“FUN is a very simple word that everyone in the world understands.” Secretary Jimenez

My husband and I hied off to Boracay last Summer. We had so much fun. It was just the two of us having fun. Our children are all grown up and it gives us the chance to travel places in and out of the Philippines. Just the two of us makes it even more enjoyable as we venture out to new places in the Philippines. I have been to Boracay alone but never with my husband. Lounging by my chair and enjoying the soft cool breeze , I spot him strolling along the shoreline of the white sandy beach. Walking barefoot on this powdery white is therapeutic.

Just the two of us, strolling and letting our feet enjoy and sink into the fine white sand as our eyes feasted on the crystal blue ocean and the coastline of the other island. So much fun to be together in a beautiful place.

When my siblings visit me here, I hear the words “oh it was so much fun.”

Department of Tourism announcement of the slogan “It’s more Fun in the Philippines” last Friday felt true. What is even remarkable is that the campaign slogan is we are all part of the campaign. You and me define the true meaning of fun and happiness. It does not mean closing our eyes to the sad realities of the Philippines. It does not mean that our government shouldn’t fix our airports, the infrastructure and other support systems. There is nothing wrong about the showing truth. There is nothing wrong about highlighting what is GREAT in our country.

“It’s more Fun in the Philippines” works especially when you know how to balance work and fun. When you know how to be part of the solution

The Filipinos are already known around the world to be one of the happiest and warmest people on earth. The campaign hopes to enjoin the whole country in creating positive buzz of the tagline. We can fix the negatives and focus on our positives. There’s more than 7,107 awesome reasons to love the Philippines, so my friend Ryan says.

I support it because I travel a lot and know how to have fun. “It’s more Fun in The Philippines” works especially when you know how to balance work and fun. When you know how to be part of the solution

The response of most netizens have been overwhelming and enthusiastic that creative ways of showing how #itsmorefuninthePhilippines are being displayed here.

You can also do it like my image above. Try the MoreFunMaker.com (If you have photoshop skills, check out Jayvee’s How to make your own ““It’s More Fun in the Philippines” Meme.

What about you? How can you make the new Philippine slogan work?

How can one be involved?

To Join in the Campaign, just tweet about things that are more FUN in the Philippines and tag it with #ItsMoreFunInThePhilippines #1ForFun

Be part of the solution. It is up to Filipinos themselves to defend and make the campaign true.

What better way to show off the Pink theme for Photo Hunt than a girl’s 18th Birthday celebration?

debut

Okay fine, my daughter’s 18th birthday debut celebration was over 5 years ago and she’ll never know I posted this (yes she might get a bit peeved) because she is in New York right now for a three week vacation. She wrote about her Fairy Tale debut party in her old blog. Much as my daughter dislikes the pink color, I (the stage mother) ended up using it as the main debut’s color theme. Even her tulips were almost pink.
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Photo Hunt theme today is Book(s).

It’s been my dream to write my very own book and have it published. In my blog, I do share snippets of my journey but it’s not organized and it’s not the same as holding on to something physical and leafing through the pages. I am getting closer to that dream as I conceptualize my book. While the dream is a work in progress, it did not deter me from being a co-author of two published books :

1. Fallen Cradle- ““Fallen Cradle” is a book of 22 stories by parents who have a lost a child. My story on Luijoe, My Angel is on page 29. The book launch was held three years ago on May 6, 2006.


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Photo Hunt theme today is Blue. What better way to portray the Photo Hunt theme than the clear blue skies of Jamesport, Missouri. You know how much I love the country side so a trip to a town with 505 residents was even more exciting for me. As we head off to Jamesport, I notice the sky is a lovely blue as the sunshine starts to beam and the green grass starts to gleam from afar. Not to mention the bales of hay.


It’s rare to see perfect blue skies in a tropical country like the Philippines. I’m not seeing any clouds. Such perfect day it was! I just had to capture the beauty by taking photos of the pristine blue skies as my brother and I head off to our destination with Kippy Cat as my travel mascot.

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Every first monday of the month, Pinoy Moms Network members share photos through the Fam Pics project. This month’s theme is Glossy

writing tableA writing table for my adorable husband seemed like the perfect sanctuary for him at night. I wanted to situate it by the bay window in our bedroom so he can quietly surf with his laptop before he sleeps. My specification was Light walnut Flat finish. I paid the 50% downpayment of the list price which was 5,500 pesos at the Klapptstuhl, Inc. 3rd Level Market Market! Taguig City. The price is not bad at all. The quality of the furniture looked really fine even though I wasn’t sure if the wood is really hard wood. I could live with it though. My husband just needed a functional writing table in our bedroom.

Thirty days later, the writing table finally arrived.

I was horrified to see a glossy writing table. I demanded to know why they delivered a glossy table. The delivery man says “Madam, you said Not Flat”

“No I said Flat Finish. I find glossy finish so tacky. Let me look at the order form”

What do you know? The salesman noted my order like this:

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Imagine the consternation on Lauren’s face when I told her that I rejected the immigration papers that Lorna, my sister sent me in 1987.

“Mom , how could you?” I explained to her my reasons.

While reviewing the requirements and the time frame for approval, I figured that in twenty
years, my papers would have been approved. My children would then have the choice of staying in our beloved country or the land of milk and honey. But I didn’t submit the immigration form and instead told my sister that I wanted my children to stay in the Philippines and continue to work for the good of the country. After all, People Power Revolution fever was still high in the air. My heart filled with hope and dreams for the Philippines through my children. As a mom, I felt that my UP student activist and idealistic days can be best transformed in educating my children towards patriotism and nationalism. Yes, “the hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world” so I thought.

I was confident that if the kids chose to go to the USA after college, it would be a piece of cake since I had a lifetime US visa (it was lifetime then) and if need be, acquire American citizenship from her dad using that obscure immigration law of Filipinos born to American citizens in 1930. I missed the fact that working opportunities are not open to non-American citizens.

It’s been 20 years and now, Lauren screams Screw Nationalism

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