Touched by An Angel

03Jun 2015

Retirement Planning: What do I want to happen in our financial future?

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

When you retire, think and act as if you were still working; when you’re still working, think and act a bit as if you were already retired. ~Author Unknown

(Photo Credit)

“If I can provide a good future for my children they will look after me during my old age.”

This has been referred by some as “Filipino retirement planning”. Truth is, I have never heard of this practice. My daddy old boy, bless his soul, never gave that impression to us, 7 siblings. Even at his semi-retirement at 55 years old till his death at 73, he supported himself and still left enough income for us even after death. He prepared for his retirement the moment he graduated college.

I am following dad’s plan but I am not as liquid as he once was at my age. I had been busy saving for my kids’ college education and paying off two home mortgages that it’s about time I rebuild my liquidity. Ever since the kids left college, I see myself working even past the age of 70. I don’t have a retirement age. My work is fun. The only factor going against me is my health, the diabetes and my spastic heart condition and that’s the future I am concerned about. I need to save up for contingencies like that.

In “Retirement Planning, Pinoy-Style” written by Randell Tiongson, a registered financial planner and writer for Money Sense Magazine, a short survey of average middle class Filipinos was done to look into Filipinos’ view towards retirement planning. Most of the respondents prefer to retire earlier than the usual 60 or 65 years old. It seems many do not see themselves working very long and would like to get out of the rat race earlier than most. I think these are the employees and not someone like me who enjoys work at home. Here’s an interesting revelation from that survey. While most wanted to retire early, many of them do not have any retirement program in place. It makes me wonder how serious they are in early retirement. It might just be wishful thinking.

Most agree that they may not have enough money to retire comfortably. As to the best time to start planning, most were unanimous in saying that “the earlier, the better”, from the time one earns income or at least when one hits 30 years old. That’s the practice I am inculcating to my children. Start saving for your retirement today. The best investments for retirement are real estate, time deposits and savings. Few mentioned sophisticated instruments like life insurance, mutual funds, unit investment trust funds, socks, bonds or structured notes. Fortunately, my father exposed me to all these type of investments but on a more conservative approach.

On the reason why retirement planning is not taken seriously, respondents talked about immediate gratification, mañana habit, lack of funds, low income, increasing expenses, wrong priorities, short-term thinking, lack of knowledge. One respondent even added that “Filipinos are not too keen on preparing for their retirement maybe because of what we call the extended family.” Most parents, including myself, are too busy preparing for their children’s future and they tend to forget their old age which brings me back now to the Pinoy-style Retirement Planning.

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.

I do have a retirement plan and it starts with a goal and an action plan that started in our first year of marriage.

Each of us today, has a financial future. There are few future aspects of my life I can control, but one part I can play is to assist our family’s future is setting goals. I dont have to obsess about my goals. I don’t have to constantly watch and mark our progress toward them. But it is beneficial to think about my goals and write them down. 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 froom now? Twenty years from now? I know I am willing to work for these goals and trust God to guide me.

Taking responsibility for my retirement plan enables me to take focus off money. It frees me to do my work and live the life I want. I deserve to have the self-esteem and peace that accompanies financial responsibility.

Do you have a retirement plan?

The question isn’t at what age I want to retire, it’s at what income. ~George Foreman

02Jun 2015

QualiMed Clinic in UP Town Center : Quality care within reach

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Wasn’t it just a year ago that mom bloggers visited QualiMed clinic at UPM-PGH compound? Qualimed is a network of healthcare facilities (multi-specialty clinics, day surgery centers and hospitals) owned and operated by Mercado General Hospital, Inc. (MGHI) in partnership with Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI). Their brand promise is “alagang abot-kaya” or “quality care within reach” . They cater to the needs of all markets , yet their affordability makes their services accessible to the broad C socio-economic class.

I have used the diagnostic services of QualiMed when my daughter and I had our digital mammogram taken two months ago. Much as I love the facilities and expertise of QualiMed at the UP-PGH , I find it quite far. There is good news for those who live in Quezon City and surrounding cities. The seventh addition to the QualiMed network is the 186 square meter clinic in the ground level of the UP Town Center in Katipunan Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City. It is very near residential villages, colleges, and two big universities. Last week, mom bloggers visited the inauguration of QualiMed’s newest clinic.

I remember a time when my two girls who used to study in UP and Ateneo respectively , would visit a doctor at the distant Medical City. The Qualimed Clinic in Diliman is focused on providing preventive and promotive primary care for the whole family. Special attention is being given to delivering family wellness through medical consultations and diagnostics checkups; pediatric checkups and adult vaccinations and maternal wellness package.

I am sure you want to know the people behind Qualimed. Dr. Edwin Mercado, is a close friend of Dr. Rodney Dofitas, a surgeon and married to my sister, a dermatologist. Even before QualiMed, Dr. Mercado was already serving affordable health care in their hospital in Tanuan, Batangas. I can tell you with confidence that you are in good hands with QualiMed only because I know the doctors behind this. QualiMed evaluates and selects strategic vendor partners for the most appropriate healthcare systems. They align with DOCTOR PRACTICE GROUPS for long-term relationships to provide medical care through well-qualified and reliable doctors. To partner with QualiMed, practice groups such as AlphaHealth (represented by my brother -in-law during the launch) , Asian Eye Institute, MetroDental, ImageDx Radiology Consultants and University Pathologists Specialists, Inc. (UPSI ) have undergone and passed a strict credentialing process.

(Left to right: Dr. Rodney Dofitas of AlphaHealth and Dr. Edwin Mercado of QualiMed with mom bloggers)Dr. Dofitas and Dr. Mercado took us for a tour around the brand new multi-specialty clinic. The facility format features multi-specialty doctor’s clinics, laboratory, radiology, ECG, drug testing and vaccination services among other services.

My sister, a dermatologist will hold clinics here every Friday from 9:30 am to 4 PM. Other specialists will also hold clinics here such as Family medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Obygynecology/Infertility, Endocrinology, Nephrology, Pulmonology, Dermatology, Cardiology, Pathology, Surgeon. It is best to call beforehand as schedule can change without prior notice.

QualiMed clinic offers the following services: multi-specialty doctor consultations, laboratory procedures, diagnostic imaging services, medical and wellness packages, special procedures , dental procedures and eye care services. Isn’t that Xray machine just child-friendly?

Asian Eye Family Vision center offers eye care services for children and adults such as

1. comprehensive eye checkup,
2. Optical services: contact lens and eyeglasses, sports eyewear
3. Management of lazy eye, eye movement and focusing disorders
4. Basic cataract and LASIK screening
5. Pre-screening for cataract, glaucoma, and retinal diseases

Metro Dental is operated under internationally trained , board certified specialists committed to high quality service and who are continually educated in the latest dental treatment and procedures.

If you live near UP Town Center, drop by for a visit.

Contact details:
QualiMed Clinic
Lower Ground Level
UP Town Center, Diliman, Quezon City
( in front of National Bookstore)
Tel. No. (02) 904-1406 or 02- 962-4776
Clinic hours: 7:00 am-9:00 PM

Other QualiMed Clinics:

1. QualidMed Surgery Center Manila
UPM-PGH Faculty Medical Arts Building (FMAB)
PGH Compound,
Taft Avenue, Manila
Tel. No. (02) 7080000

2. QualiMed Surgery Center , Fairview Terraces
Third Level Fairview Terraces
Novaliches, Quezon City
Tel. No (02) 9508334

3. QualiMed Clinic, Trinoma Mall
Ground Level, TriNoma Mall
EDSA corner North Avenue, Quezon City
Tel. No. (02) 950-4777

4. QualiMed Clinic- Makati
Ground Floor, McKinley Corporate Exchange Corporate Center
McKinley Road, corner EDSA, Makati City
Tel. No. (02) 8610517

01Jun 2015

Just singing in the rain.. What a glorious feelin’ !

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Singin in the Rain will open on August 20 for a strictly limited season at The Theater , Solaire. You can buy tickets through TicketWorld. Call 891-9999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph . Tickets start at 1,500 pesos.

I’m singing in the rain
Just singing in the rain
What a glorious feelin’
I’m happy again
I’m laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The sun’s in my heart
And I’m ready for love
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
I’ve a smile on my face
I walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
Just singin’,
Singin’ in the rain

Are you familiar with those lyrics? Well if you don’t know it yet, “Singin in the Rain” is an iconic 1952 movie which starred Debbie Reynolds and Gene Kelly. Set in 1927, it tells the story of the first Hollywood musical, when the silver screen found its voice and left silent movies — and some of its stars behind. I remember watching Gene Kelly on TV tap dance to the rains . There are so many delightful moments in this iconic movie. Sometimes, I can’t help singing along because it is just a happy song. Remember how it was when we were kids and played with the rain?

Here is the “Singin in the Rain” from the movie.

“Singin in the Rain” has been described as “one of the most joyous dances ever filmed”. Gene Kelly explained that his inspiration for the famous street dance scene was the way children like to play in the rain.

The good news is “Singin in the Rain” will come to Manila during the rainy month of August from the producers of box office hits, CATS, Mamma Mia, The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked. I usually dread the rains because of the flood waters but I love the rain in its pitter-patter mode. The song reminds me to be grateful that the rain will kiss the dry soil .

Here is a snippet of the musical.

I was also delighted to be present during the press launch and got to meet the three main characters: Steven Van Wyk, Bethany Dickson , Grant Almirall. They presented “Good Morning”.

From Left to right: Steven Van Wyk, Bethany Dickson , Grant Almirall

The musical preserved much of the iconic movie since it was just important to serve the piece as well as the movie because people come to hear certain things and that’s what the producers want to provide. Expect glorious songs like Good Morning, Make ’em Laugh , Moses Supposes, and the classic Singin’ in the Rain.

Steven Van Wyk (Cosmo Brown)

The wonderful thing about the play is the choreography is flawlessly created with the help of 12,000 liters of water. Definitely the audience will enjoy one of the most famous dance routines live on stage, with some leaving the stage a little wetter than they arrived. The 12,000 liters of water will be poured on the stage over the course of two numbers–, the first one being the iconic SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN , as done by Gene Kelly and they see it again in the finale. All the water is is UV-treated, sand-filtered and chlorinated. It’s the same machinery as in the swimming pool except that this is pouring in the air.

Bethany Dickson (Kathy Selden)

Audience seated in the first three rows will be in for a one-of-a-kind experience because this is the “splash zone”. The audience will get a treat by being subject to a generous amount of rain water from the show during some of the dance numbers. Bethany Dickson , one of the main characters told me that the water is heated. The bonus is the first three rows will be provided with a poncho if they want to protect themselves.

Grant Almirall (Don Lockwood)

Leading the cast of 27 as the charming Don Lockwood is Grant Almirall, Bethany Dickson as Kathy Selden, and Steven Van Wyk as Cosmo Brown. Expect to be showered with everything you wish for in a musical: breath-taking songs and dance numbers, sumptuous set design and costumes with a superb score and joyous story.

Steven Van Wyk , Bethany Dickson, Grant Almirall

So if you want to watch this feel-good musical, you can buy tickets through TicketWorld. Call 891-9999 or visit www.ticketworld.com.ph . Tickets start at 1,500 pesos.

31May 2015

What Women Need (to know about Cervical Cancer)

by webs ⋅ Leave a Comment

Written by Amihan Euza Mabalay as originally posted at the Philippine Online Chronicles.

Women play an important role in our families and society. They are our mothers and sisters who nurture children and homes. When women who are in their most productive years get sick, the entire family is affected not only economically but also emotionally and psychologically.

Cervical cancer is one of the world’s deadliest cancers in women, claiming the lives of about 270,000 each year, 85% of which are from developing countries, according to the World Health Organization. It commonly affects women who are in their productive years — aged 30 and above. In the Philippines, 12 Filipinas die of this disease each day, as per government data.

It is disheartening that our women could have protection and assurance to longer and quality health if the cancer is detected in its early stage, since cervical cancer is highly preventable. Health authorities say that with early diagnosis and proper treatment, the success rate of those affected with cervical cancer is at ninety percent.

This month, health institutions and women around the world observe the Cervical Cancer Prevention Awareness Month. Let all of us be informed on how we can save ourselves, and the women in our lives from this deadly disease.

Basic facts

Cervical cancer affects the entrance to the uterus or the womb, often referred to as the neck of the uterus. Cancer cells grow in the cervix due to different risk factors, but the highest risk, accounting for 90%, is caused by the affected by the human papilloma virus (HPV) which is sexually transmitted. At high risk are those who had/have multiple partners and those who had first sexual contact at early age. Since HPV is sexually transmitted, it is important to note that a woman can acquire HPV even if she only had one sexual partner.

But having cervical cancer does not mean that a woman acquired this through sexual practices, there are other risk factors such as smoking, giving birth at a young age, several pregnancies and a weak immune system. Studies also cite long term use of contraceptive pills, long-term mental stress and genetic factors.

Cervical cancer is asymptomatic in the initial stage, which means the woman may not feel any symptoms during its development which may take 10 to 15 years. Symptoms for the developed stages include persistent pain in the pelvic area, painful intercourse, abnormal vaginal discharge,

Defense against cervical cancer

WHO strongly advises women, 21 years and above, particularly those who have engaged in sexual intercourse at an early age to undergo annual pap smear and cervical cancer screenings once in 3 to 5 years. The screening is done through VIA (visual inspection using acetic acid). Acetic acid will be applied to the cervix and will be then observed for changes such as appearance of pre-cancer lesions.

As protection, the WHO recommends women to be vaccinated against HPV. There are different types of HPV vaccine which can be given to females as early as 9 years old.

The Department of Health has a program of vaccinating Grade 4 female pupils aged 9 to 13, the age bracket where the HPV vaccine is considered most effective because girls at this age are not yet sexually active. The DOH also provided free HPV screenings as part of its prevention awareness campaign.

Eating healthy can also greatly reduce the risk of the disease. According to Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM), consumption of fruits and vegetables that are high in antioxidants reduces the risk of cervical cancer.

Researchers found that women with HPV induced lesions (seen at the initial stage) who consumed more antioxidants reduced their chances of developing cancer. These particular beneficial antioxidants are ?-carotene, found in pumpkins and carrots, and ß- cryptoxanthin, which is found in pumpkin, sweet red peppers, and papaya.

Images: Girls and Women from Flickr.com. Some rights reserved.

—

Purple lips against cervical cancer

In commemoration of Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, GSK Philippines launched its partnership with cosmetics manufacturer VMV Hypoallergenics at a press event entitled Put On Your Power Pout!, held last May 28^th at Makati Shangri-La Hotel. The partnership introduces a twist on spreading awareness: encouraging women to join the movement by wearing purple lipstick to show their support for the advocacy on cervical cancer prevention.

“Cancer is quite a distant concept for women who are well. What might be more important to them is keeping up with the latest trends, especially in fashion and beauty. The lipstick is a woman’s own—when she wears it, she makes a statement about herself. Through this partnership with VMV, we hope to drive women to make a statement against cervical cancer,” says Mark Castillo, GSK product manager.

Jacklyn Remo, assistant marketing manager for VMV Hypoallergenics, supports the movement: “We are fully committed toward this partnership with GSK Philippines. At VMV Hypoallergenics, we promise the safest, most proven effective care on the planet—and that extends to beauty. This unique combination of science, wellness and beauty means we also strongly stand for advocacies that help women, their health and happiness.”

JOIN THE MOVEMENT NOW—take a photo of yourself wearing VMV Hypoallergenics’ Tutu or Chorus Line lipstick (or a photo of you holding your kiss mark from the lipstick) and post it on Instagram and Facebook with the hashtags #PowerPout and #PowerOverCervicalCancer!

27May 2015

My beloved son, in our arms for a little while, in our hearts forever.

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 1 Comment

My heart still aches to hold you
I close my eyes and see,
Your face now, 15 years later
And who you were to be.

In our arms for a little while, in our hearts forever.
It’s been 15 years. Love never dies.

Today is Luijoe’s death anniversary, the “Angel date” as the Compassionate friends call it.

My daughter messaged me, “Hope you’re not too sad today” and I said “Am okay. Tears are not buckets anymore. Just tear drops.”

” Tears are words the heart can’t express.” Sometimes, there are just no words to describe the overwhelming loss.

Though the pain and sorrow still flows 15 years later, I know one day we will be reunited. I maintain a sacred bond with my son which is very vital to my well being. I have these moments when I dream and imagine what my son looks like now. He’s such a handsome boy.

I catch myself glancing at other boys, children of friends with similar age as Luijoe. There is Dine’s daughter and Jane’s son with similar ages. I can’t help but smile at how grown up they are because at the back of my mind…this is how Luijoe is today at 21 years old.

I wonder if my Luijoe would still be singing as he used to do as a six year old kid. He loved watching his two older sisters during choir practice. Pop music fascinated him . He would always ask me to download mp3 files of his favorite songs at Napster. Then he would sing and dance to the music. That always made me smile. I took note of his mp3 playlist at my old computer right after his death as follows:

You can check out my Spotify playlist

1. Mirror, Mirror- M2M
2. Never be the same again- Melanie C
3. Feeling so Good- Jennifer Lopez
4. Oops I did it again – Britney Spears
5. Bye Bye Bye- NSync
6. Northern Star- Melanie C
7. Dear Lie- TLC
8. How can I not love you- Joy Enriquez
9. Be with you- Enrique Iglesias
10. Never Let You Go- Third Eye Blind

These are the thoughts that I want to picture 15 years later. I can’t help but smile and tear with these thoughts . But one thing is certain after all these years. In my heart, Luijoe lives on, always there, never gone. I can hear him whispering in my thoughts:

And I will be beside you
Every day and week and year,
And when you’re sad I’m standing there
To wipe away that tear.

25May 2015

Lazada Philippines launches Mom Loves – A shopping extravaganza for all the moms, May 26- June 4

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Did you know that 63% of Filipino moms read online advice from : Parenting websites (82%); Facebook (36%), Search engines (31%) and family and friends (84%)? More and more mothers are online because they have become tech-savvy, digitally engaged on their laptops and mobile. They made a purchase mainly because it was recommended on a parenting website followed by “they saw an online brand promotion” and lastly, they “saw someone follow the brand online”.

Now, I am going to recommend to you an online store, Lazada Philippines – the country’s one-stop shopping destination. I like shopping at Lazada because it saves me, time and money as I can shop at the comfort of my home. I like how they constantly update me on the status of my purchase and delivery.

Good news for mommies and daddies. Lazada prepared something for you out there starting May 26 until June 4 via www.lazada.com.ph/mom-loves .

You can start browsing the items here.

Whether you are social media savvy, on-the-go, urban lifestylista, or even the stay-at-home type of mom, Mom Loves has something in-store for every mom. From exciting flash sales coming from top brands, to hot discounts and exciting games, Mom Loves is packed with all the coolest deals that every mom could get to nurture her family.

Lazada carefully took into consideration a couple of fun mom facts into designing this year’s mom-focused shopping event:

1. 60% of mothers visit social media sites such as Facebook, Youtube, and

2. Mothers in emerging markets such as the Philippines consider a variety of other product information beyond quality, price, and convenience, such as branding

3. 8 out of 10 moms would buy frequently but of lesser basket size due to the management of cash flow;

Top items bought by moms in Lazada would be the following:

a. Learning Toys

b. Home Appliances

c. Home and Living Items

e. Health and Beauty

There are many learning toys at the Mom Loves Shopping portal and I discovered Fisher-Price toys , one of my favorite toy brands for young children. Most of my children grew up with Fisher-Price toys because they are so sturdy, offer visual stimulation and help my baby develop problem solving. . One such toy was the Fisher Price Elephant Shape Sorter .

An activity center was one toy I bought for my babies. This “Bright Starts Bloomin Birdies Activity Gym” contains so many fun activities for babies.

Other than toys, there are many sale items under lifestyle, Apparel, Health & Safety, Feeding and Partnerships.

Start checking out the sale items in Mom Loves and see if you need this in your household.

24May 2015

A mother-daughter photo shoot on a Sunday morning by Sunday Morning Studios

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

“A good snapshot keeps a moment from running away.” – Eudora Welty

I love taking photos . I got that quirky habit from my daddy old boy who kept snapping away every single moment when my siblings and I are touring in some place . I also love good photography and capturing the moment in time. Around 40 years ago, my mom hired a studio photographer to take our family photo. I am glad she did because this is our one and only decent family photo of my parents and siblings. My dad , mom, and two siblings have passed away since this was taken in 1972 but I have this photo that holds this moment from running away. Aren’t we stiff?

Five years ago, my husband and I celebrated our silver wedding anniversary. I knew I just had to get Mimi and Karl to take our family photos. It was just natural that we chose the UP campus (where we met) for our silver anniversary photo shoot and the celebration of our then 37 years as a couple on March 7. Dragging my two girls to join us, the two hour photo shoot was sweet and poignant. As Butch wrapped his arms around me, I loved how the soft breeze cooled the scorching sun hitting us between the branches of the tree.

Now this is a better family photo, where we are all relaxed even if we were guided to do this pose. We held our daughters’ hands as we walk around the campus where their parents met 37 years ago.

Such a beautiful day, because in 2010 my daughters were still living with us. I get sentimental when I look back at these photos and reminisce that afternoon. We watched the sunset as the photo shoot ended with this pose.

Three years later, my second daughter asked me if I wanted a photo shoot with her. Why not? She was leaving for Europe and I wanted to hold this moment in time.. She discovered this wonderful photographer in Tumblr that took great portraits. I soon found out they were two photographers (Aaron and Anabelle) of Sunday Morning Studios, wedding and lifestyle photographers and lovers of natural light. We again headed off to the UP campus and took mother-daughter photos as well as solo photos.

Here is one of our mother-daughter photos. Isn’t she lovely?

Unfortunately, Lauren could not join us that afternoon. I told that we should have a photo together one day. Two years later, we found the time to have this photos shoot on Mother’s day , a sunday morning with Sunday Morning Studios.

This time, we wanted a photo suited for a LinkedIn profile , with a twist of both lifestyle and corporate look. The scene we envisioned was a coffee shop so we chose CO/OP Goods & Eats in San Juan where we also had our Mother Day brunch. Another lovely photo of my daughter, don’t you think?

I really like how Anabelle and Aaron took our portraits. Anabelle guided us on how to pose by making us imagine an emotion or an idea. The simplicity, elegance, beauty and life caught in each frame. The moment captured forever.

A great photograph is a full expression of what one feels about what is being photographed in the deepest sense, and is, thereby, a true expression of what one feels about life in its entirety. ~Ansel Adams

21May 2015

Blog Giveaway: Tickets to the ICON 2015 , get started in making the right investments & financial choices.

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ 7 Comments

UPDATED May 27- Winners (you can only win once. If your name is also a winner in other blogs, then I will choose another winner)

Gold Winners:

1. Jyrus Cimatu
2. SHIELA MAY LOPEZ

Silver Winners:

1. John Paul S. Tanyag
2. Kim sigrid espiritu
3. Liz Aquino

——

My father, a self-made man, was orphaned during his teens. He survived because his parents left a few coconut lands which gave his five siblings some passive income. More important than acquiring wealth, I learned from my dad the importance of risk-taking, investment and managing personal finances at a young age. But what if you were not exposed to financial planning? How does one learn?

In fact, you might ask…Financial planning, entrepreneurship, trading, investment, and stocks… What do these all really mean ? Do we know what money management exactly means? Are we utilizing what we earn in the right way to invest and create value for a better future? What are the risks involved when it comes to trading and stocks? These are a lot to think about. It might even sound complicated and intimidating, but this is where my friend, Randell Tiongson’s ICON 2015 comes in. Hailing from the success of last year’s ICON 2014, Tiongson makes a comeback with a conference that’s bigger and better, and promises to have more in store.

I have known Randell Tiongson in 2008, way before he became a blogger. I attended his first seminar on retirement planning with my husband and daughter in 2009. He is such a great mentor and inspiring lecturer. If you attend ICON 2015, you are blessed to listen to the best financial experts in the country . ICON 2015 will be held on May 30, 2015 from 8AM to 5PM at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City. With a whole-day event and a packed program flow, you will ;earn the basics, get motivated and ultimately be inspired by the best speakers in the Philippine financial industry. In just one day, you will gain the knowledge and tools you need to get started in making the right investments and financial choices.

This year ICON 2015 is bringing you no less than the best speakers and advocates in the field of investing. Here they are:

1. The event’s pioneer, columnist, and best-selling author of “Money Manifesto,” Randell Tiongson .

2. Francis Kong, respected lecturer, inspirational speaker and author of Only the Real Matters.

3. Marvin Germo,the well-known stock market trader and best-selling author of Stock Smart

4. Jess Uy,s Global Investing Advocate, personal speaker and finance coach and

5. Economist and Ateneo De Manila University Professor Alvin Ang .

The new speakers for this installment are: the seasoned financial adviser, best-selling author of the “Pwede Na! The Complete Pinoy Guide” series and founder of Personal Finance Advisers Philippine Corporation (PFAPC) Efren Cruz and radio host, wealth coach and best-selling author of “Till Debt Do Us Part” Chinkee Tan. Also, a brief sponsor’s session will be given by Sun Life Financial’s Managing Director (Asia) Michael Manuel as he tackles “Why It Is A Good Time to Invest Now.”

Here are the registration fees : (It is an investment)

Gold – PhP 2,800 (You get 1 FREE coffee and snack from Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf but only for the first 150 attendees. You also get to be closest to the stage)

Silver – PhP 1,200

Student – PhP 500

You will learn a lot that it will surely pay the way to your financial freedom.

If you want to join us to this avenue of learning and investing, visit Randell Tiongson’s ICON Facebook page and log on to bit.ly/ICON2015REG to book your seats as soon as possible! Also stay tuned to their posts on Twitter (@icon_ph) and Instagram (icon_ph) for more information.

Be part of this and learn how to invest for a greater future!

Giving you all a chance to join me

Thanks to my good friend, Randell…I have 5 tickets to give away: 2 Gold and 3 Silver tickets. Here is how to join:

1. Comment below why you want to attend ICON 2015. Make sure you can really attend the May 30 conference.

2. Deadline of comments is until 11:59 PM , May 26, 2015

3. Ticket is non-transferrable once your name is chosen.

I will choose the best comment for the Gold tickets and the next best three comments gets silver tickets.

17May 2015

Having a fun run in a color festival

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

“I think we are the oldest here”, my husband muttered as we assembled for the Color Manila Nite Run: Black Light Edition.

I laughed. “Don’t worry, we are here for the fun!” There is no age limit when it comes to fun and definitely none when it comes to fitness. Reality is I don’t like to run but I prefer to walk briskly. In fact, I have never joined any running events.

And well, why shouldn’t I try new things, get out of my comfort zone? When I attend the launch of this fun run a few weeks ago, I was told this is not your usual fun run and not a competition. I like that. No pressure to reach the finish line but just to enjoy the moment. Who knows, this might actually be the event to encourage me to even take the sport more seriously one day.

The Color Manila Nite Run: Black Light Edition is a “color festival, a fun run like no other, and a party rolled into one. It’s like that party but you wake up early for it, and never regret. The fun does not start at the finish line where you hear the bands. The party starts when you hear Gun Start. ”

As my husband and I started running/walking to our goal, we literally encountered the most colorful confetti ever. I got bombed with pink colored powder that smelled of candy. The entire time that we started running, from the gun start, the organizers started to explode powder on us. We passed by three color stations along our 3 K route. Each station has a specific color assigned. They made sure we all the happiest colors of the rainbow (yellow, blue, green, purple, orange) formulated to glow under UV light. Each of us had a blacklight headlight that reflected this powder. I felt like my body was “tie-dyed”

Even the streets exploded with colored rain. The only sad people were those caught in traffic as we passed through intersections.

There was so much happy-spirit fever everywhere as colors transferred from one person to another. The best part is finishing the fun run as we each got our finishers’ medal. Mission accomplished. Fun and run! You know what, I am seriously considering joining more fun runs before I take this sport seriously.

The young ones continued to party as we sat by the grassy corner, wiping off our tinkerbell dust before heading off to our car. And by party, this meant being with “a bunch of happy, supersonic, neon-colored balls of energy dancing while singing” .

“Let’s look for another fun run”, says my husband .

Uh-oh,here we go.

14May 2015

EXPO MOM 2015: #MOMMANIFESTO happening on May 22-25 at the Glorietta 2

by Noemi Lardizabal-Dado ⋅ Leave a Comment

Hello mommies. Let me share some mom activities from my friend, Mommy Mundo Founder Janice Villanueva.

This mother’s month of May, Mommy Mundo encourages moms to go on a journey of mindfulness and self-discovery through EXPO MOM 2015: #MOMMANIFESTO happening on May 22-25 at the Glorietta 2, Palm Drive, Makati City.

I remember I was there with fellow mom bloggers in the 2009 Expo Mom and we even had our own “Mommy Bloggers” booth.

Now on its 8th year, Expo Mom is the biggest gathering of progressive, active moms showcasing the latest in family-oriented product innovations and parenting trends in a fun, fulfilling environment.

Mommy Mundo Founder Janice Villanueva observes, “Moms are so caught up in the little things or the busy-ness of life, we either end up losing sight of the big picture, or we fail to appreciate the joy that simple moments can bring.” She adds, “What will help us live meaningfully is to live mindfully. Through self-awareness, we realize what’s important in our lives, and we are able to direct our energies to create the kind of life we aspire for, for ourselves and our families. Thus, through Expo Mom, our biggest annual event, we engage moms through our Mom Manifesto campaign, a virtual journey to mindfulness and missioning.”

Expo Mom 2015, featuring over 50 booths alongside talks, demos and fun activities onstage, will be a celebration and culmination of this 5-week Mom Manifesto campaign. The Mom Manifesto journey begins on April 22 when it launches online at www.expomom.com/mommanifesto. Designed by Mommy Mundo founder Janice Villanueva and family life expert and certified psychologist Michele Alignay M.A., the workshop consists of a 6-step program to be fulfilled within a five week period, with each step just taking 15 minutes minimum from each mom participant. With self-awareness as a goal by the end of the program, moms will be able to come up with a guiding statement or her #MomManifesto. All participants are oms are invited to post their #MomManifesto statements on the wall that will be set up at Expo Mom 2015.

In addition to this key event highlight, moms can also look forward to Expo Mom 2015’s trademark fair of its top mom-approved and mom-tested products and services . The event is particularly proud of giving a home to aspiring and established mompreneurs who have developed products for their fellow moms through the years, exhibiting there goods alongside top mom and baby brands in the country. Expo Mom 2015: #MomManifesto is co-presented by Cordlife Philippines, supported by Huggies, Cycles Mid Detergent, Fern-C, Nurture Nook, Pioneer Insurance, JoomaJam, Wang Videography, ImagineNation Photography, and media partners Working Mom Magazine, Rappler, WheninManila.com, Crossover 105.1, Newlyweds@Work, and venue partner Glorietta and Ayala Center.
In lieu of entrance fees, donations in cash and kind (books, school supplies, clothes, shoes) will be accepted at the expo. All proceeds will go to MomShare’s partner beneficiary, Childhope Asia Philippines, to benefit literacy and health programs for street children under its care.

For more information on Expo Mom, go to www.expomom.com or follow Mommy Mundo on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. To know more about Expo Mom’s Mom Manifesto campaign, visit www.expomom.com/mommanifesto.

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