“We believe in you” is not just a tagline for RCBC. “We Believe in you” is “a battle cry to show our unwavering support and trust to the indomitable Filipino spirit.
I believe in many things. I believe in dreams. I believe in the power of love. I believe affirmations fill my life with abundance. I believe balance is not something I find, rather it is in something I create.
My husband and I believe in being together on dates every weekend. This is the balance I create. I look forward to Saturdays as it is our usual lunch date or a time to visit Salcedo market to buy our regular stock of organic vegetables and fruits. One Saturday, I needed to drop by the RCBC ATM machine to withdraw some cash before proceeding to the market. That’s when I spotted the new RCBC logo behind the closed doors of the bank.
I nudged at my husband to point out the new logo with the tagline “We believe in you”. Its previous dark blue color is now replaced with a light refreshing sky blue that lifts my spirit . It is interesting to see the traditional elements remain, particularly the prominent hexagon which distinguishes the Yuchengco Group of Companies. My husband and I know this too well because RCBC has been our bank for many years now.
It was a few days later at the launch of the RCBC rebranding that I got to understand that “We believe in you” is not just a tagline for RCBC.
RCBC President and CEO Gil A. Buenaventura stressed that “We Believe in you” is “a battle cry to show our unwavering support and trust to the indomitable Filipino spirit. At the same time, this new corporate thrust is meant to encourage Filipinos not only to dream, but to pursue their passions and dreams, and turn them into reality – whether it’s traveling to your dream destination, venturing into a new business, or purchasing a new home or car”.
I like RCBC’s positive tagline because it is an affirmation. Dreams give me something to hold on to, while I work towards them. “We believe in you” sparked a light inside our head and got us thinking about our financial future during our lunch date.
My husband and I took a fresh look at our dreams and even dared to dream big. The challenging part is transforming those dreams into financial goals.
What do I want to happen in our financial future? What financial problems would I like to solve? What bills would I like to be rid of? What would I like to be earning at the end of this year? The end of next year? Five years from now? Ten years from now?
My husband and I dream to continue working with a passion till we croak ; save enough and continue building our health fund . But most importantly, we envision travelling and visiting our two daughters who are working abroad. It is one reason we are planning to embark on a Camino de Santiago tour in 2018 and meet up with my daughters in Europe. All of this will entail a lot of planning but our bank believes in us and will be our partner to help us succeed.
The tagline, “We Believe In You”, is not just a positive and personalized message to bank clients like myself. The message resonates to a wider and more diverse audience, particularly millennials who now comprise a third of the Philippine population and about 25% of the entire Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This tech-savvy generation is also financially knowledgeable and expect varied and individually-tailored banking products and services which RCBC is poised to deliver. With its new logo and tagline, RCBC wants to show that it offers an easier, more accessible and rewarding banking experience for its present and future clients.
A young blogger once asked me “what should I settle now before I get married?”
My answer to similar questions is this: release hurts of the past and love your inner child. I told her to resolve and release hurts of the past especially unresolved issues with parents…it is important to nurture one’s inner child even until our adult life.
No matter how old you are, a little child lives within who needs love and acceptance. My mother died just before I turned twenty years old and I was never able to let go of my hurts until much later in life when I thought I had breast cancer. While waiting for my surgery in 1996, I felt the fear and anxiety that mom had to go through with her breast cancer. I told mom in my heart that I forgave her for all the hurts that she inflicted upon me and sought the same forgiveness for anything that I had caused to hurt her. The tears just fell and I felt a baggage unload from my heart.
I understood much later in life that unresolved hurts tend to haunt you back in future relationships. Reflecting down memory lane, I think I was attracted to my ex-boyfriend because his personality somehow resembled my mother. My mother was difficult, emotional and hot-tempered. Of course, I didn’t want a difficult husband but unconsciously I ended up with one, at least in the first few years of our married life.
See, my mother rarely praised me or validated my self-worth. She wasn’t even loving or at least she was not demonstrative with her love except to our youngest brother. Instead, she continually criticized and berated me and even indulged in slapping and pinching even if I was already in high school. She didn’t know any better too. I found it difficult to understand why she was so mean to me. Now that I am an adult, I know it was not about me. She had problems but turned her ire on my siblings and myself.
I learned the art of loving my inner child after I realized that there were many aspects that were left unresolved. As a child, when something went wrong, I believed that there was something wrong with me. Soon the idea came that if I could only do it right, then mom would love me, and she wouldn’t punish me. Since I was only a child, I thought parents were supposed to do that. In time, I believed I was never good enough. Sadly, it was only after my mom’s death that I blossomed under the love of my dad who was a silent parent when mom was alive.
Without a mom and far away from my dad (since I became independent after college), I learned to summon my the parent inside me. True, there is a parent inside each of us, as well as a child. Louise Hay explains :
And most of the time, the parent scolds the child almost nonstop! If we listen to our inner dialogue, we can hear the scolding. We can hear the parent tell the child what it is doing wrong or how it is not good enough. We need to allow our parent to become more nurturing to our child.
I have found that working with the inner child is most valuable in helping to heal the hurts of the past. At this point in our lives, right now, we need to begin to make ourselves whole and accept every part of who we are. We need to communicate with our inner child and let it know that we accept the part that did all the stupid things, the part that was funny looking, the part that was scared, the part that was very foolish and silly,every single part of ourselves.
Love is the greatest healing power I know. Love can heal even the deepest and most painful memories because love brings the light of understanding to the dark corners of our mind. No matter how painful our early childhood was, loving our inner child now will help us to heal it. In the privacy of our own minds we can make new choices and think new thoughts. Thoughts of forgiveness and love for our inner child will open pathways, and the Universe will support us in our efforts.
It was through forgiving my mother that I was able to unburden the past and move forward as a parent to my children and as a loving wife to my husband.
If you’re a woman, no matter how self-reliant you are, there is a little girl who’s very tender inside you that needs help. If you’re a man, no matter how macho you are, a little boy inside you craves warmth and affection.
As I said earlier, if you plan to settle down, resolve the conflicts of the past. Learn to forgive yourself and the one who hurt you. Continue to nurture and love yourself.
These days, I embrace my inner child by treating myself once in a while to fun events, ice cream, candy or a new toy (er gadget). I allow myself to laugh and play more.
Use the affirmation: I am perfect, whole, and complete, just as I am. The more you repeat this statement of truth about yourself, the quicker you will release the past.
Updated August 7, 2017: I first wrote this last May . I updated this blog post to add the media accreditation for the ASEAN 50th anniversary celebration
Some of you have probably noticed I’ve been tweeting a lot about ASEAN 2017 since January this year. It is part of my work as senior consultant for the Committee on Media Affairs and Strategic Communications, led by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO). Finally, the first big event , the ASEAN 30th Summit and Related Meetings finally happened. This is it!
Before I write about my views on the statements released by ASEAN , let me share my experience covering the summit.
It’s my first time as a blogger to cover an international event. I applied for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting held on 18–19 November 2015 in Manila but it was revoked at the last minute. Don’t look at me.
Asean information booth
This time around, bloggers got accredited to cover the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) 30th Summit. The thing is, I could not cover the meetings just like the rest of the media due to security reasons and also because we were more than 1,400 . There was an information channel, email blast , international broadcast center, and press releases . Nothing beats being right there at an event and I will get to that experience in a bit.
Media Accreditation
Like the past media accreditation for ASEAN , I had to sign up at the Asean2017.ph website. The registration is buggy. I had to repeat the process all over again and then I get this duplicate record
As to the agency I represent, I put Blog Watch and wrote a letter of request which I needed to be attached in the form. Within 24 hours, I received a confirmation.
The RFID card was or the Radio-Frequency IDentification is so cool. I think everyone stopped to get their photo taken. Awesome, isn’t it?
The social media coverage
One needed to sign up at the Information desk for Pool Coverage . I was fortunate to get a slot to take photos till the Opening statement of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting .
A van took the photographers and social media practitioners like myself from the Pool Waiting area to the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). The thing is I don’t carry huge gadgets like those professional DSLR and a step ladder so I am told to step back to give way to them.
This is why my photo of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers is not taken from the center. Hmm, maybe I should bring my humongous DSLR next time just so I get a better view.
The iPhone7 Plus has an excellent zoom feature so I managed to get a shot of Acting Foreign Secretary Manalo in his Opening Statement.
“ASEAN is mindful that instability in the Korean Peninsula seriously impacts the region and beyond.”
What a strong statement but silent on China?
There was limited media slots for the Opening Ceremony but if I got an invitation , I could cover it. As a guest of the the Opening Ceremony of the ASEAN 30th Summit, one needed an invitation. I was lucky to get an invite just the night before April 29 from my friends at PCOO .
A shuttle brought us to the International Media Center to PICC.
Yes, it felt like a fiesta with all the dancers at the lobby.
Everyone had to be inside the PICC by 9:00 AM even if the Opening Ceremony would start at 10:30 AM. I understand all these security precautions for the sake of our 10 Asean leaders and even for us, the audience.
I was early enough because the shuttle took me there around 7:30 AM.
The President then delivered his Opening Statement where he emphasized the importance of unity, solidarity, and cooperation among the ASEAN member states.
What stood out is that ASEAN leaders be resolute in achieving a drug-free ASEAN which I hope puts an end to killings and that the drug lords are caught and charged.
Before the family photo was taken, the ASEAN spirit was sung accompanied by a beautiful dance number. I took this live on facebook and a lot of viewers enjoyed the scene. With my left hand on my iPhone taking the video , I used my right hand to take photos. Notice the shakiness of my live video. It still got a modest number of hits .
This is such a historical moment for me, seeing all the 10 ASEAN leaders.
The ASEAN family photo
The Opening ceremony was pretty quick but I still had to wait for the press conference by President Duterte . It is my first press conference with a President . Only 150 who signed up got access.
The press conference schedule was at 7:10 PM but by 5:00 PM, we were brought to the PICC holding area. One line was formed for reporters while the other line for photographers and videographers before we could walk out towards the PICC Meeting room.
The bloggers got a good position just a row behind the seats assigned to the government officials.
The President arrived late , and was probably tired but he mustered to say in jest, “Anak ka ng… Kung ganito lang ang summit, kanselado na ‘yung sa November (If summits are like this, then let’s just cancel the one in November)”
The President then read a prepared statement but he seemed eager for the questions from the media. He appeared to be in high spirits with the press that Saturday night, “even joking that the media should have been invited to the gala dinner with ASEAN leaders and other dignitaries.”
Here is a video of the press conference:
His guests at the Gala dinner were waiting for him so he cut short his press conference . We only had 30 minutes. He had already left the podium but went back to announce that women can have their photos taken with him.
“I am not trying to be a show-off, but I’ve noticed that after every conference, a lot of mostly women would want to have a picture with me. Women, come up and we’ll have the pictures”
I thought he was kidding. Of course, I wanted a photo with the President. For Prosperity’s sake just as I had the chance with four past Philippine presidents. (The next day , I was surprised our selfies got featured on page 4 of the Philippine Inquirer)
Lastly , not all media got the same giveaways and bag . An Inquirer reporter made such a big deal out of it. There was another bag distributed to “others” and no phone was in it. Instead, a USB charging/power port was in the bag along with a notebook and pen, dried mangoes, utility bag and a bamboo speaker. PCOO explains the giveaways in a press statement.
I will write a commentary about the issues raised at the ASEAN 30th Summit
Why was ASEAN silent about the “the subject of China’s reclamation activities and military build up in the disputed South China Sea”? (Update: Our Blogwatch article on the South China Sea)
The controversial issues left behind by the ASEAN summit are disappointing but, I must say the Philippine hosting is a success. No major security threat while the delegates and leaders were in our country. The small successes of Asean include the Philippines and Indonesia allowing a roll-on, roll-off (Roro) vessel route from Davao to General Santos then to Bitung, Indonesia, which cuts the trip from two to three weeks to one or two days.There is much room for improvement in the media access especially for bloggers . But let’s take a look at the last two paragraphs of the President’s opening speech that look at the positives.
Let us remember: ASEAN has a compelling narrative of positive change [that] we can hold up to the world. Through our distinct ASEAN way, our region – with all its promise – stands at the center of the future of the Asia-Pacific region.
Let us with brave hearts and firm mind resolve to do all we can to make all our aspirations a reality. [This] will be the lasting legacy of ASEAN not just for our peoples but for the whole world.
Each one of us play a part in the vision of ASEAN.
It is not vanity that makes me show off my photos. Okay fine, I am proud of where I am today and I want to share these moments to my friends and relatives through my blog or social media posts. I want to offer hope for those who think a healthy lifestyle is not attainable beyond 40 years old. It is never too late.
Not too long ago, I was unhealthy and borderline obese.
The photo below shows me some 15 years ago. Don't you just love before and after pics? Overweight at 165 pounds then, my blood sugar was pretty high at 180 mg/dl. Perhaps it was because of my deep sadness over my son’s death that I had no desire to take care of myself.
No glow. I hated having my photos taken back then. I didn't even know how to smile. I struggled with my overweight body until there came a time that my blood pressure shot up to 160/90 which seemed so scary. My stress test showed distressing results that the doctor thought I needed Angioplasty. An angiogram revealed no major arteries were blocked. Phew what a relief. I had to make a choice: Healthy or unhealthy lifestyle?
I know most of you will ask: Is it possible to lead a healthy lifestyle even at past 40?
I’m not too proud of the fact that I became borderline obese but if you’re struggling with health issues and overweight problems at past 40 years old, there is hope. I enrolled at Fitness First in May 2005 and embarked on a healthy diet as planned by nutritionist. I will talk more on the diet in another post.
Let me tell you how frustrating it was to lose weight during the first few weeks. Inspite of the strict diet and exercise, I lost only a measly 3 pounds for the first two weeks. The fat cells just refused to burn. But I thought eventually these fat cells would start burning. My concentration was focused on having a healthy body. I also decided not to weigh myself until someone would say:
oy, you lost weight.
And that didn’t happen until 3 months later. I was excited. I squealed with delight. Finally someone outside the family (your family won’t notice because they see you everyday) noticed. When I weighed myself, I saw that I had lost 20 pounds. Finally…
You can check out my weight loss story here. Even if I lost over 40 pounds, it was hard keeping the weight. I know my metabolism is not that fast anymore and one needs to continue with a consistent fitness and healthy lifestyle program. It is important to have fitness goals and they don't need to be complicated or expensive. My fitness goal is not weight loss anymore but health maintenance.
Here they are:
Get a fitness tracker
A step count goal can motivate you to increase your activity and exercise. If you walk or run 10,000 steps a day — about 8 kilometers, depending on your stride — you’re all good.
It is good to own a fitness tracker, a device or application for monitoring and tracking fitness-related metrics such as distance walked or run, calorie consumption, and in some cases heartbeat and quality of sleep. I use fitbit but there are many other brands out there like Garmin or Samsung fit gear.
I started out with a goal of 7,500 steps but slowly increased to 15,000 steps a day.
"The Mayo Clinic recommends adding 1000 daily steps each week, so if your baseline is 4000 steps per day, set your goal at 5000 steps each day. Meeting your goal may be as simple as an extra five-minute walk, or even parking a few cars further away at the supermarket, depending on your speed and stride."
2. Of course, get good walking shoes that fits you best
The best shoe should give you proper support, flexibility, and cushioning, and compensate for any stride problems.
"You must be able to bend and twist the shoes. When you take a walking step, your foot will flex as you roll through a step from heel to toe. If the shoe is too stiff, your foot will fight it with each step. "
3. Weights for strengthening my triceps
The excess fats will always be my flabby arms so I use weights for strengthening my triceps.
I continue on at home with my five pound weights to get those leaner arms
4. Burn calories using aerobics like walking on a treadmill or under the trees
There is the treadmill at the gym but I get bored after 30 minutes. There is nothing like walking with nature.
The UP Academic oval is such a beautiful place to walk. I can imagine the oxygen I breathe in. All these lovely trees bring so much positive vibes. I can only go here during the weekends because there is just so much traffic during the weekdays. During rainy weather, I walk inside huge malls.
Walking gives me a happy feeling that I look forward to. When I need additional steps and can’t walk outside for some reason , I turn on the video, Jane Fonda: Walking Cardio Workout : Level 1. I know some of you will laugh “JANE FONDA”. She is a role model for prime time women like myself. When I was 23 years old , I followed her exercises and lost 20 pounds back then.
5. Intermittent fasting , my pattern of eating
NOTE: You have to consult your doctor or monitor your blood sugar (for diabetics) before you start on your intermittent fasting.
"Intermittent fasting is not a diet, it's a pattern of eating. It's a way of scheduling your meals so that you get the most out of them. Intermittent fasting doesn’t change what you eat, it changes when you eat."
I have been on intermittent fasting since 2010. I skip dinner each day and eat two meals, the first around 7:00 AM and the second around 11:00 PM. I take a light snack at 3:00 PM. Then, I fast for 16 hours until I start eating again the next day at 6:00 AM. It is dangerous for diabetics to do intermittent fasting but I have monitored my blood sugar and I am still within the normal levels.
Intermittent fasting is one of the simplest strategies for taking bad weight off while keeping good weight on because it requires very little behavior change.
So now that you know my fitness essentials and tips, the next question is
"Which OPPO #SelfieExpert smartphone will help you show those good looks?"
It is none other than the OPPO F3 #SelfieExpert Dual Selfie Camera. To see and experience is to believem so I dropped at the nearest OPPO outlet to check it the Oppo F3.
Imagine the possibilities.
1. The dual 16 megapixels f/2.0 + 8 megapixels f/2.4 secondary camera allows you to fit your friends and you into the frame and get that perfect selfie.
2. Selfie lovers will love the other options Oppo offer such as the live filters, a gif mode, and double exposure and even panorama selfies. I love the bokeh feature. Take a look at my selfie.
3. The Oppo F3 allows you to capture sharp selfies and 120-degree wide-angle view which is great for groupfie shot especially at the gym.
4. The OPPO F3 has an internal storage of 64 gigabytes with 4 gigabytes RAM which means lots of storage space for all your photos, selfies without affecting the performance of your phone.
5. The 3,200mAh battery is good enough to last an entire day with moderate use. And you don’t have to worry about charging. The Oppo F3 comes bundled with fast charging (2A output current) to quickly charge the phone in about an-hour-and-a-half.
6. Even if not taking selfies, the rear camera has 13-megapixel sensor phase detection autofocus which is handy.
I can imagine taking more selfie moments at the gym with the Oppo F3 , the #SelfieExpert and mind you, I just want to share you the joys and trials of my fitness journey.
Finding my new normal after a loss of a child was something I figured out along the way. Being a blogger is my new normal because I would not have blogged about my recovery if I didn’t have my stories of hope.
The last few days took my breath away. Nothing can ever prepare me whenever triggers of my loved ones’ memories hit me. I have never spoken of the 5 deaths in my family in a span of one hour. Truly, the death of my loved ones shifted the whole foundation of my life. Nothing is as it was.
One effect of losing a loved one especially if death is sudden and unexpected, is that we become newly aware of fragility of life. In the early years of my grief journey… I had this frame of mind. If this tragedy can befall me, what next? It made me fearful and almost paranoid. A mom whose daughter was killed in an auto accident tells me she cannot bear to have her other children come home later than she expected Text me if you’re going to be late. Even 10 minutes. She tells her.
Our security in this world is threatened. Our inner lives are in turmoil. Following the patterns of the day gave me some sense of order so that I will not break apart. I tend to be such a neat freak too. Yet, I recognize that these are primal and irrational fears but the loss I have gone through are not rational, either.
In time, I had the energy and courage to cope with the change. Learning to live a new normal is like learning a new language, a new way of seeing. In a way, I entered a new country. Though the terrain looks very much the same and many of the people are the same people, there is a different light over everything.
Remember how long it took when you moved into your new home or a new town, for it to seem like home? It is the same with a major life change. I had to get used to this new land, this new arrangement of people and relationships. It took time–time to look around, to be surprised, to be brought up short, over and over again. An inner tug of protest inside where I finally acknowledged ….Oh yes, it is different now.
I am so excited to share memorable selfie moments of my adorable fluffy friends. Meet my two Siamese kitties named Missy and Billy. I got Missy in 2008 while Billy came to my life in 2012 , the year selfies became popular. Missy is more of a laptop kitty and I have blogged about her already. Look.
Left to right: Missy and Billy
I have been taking selfies with my two kitties since the word “selfie” became a household name. Let me focus on the Billy selfies because I documented his life when selfies became popular on the year he was born.
Meet Missy. She is a laptop kitty.
Meet Billy, the Selfie Kitty
While I call Missy the laptop kitty, Billy is dubbed the selfie kitty in our household. Of course, I have had selfies with Missy but the selfies with Billy are much more adorable. He is quite a baby.
Meet Billy
Let me start on the day , Billy came into our lives. A facebook friend saw that I loved cats so he thought of giving me Billy. This is my first selfie with Billy when I brought him home on August 2012. Isn’t he so cute? He looks terrified though but you will see that he was getting used to cellphone cameras in succeeding selfies.
The year 2012 was also the year that my home became my empty nest. I love that my cats filled that void because they offer unconditional love and companionship. During the day when my family isn’t at home , I sometimes end up being alone in my corner of the world. I enjoy comfortable silences with them as they snuggle close to me.
Even during breakfast, I allow the cats to sit on my lap or to be seated beside my chair.
Of course, Billy sees his image on the camera and looks like he is in awe of himself. Missy got jealous and joins Billy on my lap. I find it so hilarious. All captured with a selfie.
So why do I love my fluffy friends and enjoy taking selfies with them?
I am grateful to have purring, gentle feline friends in my life. My pets are a part of my family and I care that they are part of my photos. I also want to share the joy they give to me on instagram , twitter and facebook.
Aren’t they just adorable? Taking selfies with these fluffy friends of mine is such a stress buster.
Look how huggable Billy is in the next few selfies I took with him. It is quite relaxing. I just had to capture these moments.
He acts just like a human baby when cuddled on my arms.
Billy knows when I take selfies. Sometimes he just ignores his image but I notice he stares at himself at times. Well, taking selfies is so much a part of his cat life and mine.
Don’t you think Billy should get the title, the Selfie Kitty?
Though there are several memorable moments with Billy. One that strikes me are when he lies on top of my tummy and soothes my stressful day. Billy with his purring sounds is giving me the signal “all is well,” a message I can both feel and hear.
Once my pet kitty starts purring at me, I feel the weariness of the day melting away. My cute and cuddly stress-buster calms my nerves, makes me smile, helps me sleep better and even pushes me to exercise more.
Billy’s paw reaching out to my hand is the most memorable cat selfie moment. Yes , I hear him purr “All is well”.
What about you? Are you planning to take selfies with your fluffly friends?You might ask “Which OPPO #SelfieExpert smartphone produces the best selfies?”
It is none other than the OPPO F3 #SelfieExpert Dual Selfie Camera. Imagine the possibilities.
1. The dual 16 megapixels f/2.0 + 8 megapixels f/2.4 secondary camera allows you to fit your adorable fluffly friend into the frame and get that perfect selfie.
2. Selfie lovers will love the other options Oppo offer such as the live filters, a gif mode, and double exposure and even panorama selfies.
3. The Oppo F3 allows you to capture sharp selfies and 120-degree wide-angle view which is great for groupfie shot of more than one fluffly friend.
4. The OPPO F3 has an internal storage of 64 gigabytes with 4 gigabytes RAM which means lots of storage space for all your photos, selfies without affecting the performance of your phone.
5. The 3,200mAh battery is good enough to last an entire day with moderate use. And you don’t have to worry about charging. The Oppo F3 comes bundled with fast charging (2A output current) to quickly charge the phone in about an-hour-and-a-half.
6. Even if not taking selfies, the rear camera has 13-megapixel sensor phase detection autofocus which is handy.
I can imagine taking more selfie moments with the Oppo F3. Billy , the selfie kitty will surely purr with joy during our next selfie with this #SelfieExpert. Watch out for in at the BillyandMissy instagram account.
Moms engage online and influence other moms. Nearly 91% of moms use social media regularly and spend twice as much time online as the rest of the population.
That’s the US stats on moms using social media in the USA four years ago. I am sure the number of Filipino moms who use of social media has increased. It’s no wonder more brands are turning to influencers like moms to promote their product or service. Moms rely on the online recommendations of other moms, and most of their purchases were influenced by information on social media sites. I know because even if I am a blogger, I turn to my online friends’ recommendation or reviews whenever I need to buy a product or use a service.
I am happy that there is now a network of moms that can share such information to other mommies.
Janice Villanueva , of mommymundo.com the mover behind the MOMFLUENCE network, gathered a group of mommy bloggers for brunch last week to celebrate the launch. It was so amazing to see old and new mommy bloggers.
Mommy Mundo says all moms are “influencers”, not only with our children and families but outside of our homes . Moms’ influence are felt even in the school, community, and to the larger community, our beloved country.
Purposeful influence is the mantra of the MOMFLUENCE network and it was symbolized during the launch through candles, books and flowers.
Candles- Purposeful influence allows a Momfluencer to be seen as a guiding light. They are not afraid to shed light to certain info that they share online. they are instruments of guidance and knowledge—he;ping their followers being enlighten being enlightened individuals. Also, purposeful influence allows momflueners to touch a lot o readers’ lives. Through the inspiration and relatability they openly give.
Books- Purposeful influence is giving the right and TRUTHFUL information that their readers/followers deserve. In a time of social media, where things can be fake , too curated or too biased, influencers part of Momfluencers make sure the info they put out off and online are based on facts, experience and everything in between.
Plants and Watering cans- Purposeful influence is all about giving and helping others grow. Not just the momfluencers’ children but also their audience/reach. The power that their words have over others is used not to sway them to create biases but to allow their readers/followers to pen their eyes and make opinions for themselves. To help them in holistic growth by sharing a part of their lives to their followers.
That is just beautiful and something I believe in as well.
As you can see, brands eagerly supported the MOMFLUENCE network. I do hope that these brands recognize not only the influence of millennial moms (born between 1978 and 1994) but also the growing circle of Mom influencers and advocates who no longer have young kids.
Jane explained about this group of Moms, “social media savvy, still involved with our families, wiser (we would like to think) after many successes and failures during our parenting years. We have survived the schooling years of our kids, even going as far as sleepless nights helping them with exam preparations, homework and projects. We graduated from tutoring as our kids graduated from school. We saw them through struggles to find employment on their own. We have been there through their heartbreaks and relationships. We have worried over them as they traveled to foreign lands. We have prayed each day for their protection as they drive off to work. And we remain a presence for them even if some of them have already left the ““nest” to settle somewhere else.”
I hope digital advertisers understand the advocacies I support. I am not a political blogger. I am an advocate. As a mom blogger, I cannot isolate myself from the larger society. Yes, I may seem controversial at times but I do this to advocate social change.
My concern is to nurture both my family and community. Dealing with politics is incidental. Sometimes when you want change, the best way to attain is to through political means. But politics is not an end in itself but merely a means to an end. I use social media to drive an advocacy, to push for social good.
Mommy Mundo appreciates how moms influence our followers in their own unique ways. I am looking forward to working closely with the MOMFLUENCE network in their campaigns and advocacies.
Photo via Jane U. Some rights reserved
MOMFLUENCE is a network of accredited select mom blogs, social media and influencer personalities, made up of credible, dependable source of information and support for moms, dads, and families. It is founded by mommymundo.com
“All fathers are invisible in daytime; daytime is ruled by mothers and fathers come out at night. Darkness brings home fathers, with their real, unspeakable power. There is more to fathers than meets the eye.” – Margaret Atwood
““A father is always making his baby into a little woman.
And when she is a woman he turns her back again.”
Enid Bagnold
Happy father’s day to all the fathers and single mothers out there.
Happy father’s day to the dad of my three children.
Unlike most couples I know, I have never called my husband , “dad”. I told him from the start of our marriage that I would always refer to him by his first name, “Butch” because I think it is more romantic than “dad” or “daddy”.
““My father didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.”
Clarence B. Kelland
“Dad” is reserved for my dad. Even if my daddy old boy is not around, he will always be a daddy in my heart . Daddy taught me to live, love, laugh, to be strong , and committed to God , family and community. Dad gave me the greatest gift : he believed in me. Though a late bloomer in community service, I always think of my dad who showed me how to be passionate to a cause. That is why I always sign with my maiden name in honor of his memory.
This photo was taken in 1999, the last Father’s day
that my husband celebrated with his son.
For fathers who have lost a child, there is a sense of remembering how much fun it was and how terribly sad it is not to have their child
to hold and tell them of their love. My husband wrote once on this feelings of loss and quoted Gordon Livingston “And so, as I contemplate the western horizon of my life, I think of my son with exquisite sadness and profound gratitude. He evoked in me a capacity for love I did not know I had. Those feelings did not die with him, nor will they, I pray, die with me.”
““Any man can be a father, but it takes a special person to be a dad”.
My best friend Janina and I decided to go to Hanoi on a whim. Within five days we booked our flights and a Ha Long Bay cruise with a lot of excitement, not really knowing what to expect. Upon landing and getting into our cab, I remember being impressed by the wide roads leading out of the airport. “Vietnam is a lot more modern than I thought!” I noted to Janina. Our driver then turned a corner and entered the Old Quarter, which was where we were staying. Observing from the car window, the roads were suddenly a lot smaller and the buildings were distinctly closer together. There was a variety of small food stalls, hotels done up in traditional architecture, coffee shops and so much more. It was a complete contrast from our initial impression, and infinitely more interesting.
Our first day was dedicated to exploring the Old Quarter. We felt a lot of apprehension because we didn’t know where to go and there were scooters everywhere! It took us a while to realize that you should just cross as the motorists will adjust to you. All you have to do is take the first step. Our hotel concierge guided us to a restaurant nearby called Highway 4, where we enjoyed passion fruit chicken, salt and pepper beef and catfish spring rolls. It was love at first bite. We also had several other memorable meals – banh mi from Minh Nhat Masterchef which we enjoyed while walking around the Hoan Kiem Lake, as well as crab rolls from the vendor at the corner of our hotel. Its hard to go wrong with Vietnamese food.
Aside from the food, another interesting thing about Hanoi is that there are travel agencies everywhere. So if you get there without having an itinerary, you have nothing to worry about because it is ridiculously easy to get someone to help you plot out any tour you might want to experience. We booked our Ha Long Bay cruise in advance, but we checked out some of the other tours anyway. There are so many other beautiful places that you can get to from Hanoi, but unfortunately we didn’t have enough time to book another tour.
The next day, it was time to head to Ha Long Bay. We booked a 3 day 2 night tour with Pelican Halong Pelican cruises, which included a round trip van transfer as well. Upon boarding the traditional junk boat, we were treated to a mouthwatering Vietnamese lunch buffet. What a treat it was to enjoy delicious pho while looking out towards the crystal blue waters and stunning limestone formations! The view was one of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, hands down. Afterwards, we were allowed to kayak and swim around so that we could see the isles up close. Some other cruise activities included spring roll making, squid fishing and historical video viewing. We made sure to take part in everything in order to make the most out of our experience. Of course, we also spent a lot of time relaxing on the boat’s sunbeds in order to enjoy the sights and sounds of the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On our last day in Hanoi, we were determined to try Vietnamese egg coffee or ca phe trung. Based on our research, only three coffee shops still served the traditional drink. We spent a good hour walking around the city and was on the verge of giving up when we finally stumbled upon Pho Co Coffee. It wasn’t easy to find at all. To get to the cafe, you had to pass through a shop selling clothes to get to an alleyway that opens up to the first floor. That’s where the cashier is located, and its also where you order your coffee. You then have to climb three flights of stairs in order to get to the seats overlooking the Hoan Kiem Lake. Once the coffee was served, we forgot all about the struggles of getting there. Creamy, sweet and delicious – the ca phe trung was definitely worth the effort.
That pretty much sums up our Hanoi trip. On the surface, it was intimidating and chaotic. But once you immerse yourself into the experience – you are rewarded with delicious food, culture and beautiful views. I left knowing that there are still so many things to discover and I can’t wait until I can head back.
This is the best piece of advice I could ever give to those who want to travel the world, or much closer to our hearts, the ASEAN: Getting lost is not a bad thing at all.
Lost in ASEAN By Chet Lloyd G. Montoro
For those who enjoy travelling and going to new places, it may be a common thing to not know exactly where you’re going. Sometimes, you come to a point where the internet fails you and your handy maps don’t exactly help. Getting lost in your own country or city is fairly easy, but getting lost in a different country is a new matter altogether. It, then, leads us to a question – what happens next?
In my experience, there has always been a thin line between excitement and panic. Getting lost forces us to engage ourselves in conversations – mind you – these are not small-talk. Instead, we try to look as nice as we can, so as to allow strangers to feel delighted all the while helping us out. Also, this prevents others from thinking that we’re about to do something nasty!
That small moment where we realize we have to step-up our game and to converse gets me excited. When I got lost in Melaka, Malaysia, I realized that my English won’t be of any help. I arrived there at night and everyone in the bus was worried because I didn’t have a place to stay. My lucky stars sent me two German angels, though, who offered to bring me to their hostel: I know what you’re thinking, and it wasn’t like that! They only offered to bring me to the concierge of the said hostel and to ask if there were still any vacancies. Going through the Chinese New Year in Chinatown in Melaka pushed me to use non-verbal cues and my own version of sign language to simply get my message across. Fortunately, I learned that a nice smile breaks barriers and allows for a much relaxed atmosphere. It is this very tool I used to ease the hassle and pain of explaining myself to locals.
This is not always the case, though. Sometimes, locals know how to speak English well and I found out that even when they speak English, it doesn’t guarantee you won’t get lost. Learning from this previous experience, I further pushed my luck to its limits when I got lost in Genting Highlands. Little did I know, I needed to pre-book my bus ride home. Try to picture a small guy – that’s me – seated on the nearest seat beside the bus ticket counter and finding out that the next bus will leave in four days. This is the panic I was telling you about a while ago. When faced with such a situation, we don’t scream. Instead, we let internal panic to take over.
As I am the type who wouldn’t really cry in front of a crowd, I sat silently beside the ticket counter and focused on the big fail I had just witnessed. After almost an hour, my lucky stars have granted me further luck when two Indians approached me and asked if I wanted to split a cab. These two guys spoke English well enough to get me teary eyed with their offer. In my head, I was already plotting to talk to the Pork Floss vendor near me so I could get back to the city center. Thankfully, I never really had to do that. At the end of our ride back, I gained two new friends and a concise walkthrough of Indian culture. You see, it’s not about who you are or where you’re from or what you do; but it’s entirely about your capacity to adjust and to communicate.
Most of us would resort to asking questions when we get lost. However, I do not belong to this category. During a recent trip to Singapore, I made it to a point that I had with me three physical maps, my Google maps, and instructions I got from blogs. You might think I didn’t get lost, but I did! I thought that since a number of Singaporeans speak English, I’d find it easy to get to my destination. Alas, accents get in the way. The first cab ride my family and I took was with an Uncle who spoke fluent English with a fluent accent. It took us ten minutes to get to the place where he dropped us off, but it wasn’t exactly where we needed to go to. To cut the story short, we walked and followed the maps as we were afraid that the next cab experience would be the same. My brother and I were laughing it off, but my parents were already frustrated. This is why stopping for a while and really pondering on the next steps really matters.
Now, this is a common thing I noticed in all of my travels across the ASEAN – locals are willing to help. While spreading my big map in front of my face, a handful of Singaporeans approached me and offered a hand. I respectfully refused them thrice, but they never really left. Naturally, as a Pinoy traveller with delikadesa and with parents who are tired of walking endlessly, I finally agreed to receive help. This is the part where I share with you the concept of humility and acceptance – being humble enough to shut our ego and acceptance that we cannot refer to blogs as the Word; they are only but a guide. Moreover, we bring out our mobile devices too much and try our best to source our best friend, Google, for the right answers that we sometimes forget that the best answers come from the locals themselves. In fact, the most genuine of experiences root from the very information a local could give.
This is the best piece of advice I could ever give to those who want to travel the world, or much closer to our hearts, the ASEAN: Getting lost is not a bad thing at all. This allows us to stick to the basics and infuse panic with a hint of excitement. We should muster up the courage to talk to locals – hoping that at the end of the day, we may have a stranger turned into a friend. In the midst of buildings or sceneries foreign to our minds, we may find ourselves physically lost but we will arrive at that point where we find places and locals unknowingly growing on us.
I will write a commentary about the issues raised at the ASEAN 30th Summit
