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06Jun 2016

Money for life: Leaving a legacy

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

It’s that stage in my life where I am an empty nester. My two girls are now financially independent and not living in the family home anymore. It is that stage in my life when I am preparing for my golden years…not retirement because I will never retire. Life is so much fun being a blogger. These days, one can still continue work and yet enjoy life at the same time using online opportunities. My goals are income, wealth and protection.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

Who doesn’t want money for life? I know I do. It does not mean I want to covet luxurious items. When I say wealth, I want money for life to take care of my basic needs: food, shelter , (still paying for my house loan), utilities, health needs and clothing .

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

My retirement plan revolves around sudden illness. Health is wealth but I need to prepare for accidents, complications, if ever, on my diabetes. The best care is preventive health care. I do that now by walking daily (at least 10,000) steps and removing beef, pork, and chicken from my diet.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

I cannot imagine my children supporting me in my old age especially if they have families already which is one reason that I stopped giving them financial support once they started work so I could rebuild my savings. My kids often say that they will help us in our old age but I don’t want them to think that is our plan. If they want to give us gifts, well and good. It is not an imposition but more out of love.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

What do I want my legacy to be?

Leaving a legacy means different things to different people. But what is leaving a financial legacy? Each of us today, has a financial future. My next goal is now leaving a legacy but not necessarily for my children…Yes, I do want to preserve my estate but most importantly, I want to have enough money to tide us over during our golden years of over 50 and above.

The Money for life eplanner at moneyforlife.com.ph is a good start , which guides me on achieving this legacy.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

My desired goal is staying protected from sickness and accidents.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

The next step is identifying my needs and the amount of my goal.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

I have options to explore that I can now talk to my Sunlife advisor, Kendrick Chua. He has been my advisor since 2011.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

Image via moneyforlife.com.ph . Some rights reserved.

I will update you soon on how I have been achieving my “money for life” goals.

You can get a headstart by joining the Bus to the Future

To help inspire the public to create their own Money for Life plan with a financial advisor, Sun Life created a 360-degree visual reality (VR) video, transporting them to different scenarios based on their chosen life stage. This will enable the viewer to live the dream for a minute and be encouraged to start planning for their future through Money for Life and Sun Life’s life insurance and investment products.

Viewable with a VR headset, the video can be experienced in a customized bus called “Bus to the Future,” which will be making its way to different malls and campuses nationwide. Among the stops are:

MALL	DATE
Bonifacio Global City High Street	June 11
Eastwood	June 19
SM City Cebu	June 25

Solenad, Nuvali

July 2

UNIVERSITY	DATE
MAPUA Institute of Technology	June 2
Ateneo Graduate School of Business	June 12
De La Salle University	June 16

University of the Philippines Diliman	June 16
San Sebastian College	June 20
University of San Carlos Cebu	June 24
Lyceum of the Philippines University Manila	June 29

University of the Philippines Los Banos

June 30

In all these stops, Sun Life financial advisors will also be on hand to accommodate inquiries.

04Jun 2016

Disaster preparedness through microinsurance

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Cebuana Lhuillier launches “National Pilipino Protektado Day” to give away free microinsurance to one million Filipinos

My family survived Ondoy and I am grateful that only our possessions and cars were damaged. But others were not so lucky. Lives were lost. Others who survived did not have insurance or extra income to slowly rebuild their lives. Disasters wreck havoc in our lives and in different communities , resulting to loss of life and livelihood. Cebuana Lhuillier is pushing for financial inclusion by making microinsurance part of the disaster preparation for Filipinos. More than the usual emergency kits, obtaining microinsurance is another practical way to be prepared.

During the unveiling of the “National Pilipino Protektado Day”, Cebuana Lhuillier in partnership with Pioneer Insurance announced that it will be giving away free microinsurance to one million Filipinos within the days leading up to July 21 (the date of the National Protektado Day). The first batch of microinsurance covers will be given to the constituents of the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Philippine Red Cross, Oxfam International, Global Peace Foundation, Girl Scouts of the Philippines and Boy Scouts of the Philippines.

Aside from its campaign to insure one million Filipinos, Cebuana Lhuillier announced the launch of other initiattives like the Cebuana Alerto , an android app (coming soon) that harnesses the digital platform to provide vital information in disaster preparedeness, Our Help, a website dedicated to donating microinsurance, and the institutionalization of Microinsurance Agents Association of the Philippines Inc, (MIAPPI), an organization founded to promote the interest and welfare of microinsurance agents.

I like the “National Protetakdo Day” as it raises awareness on microinsurance especially for the low-income sector. Disasters will always hound us every year. Considering the severity and frequency of disasters, one must emphasize disaster preparedness through microinsurance. I just hope one day, there will be more than one million Filipinos that will be covered by insurance.

30May 2016

10 interesting things to do for the healthy mom

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

“Find the love you seek, by first finding the love within yourself. Learn to rest in that place within you that is your true home.”
– Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

How could I say no to a Healthy Mommas Retreat from Michelle and Sab of Mothers Who Brunch (MWB) ? The election month of May had been especially hectic and toxic . My body was craving for a well-deserved and pampered break . MWB whisked a bunch of fun and inspiring moms to Cintai Corito Gardens in Batangas to mark their first year as a community . What a fitting choice for our weekend retreat in this Balinese-inspired sanctuary . The Indonesian word “cintai” means “love.” It reminded me of the importance of loving myself first.

We, the mommas and the gracious friends of MWB spent the day learning about healthy food, body positivity, being a body positive parent and a bit of pampering in this refreshing getaway.

I love the place. The Balinese-inspired sculptures and statues scattered around Cintai, as well as the lovely garden is the ideal place to unwind, relax, and meditate.

In this haven of restful tranquility, I affirmed my healthy lifestyle choice as MWB prepared a day of activities and goodies. I want to share some of these interesting finds that you might want to consider in your shopping list.

1. Switch your metabolism over to Green

Eating healthy never tasted this good. The best way to ensure my body stays in tip-top shape is to be gentle with what I feed it. So yes to green juice and smoothies. Mish and Sab prepared a lot of smoothies for us using Severin Multimixer + Smoothie Mix & Go.

Using the Braun multi quick hand blender, Mish prepared hummus. The Hummus recipe is to die-for with that sharp garlic twist.

It must have been my lucky day because, I get to bring home the same blender where I will prepare not only hummus but homemade pesto and omelettes.

Check out facebook.com/Colombophils for other detox products to help you stay fit and healthy.

2. Take Kombucha, the living drink.

They say , you are what you eat but you are what you digest as well. Kombucha (Kahm-BOO-cha) has so many health benefits : boosts the Immune System; Natural Detoxifier; Rich in Vitamins and Enzymes ; Energy Boost; Increased Metabolism ; PMS Relief and Relief from Arthritis and Joint Pain.

Pattie Palma Gil, Corito’s owner and manager, shares how she prepares kombucha in her blog. I am so inspired to make my own kombucha that I ordered a SCOBY (Symbiotic Culture of Bacteria and Yeast) .

In her blog, she describes that “Kombucha starts out as a sugary tea, which is then fermented with the help of a scoby. “SCOBY” is actually an acronym for “symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast.” It’s very close cousins to the mother used to make vinegar. ”

When I took a drink, it tasted pleasantly like apple cider. Pattie recommends kombucha in moderation. Start with 4 oz. a day and increase to 16 oz. limit. If you are interested to know more about kombucha, read Pattie’s blog post. You can also order Kombucha through these suppliers.

3. Shop at the Super Food grocer to jumpstart your green smoothie

“There’s no better way to live than to have a strong, vibrant, healthy body in fighting form — regardless of age, weight, or any other starting point.” I am glad there is the Super Food Grocer where you can easily jumpstart your health with a Green Smoothie.

They even have a free ebook which includes recipes ,common newbies mistakes, FAQs and super tips. Check their website, the Super Food Grocer .

4. Eat Healthy Hatch Free-range brown eggs

I can’t eat whole eggs if it is not free-range brown eggs . I am glad Healthy Hatch free-range eggs are antibiotic free and growth hormone-free. I just know when it is not free-range eggs. Some eggs sold in the groceries are not free-range. You cannot tell just by the looks . I know it by the taste. (Sometimes I think , the supplier just dips the egg in some coloring.)

The Healthy Hatch chickens are raised in a barn-type farm where they can freely roam making the stress-free. They are fed with natural feeds, Azolla, Duckweeds, Moringa and Madre de Agua making the lay eggs with thicker shells that are resistant from bacteria and have bright yellow-orange yolks. You can visit their The Healthy Hatch Facebook page.

5. Loving yourself needs a little boost with Up & Up Skin refining and priming serum.

Beautique Manila introduced us to Up & Up Skin Refining and Priming serum, as a non-surgical solution to various skin concerns associated with aging like sagging eyelids, eye bags, inelastic cheeks, crow’s feet, enlarge pores and hidden neckline.

Up & Up is made of Green Tea Extract, Ade Aluminium Erijissel Sump Extract, Trehalose, Adenosine, Dynalift, Chamomile Extract, Hyaluronic Acide, and Aloe Vera Extract. It is easy to use. Simply mix using the syringe container, and apply the serum to your skin.

The serum was applied to my sagging skin on my cheekbones for testing. A bit of skin tightening was observed but I will test it more in the coming days. Up & Up Skin Refining and Priming serum is available in PCX branches. Check out Beautique Manila facebook page.

6. Use Beyond Borders Cocktail napkins, handmade by Ilocano women and men on antique looms

A glass of green juice and smoothies go hand in hand with a dainty cocktail napkin. There is no greater feeling than buying local and helping the men and women of Ilocos who weave these Beyond Borders cocktail napkins. They use antique hand looms with techniques handed down to them by their elders. They are so beautiful.

I love companies like Beyond Borders who take pride in the Filipino culture and its traditions, and a sincere desire to preserve them. Visit the Beyond Borders Facebook page.

7. Pamper yourself with Green Mama organic perfume and lip balm

Simple and clean green living not only lies in our food intake but on what goes on our skin . Andrea Fernandez Reloza, the owner of Green Mama “researched and was alarmed to find out that the items contained a lot of carcinogens so she decided to concoct alternatives to create a safer home environment especially for her children.” I am loving her Rose Vanilla organic perfume. The lip balm is perfect for my chapped lips.

Green Mama can be found on Facebook at Green Mama Organic and Natural Products and Instagram at @Greenmama_ph

8. Get refreshed with infused water from the Juice Barista

There’s nothing like infused water to quench my thirst on our way to Batangas. The Juice Barista Infused Agua is made of fruits, veggies, herbs, spices and edible flower.

Check out the Juice Barista Facebook page for more of their infused agua .

9. Remember to Sip Hydrate with the Juice Barista Agua Timer On-The-Go glass bottle.

Why not track your water intake and make it easier with time marks to help hit your daily water goals? This is perfect for those who are serious about hydrating.

10. Cool yourself with Hann’s Ice towel on the go

What a perfect buddy during my workout and walking my way to my daily 10,000- 15,000 steps a day goal. Just wet, shake and chill! The cooling lasts for hours . It is also completely reusable – just re-wet and shake!

What great finds not only for the moms but for everyone. Pamper yourself today. Nothing says “love me” better than some peaceful “me time” with the cool and soft breeze caressing your face.

19May 2016

Moms need the gift of sleep

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

“Sleep is the best meditation.” Dalai Lama

Sleep. Who does not need sleep? Sleep is the key for renewing and rebalancing the body and mind. I cannot live with less than 7 hours of sleep. I get cranky and less productive with work. The problem with me is sometimes I get caught up with work that I forget the time. If you’re a working mom, I can only imagine your day. The lack of rest at night has effects “that spill over to the day, making it tough to fulfill your personal and business responsibilities.” There are many ways to get the best sleep ever but first things first. One needs a comfortable bed. A quality bed is a necessity, not a luxury.

Didn’t you know that you will spend 20,000 hours on your bed over a seven year lifespan ? It’s worth taking some time and effort to make sure you make the right choice

In celebration of Mother’s day, Uratex held a special party for mom bloggers at the Ronac Lifestyle Center, Magallanes. I am glad that I got to visit Uratex once again. Thirty something years ago, I used to buy their foam mattress for our customized beds. Oh my, they have grown and evolved to so many product lines like their premium mattress that combines the latest Sleep Science innovations and luxurious fabric for an elegant, superior sleep comfort. It was amazing to try these mattresses. I got to lie down on three mattresses (Premium Touch Sublime , Premium Touch Cozy Latex and Premium Touch Viscoluxe) . With the help of the XSensor machine, an image-pressuring device that helps sleepers detect which mattress fits my needs, I will know which mattress is the most comfortable.

The results of XSensor test showed that the highest comfort index came from the Viscoluxe mattress. The Premium Touch Viscoluxe is specially crafted with advanced individually pocket coil springs and memory foam, that contours to body movement and alleviates pressure points. It also features quilted knitted fabric made from Tencel, that leaves a cool effect as you lie down. Treated with Sanitized® that effectively protects against growth of bacteria, odour, mildew, and dust mites.

Among the there mattresses I tried out, the Viscoluxe mattress had a softer cushion and it was the most affordable mattress , too. At P 28,799.75 for the queen sized bed, it is easy on the budget. A bed that’s supportive and comfortable is a key factor but it is important to remember that your requirement for support will differ depending on their weight and build. At least when you shop for a mattress, you will know exactly which bed suits you.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Uratex has pillows now. Their senso memory pillows are just so huggable. It is made up of premium memory foam that gently conforms to the shape of your head. I love the soft feel yet gives good support.

In addition to mattresses, Uratex has colorful Lifestyle Collection Chairs that can provide accent in any room . Its sleek, bold form complements any space at home.

The rest of the afternoon was spent just bonding with mom blogger friends through the fun-filled pampering sessions. I was so thrilled to get a manicure and pedicure just in time for Mother’s day. What a relaxing afternoon.

If you want to see the wide selection of Uratex mattress, just visit uratex.com.ph

18May 2016

The household help : A homemaker’s experience in the last 31 years

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 22 Comments

Updated

I can truly understand the Household help blues faced by moms in the Philippines. Let me make it clear. I don’t claim to be the authority on yayas, or the household help.

Before moving to our new home in 2007, I called up Marilyn, the girls’ Yaya who stayed with us for 14 years. She left after a misunderstanding with one of my in-laws. I asked her if she knew of helpers who might want to work with me. I told her I was afraid that my household staff would leave me as they are used to an exclusive Makati village. (Luijoe’s yaya went into maternity leave) I heard that household help in Makati can be picky with the village they work in. Marilyn assured me the helpers won’t leave me because I am a “good employer”.

I am?

Then she began to thank me profusely that if it were not for my training, she wouldn’t have started her own small food stall business. I am impressed. She is financially independent with a steady source of income. I noticed that her menu consisted of the snack favorites of my kids such as french fries, cheese sticks , burger sandwiches and more.

So I took note of her advice. True enough, the household help stuck it out with me. In fact, I brought four along with me in my new home. Two were permanent staff while the other two were temporary since I needed them to help me pack up and organize my new home.

I have been blessed with reliable household help in all my 28 years as a homemaker. A few of them were disasters but I learned along the way. So maybe I have something to say. Maybe not. These are my experiences:

1. Never treat your maid like a sister or close friend. Maintain a distance. But treat her fairly with an occasional friendly chat. Filipino culture is that way. It’s a paternalistic society where maids look up to their amo as a parent or authority figure.

2. Teach them. Train them to be better. If you can , teach them a special dish or a craft. They will be happy they learned something new.

I learned this from my mother. We used to have a bakeshop. Mom hired high school student graduates and trained them to bake, or ice cakes. Mom used to tell me that young girls are trainable. Today these household help have a business of their own . In the same light, I train my maids to cook, bake and do crafts. They love learning something new. I always tell them that their training with me can bring them financial independence one day.

3. Yayas that stay years with you like mine tend to be abusive or superior to the more junior help.

Marilyn stayed with us for 14 years. Over the years, she developed an attitude. She had this tendency to lord it over the other staff. Since she loved the kids to death, I was willing to compromise. What does one do in this situation?

Exert a little patience. Compromise. Since Marilyn stayed that long, I learned to thresh things out without emotional outburst. All it needed was a firm and friendly talk. Sometimes, I give space when I am angry at her then we sit down again when things have cooled down.

4 . Lectures are meaningless if there is no employer-employee relationship at the start. Helpers tend to get spoiled when they are treated like friends.

5. Don’t rely on their stock knowledge.

Sometimes I prefer to hire 18 year old girls because they are not stubborn in their ways. They do not have bad habits. In fact they are more trainable than the thirty year olds. For child care, I explain my philosophy of child care . I teach them the proper way of handling a child’s fear. Not that I will call the police if you misbehave type of discipline.

6. Compensate them well.

I usually pay a little higher than the going rate in the neighborhood. In my current residence , the starting salary is 3,000 pesos. I usually give 4,000 pesos for the first month then give an increase the next month and so on. The salary of the Yayas is a lot more. I often gave a higher salary so that they are not pirated by neighbors. After all that training, I am not about to benefit another person.

I also gave paid vacation leaves, thirteen month pay and Christmas bonus even before the Kasambahay bill was passed. With the latest Kasambahay law, we have given them PhilHealth, Pag-ibig and SSS benefits on top of their salary , six months ahead.

7. Never give old things away .

The tendency of some helpers is that it “might” be okay to get this item since it’s old anyway . Or it’s not been used. I felt really betrayed whenever I catch my things taken away without my permission. It was as if “stealing is okay” since “they don’t use it anymore” or “they won’t notice it’s taken”. I often tell them to ask me if they want an item and I will sell it at a giveaway price. Whenever I have a garage sale, I give them the first pick and a 10% of the sale proceeds.

8. Tell your spouse that you are the mistress of the household.

Butch was a law student when Lauren was born. When Lauren was 4 months old, I got a job offer from my old boss. One day, I arrived home and found out that our cook was dismissed . Butch said that he told her to leave because she overcooked a dish. I was mortified . Fortunately , Lauren’s yaya refused to leave even if Butch told her to quit. What was my husband thinking? From that day on, I told Butch that if he had household help problems , he needed to course it through me.

That’s all I can think of. Any ideas you might want to share?

11May 2016

The myth of closure

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 2 Comments

So if someone says to us, by word or by action, “You should be over
that by now,” we can recall the words from the Talmud: “Judge no one before you have been in his place.”

When people ask how many kids I have, I always say three children and pretty soon, the question goes on details like “are they in school”, “how old are they?” If I am not in the mood, I just say two children because the conversation will always lead to my son’s whereabouts. The moment I say my third child died 10 years ago, I feel a sense of discomfort.

More often than not “you’ve moved on , right?” , or “you found closure already?”

If a well-meaning friend said something inappropriate with respect to Luijoe’s death, I would try to focus on the intent of the comment instead of the comment itself. Maybe, my friend just didn’t know what to say.

moving on quote

Move on. It is just a chapter in the past but don’t close the book, just turn the page. – UnknownMoving on does not mean closure…

However when they are acquaintances, I find it terribly annoying. The word “closure” carries with it an underlying message of impatience: “OK,” the person appears to be saying, “it’s time to get over it.”

Am I being overly sensitive? Perhaps.

It is not just me though. In meetings with the Compassionate Friends, the word “closure” bothers most parents. The “c word,” seemed to push all our buttons.

It is understandable that our friends feel uneasy in the presence of pain. How they wish they can take away our grief. That’s okay. But bereaved parents resent the implication of failure or self-absorption if one can’t adhere to a recovery schedule.

We do, in our own individual ways, gradually get better at bearing our loss. Mainly, the pain simply softens with the passage of time. Moving on means that we live a new normal never forgetting the love and memories of our beloved.

Ashley Davis Prend says that closure is not for people we love or for feelings.

Closure simply does not exist emotionally, not in a pure sense. We cannot close the door on the past as if it didn’t exist because, after losing someone dear to us, we never forget that person or the love we shared. And in some ways, we never entirely get over the loss. We learn to live with the loss, to integrate it into our new identity.

Imagine if we really could end this chapter in our life, completely. It would mean losing our memories, our connections to those we love. If we really found closure, it would ironically hurt even more because the attachment would be severed. And this attachment is vital to usÃ¢â‚¬â€the memories are treasures to be held close, not closed out.

Perhaps it is better to think in terms of healing. Yes, we can process our pain and move to deeper and deeper levels of healing. Yes, we can find ways to move on and channel our pain into productive activities. Yes, we can even learn to smile again and laugh again and love again.

I have not closed the door on what my loss meant, for if I did that, I would inadvertently close the door on all the love that Luijoe and I shared. And that would truly be a loss too terrible to bear.

08May 2016

Simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

“Most of the luxuries, and many of the so-called comforts of life, are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind. With respect to luxuries and comforts, the wisest have even lived a more simple and meagre life than the poor.” Henry David Thoreau

To my dear daughters,

It is Mother’s day today and as you might know, I celebrate it everyday with you even if you are all grown up. Today, I just want to write about the rewards of the simple life.

lauren and me

mydaughter and me

Let me tell you that about finding ” the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter” to be thrilled by the stars at nights… some of the rewards of the simple life.” Let me tell you about our trip to Batanes.

I could not help but prance around the sloping hills of Racuh-a-Payaman , twirling around and singing “The hills are alive with the sound of music”. Remember how we used to sing that song in the car as we travelled the long and winding road towards Baguio?

Yes, Baguio has a special place in our hearts because it is home to your dad. I could not help singing with the wind as it kept throwing my sun hat away to protect me. I felt the wind was telling me to let go of my fear of the sun’s heat and just feel the cool breeze. I did listen to the sound of the wind as it cools my face during lunch. Want to hear the pounding of the wind that afternoon?

My friends who were with me say it reminded them of the Irish landscape. One felt like crying with the majestic beauty. Another thought “I see God before me”. I was speechless. I thought the picture pretty hills was reminiscent of the English countryside without the Friesian cows and the sheeps grazing the pastures.

I sat down on the grass to get my bearings and just be awed. But your dad wouldn’t allow me to just sit down. You know how I fear heights …but your dad held my hand and said “you are going to regret this”. He dragged me literally to see more than just rolling green hills.

He led me to the tip of the hill where the blueness of the sea kissed the sky. Ever since he learned to use the camera , he kept taking photos of Batanes.

I cannot begin to describe Batanes . Your dad in our article of Batanes “Enhancing the ecological and cultural tourism in Batanes” says:

Despite our preconceptions about the allure of the place, we were still floored by the actual experience of being there. A clear light seems to suffuse the entire province , real life in HD. The drama of the juxtaposition of the landscape and seascape left us gushing and groping for words. We have literally never seen any place like it, although we have done a fair amount of traveling here and abroad

I am not as eloquent as your dad so let me just show you some of the photos he took of me. You know how I am when it comes to photos.

Let me take you to the rugged terrain of Chawa cliffs.

The hedgerows which serves as source of reeds for roofing, protection from soil erosion and firewood. Hedge rows are also proof of the centuries-old practice of Ivatans on appropriate farming technology.

The fishing port in Diura.

The rolling hills in Vayang.

I took this of your dad as he stood beside the Mt. Carmel Chapel that sits in between two bodies of water, the West Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

The sound of the roaring waves of the West Philippine sea from Batanes Resort where we were billeted

This is the video I took of the resort:

Rock formations in Alapad Hills, the scene of the movie of Hihintayin Kita sa Langit (I Will Wait for You in Heaven) with Richard Gomez and Dawn Zulueta

I took a video while waiting for your dad as he ventured to the steeper side of Alapad.

The super moon that peeked out just before sunset at the Basco Lighthouse

The Ivatan art inspired by the beauty of Batanes.

But more than the majestic beauty of Batanes are the people themselves. You might find beautiful beaches, picturesque mountains, hills and hedgerows in other countries but Batanes is more than a pretty scene.

What makes Batanes endearing to me is the attitude and culture of the Ivatans, the natives of Batanes.

Ivatans are hardy and resilient, attuned to the vagaries of a temperamental climate. They have a strong sense of community. Neighbors look out for each other and every person is either an auntie, uncle or cousin. Bartering is still prevalent. The often-idealized concept of ““bayanihan” is actually alive and well in Batanes.

The pervading culture of Batanes “dictates that it is a privilege to help and be helped, and almost an insult to receive payment.” Isn’t that something to emulate and pass on to our children?

This Honesty Cafe store was started by Aling Elena Gabilo, a retired Math teacher for 40 years. She wanted to provide refreshments to the locals and travelers in the area. Anybody who enters the cafe can get food and drinks and drop whatever payment they feel like in a basket.

Aling Elena does not mind if the customers don’t pay or not. Her ultimate profit is the chance “to awaken her customers’ consciousness to honesty and responsibility and to teach them to live these lessons in the other areas of their lives.”

There is much to learn from the day-to-day experiences and resiliency of the people of Batanes. Life is about helping others and sharing their lives with one another. Rose Belmonte says it best about life in Batanes.

“Life that is lived fully will lead us to knowing who we are and becoming what we are made to be. Giving starts with one person. It starts with one home. One woman prepares food with love. One man takes pride in his labor. One traveler pays the right amount. One child learns to share. A neighbor gives unconditional assistance. Everybody does the same. And we get blessed with a community called Batan in an island simply known as Batanes.”

As your dad and I celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary in Batanes, I am convinced there is a certain majesty in simplicity. I realized that it is much better to insist on the genuine forms of nature, for simplicity is the greatest adornment of art.

As Richard Holloway says. ““Simplicity, clarity, singleness: These are the attributes that give our lives power and vividness and joy as they are also the marks of great art. They seem to be the purpose of God for his whole creation.”

I hope we can travel together to Batanes and explore it more. Most of all, I hope you can see how simplicity is making the journey of this life with just baggage enough.

Love,
Mom (and dad)

25Apr 2016

What is citizenship in the digital age?

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

“The only title in our democracy superior to that of President is the title of citizen.” Justice Louis D. Brandeis

It is but inevitable that digital media is the future of media. In Ellen Tordesillas’ commentary , she cited that “ internet-based media which includes social media and blogs have overtaken print media as source of information (over 40 percent). The rise of online media as source of information for the public is both good and a matter of concern. Good because of the accessibility of information. Being informed is being empowered. But empowerment comes only with being correctly informed.”

Our challenge in social media is to make sure that we disseminate credible information. What is most important is to be responsible in providing that information in our commentaries, tweets and Facebook wall posts. Being responsible in posting information is part of being a citizen in a digital world. We can start teaching young people to be better citizens in a digital world. Start them young, and as early as kindergarten.

Digital citizenship

The elements of digital citizenship contain “the basic tenets of traditional citizenship: Be kind, respectful and responsible, and just do the right thing.” It is not a matter of following online safety rules. There are nine elements of digital citizenship which define the norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use. . The Concept of Respect, Educate and Protect (REPs) is a way to “explain as well as teach the themes of digital citizenship. Each area encompasses three topics which should be taught beginning at the kindergarten level.” What’s new for educators , parents as well as students — is learning how to apply these ideals to the digital age.

While the concept of “good digital citizen” is a hot topic these days, it gets quickly lumped as “uncool” when it is brought up at the dinner table. A parent suggested swapping the term digital citizen (forever) with leader such as inserting leadership qualities—like courage, consistency, knowledge, compassion, and respect—into conversations. Haven’t parents faced this challenge? Our kids understand the ‘why’ more than the ‘what’ sometimes.

Kinds of citizen

Make it cool to be a good digital citizen. A parent can pose some hypothetical situations that one work through together to sharpen their child’s online leadership skills. Another way is, to catch your child doing awesome things online. Catch them being a digital leader and praise them for it in person.

Steve Mouldey prefers to call it citizenship in the digital age which “means how we actively participate in a society where digital technologies are prevalent.” He suggests that one can “start reframing the focus of digital citizenship so that people can begin taking positive action we need to see how to be a better citizen.” The kinds of citizens as defined by Westheimer and Kahne is one way to start.

Using the examples cited by Steve Mouldey, the digital citizenship version can be the following:

Personally Responsible Digital Citizen: contributes to online campaign by sharing links, signing online petitions such as in change.org or avaaz.org
Participatory Digital Citizen: uses digital technologies and social media to organise actions that benefit society. One example is SavePhilippineSeas.org that aims to protect the country’s rich but threatened marine and coastal resources through information, education, and communication campaigns and community-based projects.
Justice Oriented Digital Citizen: uses digital technologies to critically assess society and seek out ways to effect systemic change. Aside from the thrust of voters education and other advocacies of Blog Watch, other online sites like Takebackthetech.net aims to take control of technology to end violence of women.

Being a good digital citizen is “the same as being a good citizen in the offline world, which means each one of us contributes to the whole when we learn to: Protect ourselves, respect others, obey the law, and be part of the solution, not the problem.” The youth will soon be the future citizens and even leaders of this country. Responsibility is not a matter of teaching them the elements of Digital Citizenship. Responsibility starts at home and setting the guidelines and responsible use of digital technologies.

Dahr Jamail says it well, that “an informed citizenry is the basis for a healthy democracy; independent, non-corporate media are more crucial today than ever before.”

Images from Steve Mouldey, EducatorsTechnology.com, Verafiles,org. Some rights reserved.

As originally posted on Blog Watch, Philippine Online Chronicles

19Apr 2016

Expo Mom 2016: The Motherhood Journey , on April 29-30 at Glorietta

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Now on its ninth year, Mommy Mundo brings you Expo Mom 2016, on April 29 and 30, Friday and Saturday, at the Glorietta Activity Center, Makati. Expo Mom 2016 is a celebration, not of motherhood but the journey of motherhood and the unique experience we go through on every stage. With this year’s theme, The Motherhood Journey, you’ll find both enlightenment and encouragement whether you’re an expectant mom or a new mom, a mom taking care of a toddler or a mom raising a child at Expo Mom.

Expo Mom: The Motherhood Journey is co-presented by Caltrate Plus, Pampers, and Belo Baby and supported by Sun Life, Clearascar, Mott’s 100% Apple Juice, Downy Baby Gentle, Fuji/Instax, Waters Philippines, and Stanley Ong Photography with Celebrity Mom, Working Mom, Diva Universal and Crossover as media sponsors, Glorietta and Ayala Malls as venue sponsor, and Creative Juice Communications as logistics partner.

Expo Mom is also the most mom and baby friendly event with a mom lounge for breastfeeding and diaper changing area sponsored by Pampers and a play area for kids sponsored by Mott’s 100% Apple Juice. Entrance at Expo Mom is free of charge but a donation of any amount will be accepted for the Mommy Mundo MOMSHARE fund. Proceeds of the fund goes to literacy projects for the street children of Childhope Asia and public School kids under the Alpabasa programs. MomShare also supports needs of underprivileged moms and kids. Mommy Mundo Passport holders get an Expo Mom tote bag.

Expo Mom, running since 2008, is the banner event of Mommy Mundo, an organization dedicated to educating, inspiring, and empowering moms with useful, relevant, and up-to- date information.

At Expo Mom 2016, moms will find answers and solutions to challenges and concerns of her particular stage of motherhood as we feature mom groups and influencers who will share their experiences and learning’s during the onstage talks. Expert resource persons will also be present to impart tips and tools that moms and dads can use to be better in their parenting. Finally, Expo Mom 2016 will also showcase practical and effective products and services for every stage of motherhood. The event hopes to be a sharing of stories, a coming together of moms and dads who strive to be active in their babies and children’s lives.

Expo Mom The Journey: We are reaching out to moms all over the Philippines!

June 18 Expo Mom Cebu

June 25 Expo Mom Negros

July 2 Expo Mom South (Alabang)

July 16-17 Expo Mom North Quezon City

August 27 Expo Mom Davao

October 15 Expo Mom CDO

November 4-6 Expo Mom Holiday (Glorietta Makati)

15Apr 2016

Top 10 highlights of my visit to the Huawei campus at Shenzen, China

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

When I think of Huawei, I remember my first portable modem wifi in 2010, the Huawei E585. For the past three years, my Smart LTE pocket WIFI has seen better days but serves me well in getting connected to the world with the help of my two telcos and other gadgets.

My next encounter with Huawei was during a launch of Globe’s rollout of its biggest network modernization program with the help of Huawei in 2011, that pretty much boosted its network quality . That launch broadened my knowledge that Huawei is not just a manufacturer of portable Wifis. Still, the image of Huawei imprinted in my mind is geeky and high-tech.

A visit to Huawei Headquarters in Shenzhen, China widened my perspective on its array of products, services and their innovation in building a better connected world .

I was invited to be part of the Philippine media and blogger delegation that toured the Huawei campus and exhibit hall on April 8 . We had an interesting mix of writers from the print and magazine, to lifestyle bloggers, fashion bloggers, and even mom bloggers like myself.

The biggest discovery for me as a mom, is that Huawei offers other products and solutions which are just as practical as my trusty old portable wifi.

Let me share the top ten things that fascinated me during my visit to the Huawei campus which by the way is huge and even bigger than the Ateneo de Manila Campus.

1. The wearable devices including the Huawei Watch

The line-up of wearable device is fascinating. Who would have thought that Huawei would come out with something so pretty for the ladies? Huawei included 10 feminine-designed watch faces available on the Jewel and Elegant. There is the fitness tracker , of course.

I am looking forward to the smartwatch/fitness tracker hybrid, the Huawei TalkBand B3. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see this at the Shenzhen showcase.

2. Huawei smartphones

The first time I heard of a Huawei smartphone was from a fellow tech blogger. I wanted to know more of smartphones that are not Apple or Samsung. My blogger friend told me the camera takes great photos. I didn’t believe him since I always associated Huawei with high-tech solutions. I am looking forward to the new Huawei P9 Dual-Lens designed in partnership with German camera producer Leica.

Another tidbit I learned is that Huawei is now in the top three in smartphone sales. Huawei is the third-largest smartphone manufacturer in the world at the moment.

Huawei has made a “bold prediction, saying it plans to surpass Apple as the second-biggest smartphone player in the world in three years.”

3. The 4.5G, Next Step Toward Mobile Broadband (MBB) 2020

Our children and even young at hearts (like myself) are fascinated with virtual reality which by the way, need fast internet connection. A great number of 4.5G networks will be under construction in 2016, making 1Gbps a new benchmark rate for mobile broadband networks.

Huawei will continue to help telecom operators construct ultra-broadband (UBB) mobile networks to expand their business opportunities and to build a fully connected world.

4. Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices

With an increasing rise of Internet of Things (IoT) connected devices, I will soon use my smartphone to check on the person ringing my doorbell.

“Huawei will leverage multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) to boost mobile coverage to “4.5G” prior to the introduction of 5G, in addition to attaining gigabit-speed fixed broadband through DOCSIS 3.1 and 10 GPON.”

5. Ultra-broadband (UBB) 2020

I am only aware of broadband so what is ultra-broadband? Huawei released its UBB 2020 vision which “intends to drive and lead the connectivity development goals in UBB the world over. The basis for realizing UBB 2020 is providing ultra broadband connectivity over all media. ” This is what Gigaband mean .

6. Mixing the old and new

Telephone booths are a thing of the past but there is no reason to discard these booths. One innovative approach is to convert these booths into a wifi hotspot. See that contraption at the top of the booth. That is the wifi hotspot.

7. Safe city solution

Mothers always want their community to be safe for their children. Who does not want to live in a safe city? Yes, we have Close Circuit TVs (CCTVs) but these are not efficient especially if no one is even monitoring it. Watching a demo of the Safe City solution offered possibilities for incident prevention, emergency response, and evidence collection.

Seated at the command center, it was like being there at the scene, as events unfolded in catching the suspect before the crime occurred.

Huawei’s Safe City Solution offers “cutting-edge E2E security with ubiquitous network access, a convergent command center, video surveillance cloud, and mobile policing.” It uses the same network of connected devices, or Internet of Things (IOT), to afford governments new tools to improve public services such as crime-fighting, and to keep an eye on what is going on.

Perhaps, our government can explore this essential yet innovative technology to ensure a smarter and safer city.

8. eLTE to provide voice and video dispatching,

How useful this is for our disaster-prone country! LTE broadband trunking solution “provide voice and video dispatching, which greatly increases emergency centers’ efficiency.”

9. Video conferencing

This video conferencing in a large conference room is simply amazing , made possible with Huawei’s cinematic-quality HD multimedia MAX PRESENCE system. It makes use of “Huawei 3-in-1 panoramic cameras and patented image-splicing technology enable 10 x 70-inch HD displays to be combined into 1 ultra-wide display with superior Depth of Field (DoF) for cinema-quality, fully immersive experience.” This is quite useful for those with regional offices that require frequent meetings.

With over 7,000 islands in the Philippines, the telemedicine solution needs to be established to make “care-at-a-distance a reality and extends the reach of quality healthcare to remote locations with remote expert consultation, remote medical education, and remote monitoring”

10. Research and development comprise 45% of their total workforce worldwide

Joe Kelly, Vice President for International Media Affairs told us that Huawei has over 70,000 product and solution R&D employees, comprising more than 45% of their total workforce worldwide. It is in their value proposition that “Huawei continuously innovates to meet customer needs and advance our technological leadership.”

This building is devoted to research and development. Every company should devote resources to R&D. “Huawei’s R&D investment is comparable to Google, who spends 15%, while Facebook and Qualcomm spends even more, these two companies invest 22% and 21% in R&D, respectively.” The company is in the right path seeing that their biggest investment is into R&D.

Huawei released its latest wireless base station, GigaRadio, which sets a new benchmark for network construction with Gbps peak rate.

Huawei released its latest wireless base station, GigaRadio, which sets a new benchmark for network construction with Gbps peak rate.

It is this cutting-edge technology that is changing the way families will soon conduct their lives and connect with the world around them. If only our internet is stable and consistent, then the possibilities of connecting our islands will bring us progress. In 2020, I hope to look back at this post and say “this really happened”. Wow.

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