Made It Through Mum

More than a year has passed since the shift to a new normal and the nostalgia of being able to go out as you please really hits the nail. Months of being unbothered about how we look have passed and now, the reflection we see in the mirror is just begging for the attention and maintenance that we’ve deprived ourselves of. The unruly, overgrown, problematic hair that we now have to deal with needs the salon TLC that it deserves. By now, we all probably miss the experience of being in the salon — the smell, atmosphere, and fulfillment that a pampered and good-looking head of hair makes us feel. But, we can always take matters into our own hands. If you’re missing the confidence that salon-like results offer, here are four tips to achieve a Salontastic experience at home. 1.     Wash Your Scalp and Hair with Care The first step for a Salontastic at-home experience is to clean your hair and scalp. Since we’re used to washing hair with the same products every day, w...

Sarsaya® Liquid Seasoning is set to make mealtimes more special and delicious.   It is always a challenge for moms and homecooks to cook perfectly delicious dishes that their family will love. Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) is helping solve that with the new Sarsaya® Liquid Seasoning , an affordable, easy to use, and tasty kitchen partner that is sure to hit the bullseye in cooking perfect dishes every time! This new pantry staple is available in a sachet format, which makes it affordable at ₱8 only.   “The new Sarsaya® Liquid Seasoning is made to upgrade ordinary dishes into special meals that families will love. Now that everyone takes almost all of their meals at home, we were encouraged to introduce a new product that can make each dining experience more special but still within the budget,” says Roann Co, APC Marketing and Public Relations General Manager.   Sarsaya® Liquid Seasoning balances the overall taste of any dish with a flavorful savoriness...

Unleashing one’s creativity in the kitchen is highly recommended as this enables one to experiment on what works and how to transform everyday dishes into interesting and extraordinary ones. Last May 14, I was invited to attend a #FoodieMama webinar staged by Malayan  Insurance Co., Inc. through its We Women Program. Food personality and well-known chef Niño Logarta encouraged mothers and wannabe cooks to play with their recipes and to not be scared in experimenting in the kitchen when preparing dishes for their loved ones. He also taught attendees dishes that are easy to prepare and rehash to excite family members when eating together. Logarta created Mediterranean and Mexican dishes during the webinar such as Beef Kofta, Birrias tacos with beef, Tomato Consommé, and Chicken Kebabs. The webinar event was witnessed by more than a thousand participants from Zoom and streaming live on the WeWomen Facebook page, and is the fifth webinar conducted by the WeWomen Program of Malayan ...

  ENTREPRENEURIAL SUPPORT . BDO Unibank was named Best in Treasury and Working Capital - Limited Liability Company (LLC) and Best Service Provider - Cash Management in the Philippines during the Asset Triple A Treasury, Trade, Sustainable Supply Chain and Risk Management Awards  2021 . The awards underscore the bank’s indispensable support to multinationals, large corporate clients, and small and medium-sized enterprises during the pandemic’s challenging conditions.   For consistently finding ways to support businesses and entrepreneurs, BDO Unibank was awarded for the 2nd straight year by The Asset with the Best in Treasury and Working Capital - Limited Liability Company (LLC) in the Philippines. The recognition was for its successful partnership with multinationals and large corporate clients. The bank was also named the country’s Best Service Provider - Cash Management for the 3rd time for being “steadfast and reliable in helping clients with their payment and co...

As quarantine restrictions have been eased a bit in NCR+, The Manila Hotel is reopening its Lobby Lounge on May 24, 2021, after the temporary suspension of dining services due to the ECQ.  The reopening of The Lobby Lounge gives valued guests a perfect opportunity to enjoy its perks again: great food, meeting and endless conversation with both friends and business partners, excellent service, and free Wi-Fi internet connection. More than a typical café setup, the Lobby Lounge is quiet, comfortable, and spacious, which also means that guests are kept at a distance from each other and enjoy a bit of privacy with high-backed seats. Cleaned and sanitized daily, the health and hygiene protocols put in place by The Manila Hotel includes fresh air dampers that circulate fresh outdoor air into the lobby, which is also sanitized by air microfilters.  The Lobby Lounge is also a grand heritage setting for a relaxing afternoon, with its white Doric columns, Philippine mahogany furniture w...

  The Philippines remains the world’s social media capital, ranking at number one for the 6th straight year in the annual report by research agencies Hootsuite and We Are Social, which tracks global social media and internet usage. In 2020 , Filipinos logged in four hours and 15 minutes on social media every day. This record not only breaches its average of three hours and 53 minutes in 2019  but also the global average of two hours and 25 minutes in 2020 . With this much time spent on social media, BDO Unibank cautions the general public to be careful of the information they share. Scammers lurk online to steal personal information, which they use to access online bank accounts and steal money. They can also use it to open new bank accounts. What can bank customers do to outsmart scammers? For one, BDO advises clients never to post documents with their full name, birthday, and other information that scammers can use to answer security questions on social media.  Ot...

    A rundown of what happened at the NIDO® 3+ ExperTIPS Congress!  There’s always so much going on when you have a 3+ toddler. As your child grows and develops, they start to learn new skills and experience a new sense of self-awareness—and it’s truly incredible to witness as parents! But unless you’re an expert in early childhood development, 3+ toddlerhood can be quite a tricky phase to navigate, especially when they start being picky with food. How can you be mindful of the food you serve? How do you make sure you’re giving them the right nutrients but at the same time, something they also like and enjoy eating?  All these questions—and more—were answered by a panel of experts as NIDO® 3+ hosted the ExperTIPS Congress last May 15, 2021. The virtual parenting congress provided a fun and interactive learning experience for all attendees. There were exciting booths to try out, and even an interactive website featuring rooms they can explore. All this while learning ...

  BDO Leasing and Finance, Inc. (BDOLF) posted a net income of P9.5 million in the first three (3) months of 2021, generated solely from investment income following the discontinuance of the Company’s former financing operations and the sale of all its leasing and loan portfolio to the BDO Unibank Group in October 2020. BDOLF’s investments registered a fair value gain of P13.6 million, while total expenses stood at P4.5 million. The company’s 1Q21 performance is not comparable to the P83.3 million profit recorded a year ago, given that last year’s results reflected business operations before the full implementation of the Group’s restructuring of its leasing business. The restructuring entailed the full transition of BDOLF operations to BDO Finance Corporation (BDO Finance), established in 2019 to offer customers continued access to lease products and services. BDO Finance likewise assumed the lease transactions booked in BDOLF to ensure continuity to the latter’s existing clients...

  WorldRemit , a leading international cross-border payments company, has expanded its longstanding partnership with BDO Remit —the remittance service brand of BDO Unibank that has the most expansive branch network in the Philippines.  Through this partnership, recipients of money transfers in the Philippines can now receive payment straight to their USD account with BDO Unibank or for USD cash pick-up at BDO Unibank branches; BDO Remit counters inside the branches of The SM Store & SM Business Services and; Villarica Pawnshops.  “We’re delighted to broaden our partnership with such a reputable brand and payout network as BDO to offer a comprehensive payout service. Ensuring our customers are able to transfer money to family and friends back home conveniently, safely and as quickly as possible is why we exist. We’re confident that making it possible to send money to USD bank accounts in the Philippines & BDO Remit cash pick-up locations will give our customers ...

  Muslims around the world celebrate the end of the fasting period of Ramadan with Eid al-Fitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast this May 12, 2021. It is celebrated through prayer, gifts, and lavish feast. While the country is predominantly Catholic, Islam is the second-largest religion in the country. No wonder, Filipinos have become fond of Halal foods.  Halal food is prepared following a set of Islamic dietary laws and regulations that determine what is permissible, lawful, and clean. Any dish can be halal, as long as the meat used is religiously slaughtered and no pork or alcohol is involved.  The Manila Hotel’s Café Ilang-Ilang has a Halal kitchen certified by the Muslim Mindanao Halal Certification Board. This kitchen dedicated to Halal food preparation serves Indian and Middle Eastern-inspired halal dishes that will whet your appetite and pay homage to its traditional roots.  Designed for proper breaking of the fast, The Manila Hotel’s Ramadan Special Halal H...

  The brand aims to bring to light untold motherhood challenges and to showcase acceptance and support for all flavors of motherhood with a film directed by Antoinette Jadaone Motherhood today is embraced by eyes that hold various forms, shapes, and sizes. Understanding that each motherhood journey is distinctly unique from others poses an essential role in helping them thrive in each path they are on. As a brand that advocates for the universal love and acceptance for mothers, this Mother’s Day campaign by Eden cheese breaks boundaries as the Mondelez Philippines brand launched their bold new film entitled, ‘Unconditional,’ directed by Carlos Palanca-Awardee, Antoinette Jadaone, during their Facebook event: Eden Speaks – A Mother’s Day Forum.  “Eden cheese is a brand that has been celebrating moms from all walks of life and their role in bringing families together for the last 36 years. This Mother’s Day, we wanted to shed light on a silent reality in the Philippines, and how...

Ever felt that you know you have this balance in your bank, but upon checking it's less than what you have in mind? You know that all you did was balance inquiry using another bank's ATM. When I was an employee, I need to check if my salary got credited because I need to buy milk and diaper for my kids. It just so happens that my bank's one and only ATM is offline. So I went on to the next ATM which is owned by another bank. I checked my balance, took the amount I need and went on to buy at the grocery. You know how we moms have this list of expenses, every centavo we spend is listed. And we know when the amount on our list does not match what's in the bank. I am missing almost P200(!!!), and that's a big issue for moms like us. Only to find out while talking to a coworker that she also lost the same amount of money, and we did the same thing, we used another bank's ATM. 🤦🏻‍♀️ Recently, I read an advisory from Banko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), that starting Ap...

  The EU Whiz is the flagship inter-collegiate competition of the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines. Since 2006 , the EU Whiz has been a fun and exciting way for Filipino students to showcase their knowledge and appreciation of the EU and EU-Philippines Relations. This year also marks the first time that all events will be held virtually because of the pandemic. Submission of applications and entries to the EU Whiz Online Trivia, Digital Art and Video Competitions has been extended to 31 May 2021 . Students ages 18 to 25 currently enrolled in Philippine schools, universities, colleges, or vocational schools are now welcome to join the expanded “Green ECO I See” Digital Art competition and “My Space, My Rights” Video competition. Submission of entries may be individual, by pair, or a maximum of three members. Participants in the expanded Digital Art and Video competitions need not come from the same schools. The EU Whiz: Filipino Youth of the FEUture has three...

  Mother's day is different after your mother dies. Even if you have a family of your own, it can be difficult to fully engage with the day when someone important in your life is missing. Like Edwin Aquino, a retired bank executive, longing for his mother who passed away last 2019 . I am familiar with his pain because my mom passed away last December 2018 .  No matter how long it's been since you lost your mom, you can wake up on that day and feel the same hurt all over again. I love how Edwin remembers his mom and their family's happy moments during Mother's day. From his childhood, how she guided them when they were growing up, the values they learned from her, to where they are now, his mom had a big part in all of those. Because of his mom, Edwin and his siblings are all achievers, through her guidance and discipline. By the way, his mom was a teacher at Torres High School in Tondo, Manila. She gave up her career to take care of them. Just like my mommy, she used...

In keeping with the Filipino Bayanihan spirit, NutriAsia has sent even more cans and tetra packs of Locally Blended Juice Drink to 23 hospitals and medical centers around Metro Manila. Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center Healthcare workers from Chinese General Hospital, East Avenue Medical Center, FEU Hospital, Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, Lung Center of the Philippines, Manila Doctors Hospital, Manila Medical Center, Marikina Doctors Hospital, National Kidney and Transplant Institute, Ospital ng Maynila, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Pasig City General Hospital, Pasig Doctors Medical Center, Philippine General Hospital, Philippine Children’s Medical Center, Philippine Heart Center, QC General Hospital, Rizal Medical Center, San Juan Medical Center, San Lazaro Hospital, St. Luke’s Medical Center, UERM, and United Doctors  Medical Center all enjoyed Locally’s immune-boosting Pomelo, Mango, and Tamarind natural juices, which are sourced locally from Filipino farmers. PGH T...