life as a citizen advocate, to make a difference by advocating social change for good.

I’d like to thank all of you for being part of that change, of being part of my community.

Social media and suicide

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 Hopeline hotlines 02-804-HOPE (4673); 0917-558-HOPE (4673); or 2919 (toll-free number for Globe and TM subscribers). 

Did you know every 40 seconds, someone dies of suicide? The World Health Organization (WHO) states that close to 800 000 people died by suicide every year, which is one person every 40 seconds. We cannot avoid reading about suicide in our social media news feeds or private group chats. Let me point out the phrases “died of suicide” or “died by suicide” as neutral ways to explain the death. These phrases replace “committed suicide” or “completed suicide.” 

Social media use and depression

 Growing evidence showed that social media can influence pro-suicide behavior. The 2012 study on “Social Media and Suicide: A Public Health Perspective” (David D. Luxton, PhD, Jennifer D. June, BA, and Jonathan M. Fairall, BS) cited the role social media, might have in suicide-related behavior. The rise of pro-suicide, social media sites may pose a new risk to vulnerable people who might not have been exposed to these potential hazards. Media also plays an influence on suicidal behavior, and suicide methods used. Cyberbullying and cyber harassment are prevalent problems. An increase in publicized cases of suicide in 2011 involved social media. 

Another paper came out on “Increases in Depressive Symptoms, Suicide-Related Outcomes, and Suicide Rates Among U.S. Adolescents After 2010 and Links to Increased New Media Screen Time” (Jean M. Twenge, Thomas E. Joiner, Megan L. Rogers, Gabrielle N. Martin) in 2017. The study discovered that adolescents who devoted more time online such as social media were more likely to report mental health issues. Psychiatrist Dr Dinah Nadera says “that sense of lack of social connectedness is very, very prevalent…. They’re connected but they can’t seem to have a trusted person”.  Without experimental evidence, one is unclear that the rise in new media screen time causes the increase in mental health issues after 2011. Three earlier studies, however, provided evidence that “screen time in social media use, may cause depressed mood rather than vice versa, at least among adults.”  The research concludes that adolescent mental health issues rose since 2010, among females. New media screen time is both associated with mental health issues and increased over this time period.

The relationship between social media use and depression remains a controversial topic. A study in 2018 by San Francisco-based social innovation group called HopeLab did not find a correlation between use and self-reported depressive symptoms. Despite the lack of conclusive studies, I cannot stress enough that our digital well-being matters. It is best to disconnect when called for and create healthy habits for ourselves.

 WHO says suicides are preventable

There is hope. WHO believes suicide is preventable with timely, evidence-based and often low-cost interventions. We need a comprehensive multisectoral suicide prevention strategy for national responses to be effective. This is where Mental Health Law (RA No. 11036) comes in. The law provides affordable and accessible mental health services to Filipinos if implemented well.

Social networking sites for suicide prevention can facilitate social connections among peers with similar experiences. Know of legitimate sites to increase awareness of prevention programs, crisis help lines, and other support and educational resources. A Facebook page called “Anxiety and Depression Support Philippines” (ADSP) is a mental health support group run by volunteers. The page has closed Facebook group where people can vent their feelings, meet new people, ask questions without judgments. 

Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (http://www.ngf-hope.org) started Hopeline, a depression and suicide prevention hotline to help those suffering from depression. The numbers to call are ?02-804-4673 and ?0917-558-4673. Globe and TM subscribers may call the toll-free number 2919. 

10 years ago, I added a Suicide Prevention page (https://aboutmyrecovery.com/suicide-prevention/) in my blog to save a life. What if each one of us do their share in saving a life by educating ourselves and our community? Let us take advantage of current suicide news to educate people and/or ourselves about suicide and mental health instead of spreading hate and fueling stigma. Use social media for good.

 Suicide prevention is everybody’s business

ADSP warns about sharing any photos and videos that describes the suicide and self-harm related content. Why? It could trigger other mental health warriors. It could encourage copycat self-harming or suicide. None of us can fathom their pain so let’s stop judging people who suffer from depression. Stigma, surrounding mental disorders and suicide, means many people thinking of taking their own life or who have attempted suicide are not seeking help and not getting the help they need. By raising awareness and educating the public, we can SAVE lives. A person talking about how they feel reduces their distress; they also see other options and are much less likely to attempt to suicide. Talking the situation over with a caring person helps whether you’re in a crisis yourself, or worried about someone else who is.  You don’t have to wait until the deepest point of crisis or until you have a life-threatening problem before you seek help.  

 Hopeline hotlines 02-804-HOPE (4673); 0917-558-HOPE (4673); or 2919 (toll-free number for Globe and TM subscribers). The Department of Health manages the Hopeline. Support is out there. 

First published at Sunday Times and IT on January 19, 2019

What you need to know about kids and VR before it reaches the classrooms

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Technology inside the classroom is not a new idea. Even though technology progresses, the message is relevant. I came in an era of filmstrip projectors, copy machines, tape recorders, cassette players and television sets. Then VCRs, CD players, DVD players and a myriad of other tools came along. These are forms of technology that have aided teachers and enhanced instruction in the past. Today, Virtual reality (VR) is the future of education. Students will enjoy VR-enabled textbooks and virtual classrooms soon.

The skepticism of VR on our kids is a concern. I dealt with the same apprehension when I first introduced my children to the internet in 1995. The decision to make technology a healthy and positive part of family life was to embrace it. I learned to educate myself about it and go hands-on with new devices, apps, social networks and services wherever accessible.

virtual reality classrooms

Image from commonsense.org. Some rights reserved.

A Common Sense research in 2018, titled “Virtual Reality 101: What You Need to Know About Kids and VR,” helps bring clarity by summing up the existing body of studies. The report was co-authored with researchers at Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab. Virtual Reality 101 “explores the potential positive and negative effects of VR experiences on kids’ cognitive, social, and physical well-being and its potential to shape young people’s perspectives.” It pays to understand the risks and benefits of VR. Key findings of the paper show:

1. VR is likely to have powerful effects on children because it can provoke a response to virtual experiences similar to a response to actual experiences.

2. The long-term effects of children’s use of immersive VR on their still-developing brains and health are unknown, but most parents are concerned, and experts advocate moderation and supervision.

3. Only one in five US parents (21 percent) today report living in a household with VR, and the majority (65 percent) are not planning to purchase VR hardware. However, the interest levels of US children are high, while parent interest is mixed.

4. Characters in VR may be influential on young children, even more so than characters on TV or computers. This can be good or bad depending on the influence.

5. Students often feel more enthusiasm for learning while using VR, but they do not necessarily learn more through VR than through video or computer games.

6. VR can potentially be an effective tool for encouraging empathy among children, though most parents are skeptical.

7. When choosing VR content, parents should consider whether they would want their children to have the same experience in the real world.

virtual reality classrooms

Image via Commonsense.org.

VR is evolving and schools and households will embrace this technology in the coming years. It is critical for parents and educators to understand VR’s dynamic effects, as there are not enough studies on how this immersive medium affects a child’s developing brain. More than half of the parents surveyed in this report said they are at least “somewhat concerned” that their children will experience negative health effects while using VR. There is a need for caution with its usage by young children. VR manufacturers have been careful to recognize that the effects of VR on toddlers and the risks are unknown. Except for VR devices targeted toward child users, most companies suggest that children below 12 years old should not use them. The study recommends that adult participants use VR for only 20 minutes at a time without a break. When the lab studies young kids, they are in VR for five minutes or less at any one time to avoid simulator sickness.

As a parent confronted with the internet and personal computers in the mid-nineties, I prefer that my children read a book, or play volleyball than vegetate in front of the computer. Internet and computers were not available in the classrooms. But I thought the internet can have a place at home and I took the risk of exposing them to this technology before it got introduced in their classrooms. Though I don’t have young kids at home. I continue to immerse in new technologies even buying a standalone virtual reality headset to understand the risks and benefits to children. It can be safe, uplifting and a wonderful part of kids’ lives if spent wisely, together with other balanced and healthy daily activities.

You can download the full report “Virtual Reality 101: What You Need to Know About Kids and VR,” at Commonsensemedia.org. Common Sense is the leading independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology.

‘Oversharenting’ and other social media pitfalls

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“Whether or not you realize it, you’re setting up a digital trail for your children that can last through their lifetime, and you’re doing it without your permission”

Psychological implications of growing up without anonymity

oversharentingCutesy photos may be harmless now, but they might pose a problem in years to come. This is why experts strongly recommend making sure that whatever images or anecdotes parents post are things their children will feel comfortable with later in life.

“Whether or not you realize it, you’re setting up a digital trail for your children that can last through their lifetime, and you’re doing it without your permission,” Greenberg says.

Kathryn Tuggle of Main Street explains that children can also be very sensitive about their appearance during their tween years. “If you post photos of your child during an ‘ugly duckling’ phase, you could be setting them up for self-esteem issues in the future.”

Another danger is “branding” your child. If you continually post pictures of them crying or clinging to you with captions like, “He’s so cranky,” or “She’s so shy,” it’s also possible you could be shaping your children’s perception of themselves. Hence, think about what’s best for your child, not you, the next time you log on to social media.

To read more about privacy setting pluses and the problems with privacy settings, click here.

‘Oversharenting’

Sharing too much information about one’s kids online has become too commonplace that according to Time, a term has already been coined for this: oversharenting. It is understandable that parents would want to share the growth and development of their children, but there’s also a fine line between posting family pictures and cutesy photos of baby’s first bath. You never know where your kid’s pictures might end up someday.

“Anytime you post anything on social media, you’re losing a little bit of control over what happens to that image,” says clinical psychologist Barbara Greenberg through Main Street. “There are people out there who are bad. There are stalkers and malicious people who can take your pictures and put them on sites where heads end up on other people’s bodies… Socially isolated people who spend all day on Facebook stalking people, who get turned on by children,” Greenberg adds, emphasizing how as parents, we have to think about how much we’re going to post.

Joining the bandwagon is never a good reason to post something. “There may be pressure to show off your baby, but you don’t have to join that club. It’s always your decision.”

What you can do

Some parents go to extreme measures of literally posting nothing about their kids at all, but for those who still want to share photos or videos of their beautiful brood to some extent online, here are some tips that might be helpful:

  • If you shall decide to keep your child off social media, cull your friend list and let them know about your intention of doing so.
  • You may also use a pet name, rather than your child’s real name, to afford him/her some protection against companies or individuals who might be interested in your child’s personal data.
  • Avoid tagging your child’s photos on Facebook lest you want to the facial recognition tool to work on him/her.
  • Lock down your privacy settings to prevent strangers from viewing your pictures and posts.
  • Lastly, and most importantly, use the internet consciously and in a way that is effective and positive for your life.

15940615297_b6e61e5883_b

Here are other interesting and worthwhile reads on sharing about your child on social media:

*“Mother and Child Reflected” by William Pitcher, courtesy of Flickr. 

 

written by Edel Cayetano as originally posted at the Philippine Online Chronicles

 

12 Online Shopping Sites for your Christmas Shopping

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This was first published at the Sunday Business & IT , December 9, 2018

Are you done with your Christmas shopping? Many of my friends dread the rush to the high street to buy their last-minute Christmas presents. I don’t mind shopping at the mall. The Christmas carols and the holiday decors bring out that warm fuzzy feeling that glows inside me during the entire season. What’s challenging is the traffic and parking. Online shopping sites make holiday shopping convenient. I find it even more meaningful when I buy from budding Filipino entrepreneurs or social enterprises. I curated 12 online shopping sites with the help of my friends.

  1. Abubot (Abubot. ph)

If you are looking to buy gift items for your geeky friend, then head off to Abubot.ph. Check out the board games, role-playing games, and accessories.  I appreciate Abubot.ph’s mission to help small business owners and retailers have an online storefront to sell their products.

  1. Barapido (facebook.com/barapido/)

This start-up online platform showcases a variety of goods from local delicacies, home items, to clothing with intricate designs. Check out Balangay’s Best high quality, naturally processed and wild-caught sustainable seafood products from Artisan Filipino Fishers.

  1. BeautyMNL (beautymnl.com)

My daughter introduced me to BeautyMNL‘s curated assortment of beauty and wellness products. My favorite is Venus and Mars (V&M) Naturals, who first started out in Multiply.  Try out their fragrances, carrier oils, extracts, soaps, skin care, hair care products, spa and wellness products, and even aroma-therapeutic oils. BeautyMNL is also available at the Apple App store and Google Playstore.

  1. Domesticity (mydomesticity.com)

Domesticity, a social enterprise, is proud of their products because Filipinos make them, using materials indigenous to the Philippines.  For a limited time, check out Tilia, hand-loomed by a community of women in Kabankalan, Negros Occidental.

  1. ECHO Store (echostore.ph)

ECHO is the acronym for Environment & Community Hope Organization Store. I love ECHO‘s social enterprise. Aside from the convenience of online shopping, they have many retail stores that carry green, fair trade products created by marginalized community groups from the provinces of the Philippines. Buy the Malagos Premium Unsweetened Chocolate for your hot chocolate drink when celebrating Noche Buena.

  1. Kalsada (kalsada.com)

Kalsada champions Philippine specialty coffee. Their top priority is to support Filipino coffee producers and their dedicated efforts to bring quality coffee to market. My daughter’s gift this year was a 250g subscription of roasted Benguet Arabica coffee beans for six months.

  1. Karton (karton.ph)

Looking for gift baskets? Karton carries a varied selection for different personalities filled with unique local products such as the Christmas Warmth Basket, Stress Away Basket, Pamper Basket, Coffee Bundle.

  1. Marketa (marketa.ph)

Marketa Philippines is the country’s first lifestyle-managed marketplace platform. They champion local micro, small and medium enterprises to strengthen their online brand. Check out the goodies at Kim’s Pastry Haven, Village Breadhouse, and Sugar Babies Desserts Unlimited.

  1. Rags 2 Riches (rags2riches.ph)

Rags 2 Riches (R2R), a social enterprise, partners with local artisans across the Philippines to create eco-ethical fashion and home accessories out of upcycled, overstock cloth and indigenous fabrics. Community artisans weave their signature R2R products. Since most of them are mothers, they have created a unique system that allows them to work from their homes. You can also buy at their joyful marketplace (thingsthatmatter.ph) for advocates of beautiful, meaningful and impactful things.

  1. ToyTinkr (facebook.com/toytinkr)

The kids will love Toytinkr. They offer tools that challenge intelligence and creativity through educational toys. Kids will enjoy the puzzle toys, play kitchens, easels, Yogi Game Kit, stamp sets, and more.

  1. Winsome box (winsomebox.com)

Winsome Box is the first gift curating studio in Manila that offers specialized gifting services for personal, social, and corporate gifting. They partner with Filipino brands, local makers and artisans, and offer a unique channel for them to showcase their craft. Their holiday gift boxes offer the gift of tranquility, the gift of joy, the gift of peace, and the gift of wonder. 

  1. Xabukid (facebook.com/xabukid/)

Xabukid is an initiative of women social entrepreneurs with a passion for helping local communities. Check out their catalog of handwoven cloth made of abaca fibers made by Bagobo-Tagabawa women weavers of Bitaug, Bansalan, Davao del Sur.

Use caution when shopping online. Good shopping starts with good security. I usually choose cash on delivery or bank deposit for online shopping. Contact the shop owner for managed expectations of the product and the estimated delivery of your purchase.

Can you recommend other online shopping sites that promote social enterprises?  Please let me know at momblogger@protonmail.com so I can feature them.

My digital well-being matters

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Our digital well-being matters. It is best to disconnect when needed and create healthy habits for the whole family.

Originally posted at the Sunday Business & IT on October 14, 2018

Are you guilty of reaching for your phone every time you wake up in the morning to check on your notifications? I do and it has become a habit ever since I got hooked on social networking sites as early as 2007.

Screen time from another weekly period

Proof? I spent 56 hours and 37 minutes on my iPhone for the last seven days or an average of eight hours and five minutes per day. My husband overheard me exclaim as I read the Screen Time statistics on my iPhone. He comforted me with “That’s part of your job.” Sure, I am a social media practitioner and citizen advocate rolled into one. I love to curate news articles, share photos and updates or opinions from my five blogs. It is time to audit and check if my usage is too high or excessive for my work. Is it time well spent? My Fitbit app tells me I slept an average of seven hours and a half the past week. That leaves eight hours and a half for my laptop use and other activities such as driving, walking and meeting people.

The latest iOS 12 features the Screen Time tools which show up under Settings > Screen Time. This provides an iPhone user with iPhone 5 and above to find out the time spent and limit apps’ usage. The first thing I do is to check the Screen Time report, a bar graph that illustrates the time spent on my iPhone during the day or in a week. One can see the breakdown of the time spent on specific apps. Try it. My latest weekly screen report showed:

1. Social networking — 37 hours and 56 minutes (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, messenger, Messages, LinkedIn, Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp, Local, Bubbly, Skype, Quora, Tumblr, Signal)

2. Reading & Reference — 3 hours and 54 minutes (Safari, Waze, Angkas, Online news)

3. Creativity — 2 hours and 34 minutes (Lightroom CC, camera, photos, Snapseed, Boomerang, GoPro, Unfold, Insta360Nano S)

4. Others — 2 hours and 24 minutes (browsing, shopping apps)

5. Productivity — 1 hour and 40 minutes (Gmail, Drive, calculator, Calendar, One Note)

6. Entertainment — 1 hour and 4 minutes (Spotify, Youtube, Oculus)

7. Health & Fitness — 19 minutes (Fitbit, Nike)

In the WeAreSocial Global Digital Report for January 2018 in the Philippines, the average daily time spent using the internet via internet device is nine hours and 29 minutes. Average time using social media spent via any device is three hours and 57 minutes. While my total screen time is lower than the average, I spend over four hours on social media. I was alarmed by the data. After seeing I use 15 social networking apps, I decided to prioritize them.

Using the Screen Time tools, I limited the average one hour time on Facebook to 30 minutes a day. I did not set limits on Twitter. My number one platform for social media engagement is Twitter because fewer trolls thrive in this network. Thirty minutes in Facebook is not adequate during a busy news day.

iPhone users can use the “Do Not Disturb” function that lets you turn off your notifications and calls.

The “Downtime” feature allows you to do the same for apps. Parents can manage their kids’ screen time and impose app limits on them remotely. To use Screen Time for tracking and managing your kids’ device usage, the parent must add them to their iCloud Family Sharing account. Google initiated its “Digital Wellbeing” app, which is in beta preview for Pixel devices. Facebook and Instagram rolled out digital well-being features that include an activity dashboard, a daily reminder, and a new way to limit notifications.

Although I’m committed to using technology in advocating change for social good, my digital well-being stays front and center. There is a concern about the blue light from digital devices which allegedly can damage vision and speed up blindness. Based on an optical chemistry research at the University of Toledo in the US, “blue light from digital devices and the sun transforms vital molecules in the eye’s retina into cell killers”. Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, an assistant professor in chemistry and biochemistry in the university said: “We are being exposed to blue light and the eye’s cornea and lens cannot block or reflect it”. The research published at the peer-reviewed journal Scientific Reports added, “It’s no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye’s retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop.” If you want to protect your eyes from blue light, Dr. Ajith Karunarathne’s advice is to avoid looking at your cell phones or other blue-light emitting devices in the dark and consider wearing sunglasses.

Our digital well-being matters. It is best to disconnect when needed and create healthy habits for the whole family.

 

The complete study can be found here.

Emotion is the currency for the experience economy

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First published at the Sunday Business & IT Of the Sunday Times entitled “Embracing the era of experience: Marketing redefined”

Do you recall the feeling when you purchased something for yourself? When I bought a pair of Nike shoes a few weeks ago, I felt good about my decision even if the price was higher than my budget. I did not just gain a high-tech midsole with the lightest, softest, smoothest, and most responsive foam Nike has ever produced. I bought the total fitness experience. Beyond the shoe, the brand understood a consumer’s fitness journey and complemented it with a Nike+ Training Club app. I felt more excited to carry out my Fitibit step goals together with this Ultimate Personal Trainer. This is one example of a brand that goes where their customers are. I find value in this great experience. One sees the rise of the “Experience Economy” when someone shares happy stories in social networks. It is experience embedded at every stage of the consumer journey.

The Digital Congress (DigiCon) for 2018, organized by the Internet and Mobile Marketing Association of the Philippines (IMMAP), tackled the Experience Economy (XE). The XE covered discussions beyond technology and mediums with a focus on creating an experience for the senses. Bozoma Saint John, a marketing guru and keynote speaker, reminded the delegates, “Emotion is the currency for the experience economy. We’re in the feelings business. We’re not in the data business.” If one is a marketer trying to build a business, one is talking about feelings most of the time. I love brands that understand my desires and recognize sentiments. Amazon is one company that understood my anguish when I complained that the cost of custom duties was more than the product itself. Instead of giving me a difficult time, Amazon gave me a refund. In their email, Amazon explained they valued my loyalty. It is no surprise I am still a loyal customer for over 10 years now.

experience economy

The Amazon shopping experience set my standard for the customer experience. I look up to brands who provide similar seamless interactions from every touchpoint. It is the touchpoints within the customer journey that help define both good and not-so-good moments. At DigiCon, Anthony Baker provided insights into the Experience Playbook. With access to reviews and competitive pricing, customers get more control in their choices. In the past, when a product is good, it will sell. That is not the case anymore. The shift is now toward customers driving brand experiences. It is about moving from marketing to experiences. This means putting the customer at the center and in everything they do. One must rethink engagement by understanding and solving their needs.

experience economy

Brands must get loyalty by giving the consumer value and making their lives easier. Amazon got my loyalty because I experienced being valued as a customer.

Customers connect with brands in the evolving digital landscape of the Web, Mobile, Social, Messaging, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality/Mixed Reality, Voice, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Language, and Robotics.

Brands like Sephora, Nike, Alibaba, and Tencent are re-imagining consumer experiences. Value-added personalization services helped brands like Estée Lauder cut through the noise. Their chatbot finds the ideal consumer lipstick color for women. Some real estate companies use virtual reality in showing their future projects to potential customers. Mobile apps like the Nike Training app shape the in-store experience, empower the purchasing process, and create interesting and dynamic ways to interact with the customer.

experience economy

Baker suggests more points for a seamless brand experience:

1. Brands have to offer great experiences across the end-to-end non-linear customer journey (awareness-consideration-purchase-usage-loyalty).

2. Think about engaging across the ecosystem, all platforms, channels, and screens.

3. Use every interaction as an opportunity to learn from and enhance every experience.

4. Look beyond the transactions and focus on building long-term relationships.

5. Manifest the brand through the interface.

6. Brands must reclaim their consumer relationship and data. Brands that think of their consumers as members focus on the long-term relationship.

7. The model is now “inside out”. Every touchpoint has the potential for branded experience and engagement.

experience economy
Building customer loyalty is not enough. It’s about knowing, recognizing, anticipating, and creating value all the time and at scale. It is a promise that is compelling, clearly articulated, and makes consumers belong to something bigger. While I might not meet Nike’s promise of “We’ll make you a better athlete”, I know that I get value-added customer experiences through the tracking progress, encouragement, and clear routes to the improvement in my fitness journey. Consumers seek not only convenient service or a packaged product but a one-stop, sensorial experience.

Now is the time for business to embrace the era of experience.