Compassion Can Help Make the World a Better Place

When I hear the word, compassion, I instantly remember my former Math professor back in college and her name is Ms. Roba. She is a great Math teacher. In fact, because of her, Math has become an easy subject for me thanks to her unique teaching methods and deep understanding of the subject. She is an intelligent, witty, robust person who does not fancy wearing jewelry in her body or wear expensive clothes. She always looks simple, neat, and respectable.

L to R: Me & Ms. Roba in one of our
advocacies

But it was only in my 3^rd year of college that I discovered more about Ms. Roba other than being a Math teacher because I got involved with the programs she was into. Among those programs include building free houses for the poor, giving free computer literacy programs to the rural areas of the Philippines, organizing relief goods for areas hit by a typhoon, visiting orphanages, and so much more volunteer work that she barely goes home to her own family. It’s because of her compassion to our fellow Filipinos who are in need that drives her and I was lucky enough to witness that first hand and it inspired me tremendously. 

Her compassion for others has inspired a lot of students like me to reach out to the poor especially the unprivileged children. And thanks to that, I was able to experience the most beautiful and heartfelt “thank you” in my life. An orphan whom we gave some clothes, toys, and treated to a decent lunch (fried chicken with rice, drink, and a dessert) approached me. She looked me in the eye with a smile and said, “Thank you po. Ang saya-saya ko po ngayon. (Thank you. I’m so happy right now),” and then she gave me a hug.

That was the best feeling I have ever felt in my entire life that no amount of money could parallel because I made someone happy. I felt so peaceful inside because my heart was filled with joy and was contented. And for that,  I thanked the Lord with all my heart for letting me meet Ms. Roba and for teaching me what compassion is all about. I thanked Him for giving me such a wonderful experience in my life because it made me a better person. I also thought if only people knew how wonderful it feels to help others and feel compassion for them, then they would appreciate their life even more. 

Poverty is a difficult life to live in. It pushes people to commit petty crimes or even resort to drug addiction just to survive the day.  It is also said to be the ultimate sickness or disease of mankind.  But Ms. Roba believes and I also believe that through compassion, we can help make this world a better place for everyone through our little ways. 

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick.(Mathew 14:14)

Visit ComeUntoChrist.org and learn more about the principles of peace and how they can help bring you closer to the Savior. #PrinceofPeace

I Realized That I Was Thankful for the Wrong Reasons

Gratitude is something we express when we are thankful for something or for someone. People generally feels thankful after receiving a very expensive gift, after eating in a very expensive restaurant, or even having lots of extra money to spend for their pleasure. I am also guilty of being thankful for those things before I realized what was really important.

I was thankful for receiving expensive gifts every Christmas while I was growing up. It is indeed very normal for children to be thankful for receiving gifts that they’ve been wanting all year round. My dad also brought the whole family to expensive restaurants so we can try out good food and experience fine dining. I also remember receiving a lump sum of Php2,000 from a very generous godmother for my birthday, I was ecstatic because that’s a big amount of money back in the 90’s.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of others”

But now that I’m older, a wife and a mom of two, I began to see the other side of the coin or the things that truly matter. When I received those expensive gifts, instead of focusing on the toys I received, I should’ve thanked my dad for all the hard work he’s done to afford such gifts and making my Christmas wish possible. Once in a while, he also treats us to expensive restaurants because I realized he wanted to give the very best for us, his family. Of course, he also financed my education, our house, everything we needed. 

Thank you, dad, for everything. 

And for the cash money that I received that time, I was indeed very thankful for my godmother who gave it to me, but I should have at least wrote a “thank you” card or bought a simple gift to express my sincerest gratitude. I don't even remember what I bought using that money, but the feeling of regret for not letting her know how much I was thankful for her gift still remains. 

That is why today, I am grateful for my parents and siblings who continue to love me unconditionally and who’s always there for me to listen and to support. I am also grateful for my husband and children for the love and inspiration they provide me. Lastly, because I realized the importance of family and friends, I became closer to Jesus and really felt his blessing. So  I guess it’s safe to say that I understand his love a little bit more than what I read in  Religion textbooks in school.  I am very grateful to Christ for each day He gives me because each day is a chance for me to show my love and gratitude to the people who matter to me because I also want them to feel loved and cherished so they can also feel the gratitude I have for them.   

“If the only prayer you say is ‘thank you,’ that will be enough.”

Gratitude is a principle that I learned through self-discovery. I believe discovering what you really need to be thankful for is a key to inner peace and contentment. If you feel you are having a difficulty of what you should be thankful for or what's important in your life, visit mormon.org and learn more about the principles of peace and how they can help bring you closer to the Savior.

#PrinceofPeace

Low, Low Prices on Nestle Products at Lazada's 5th Birthday Sale!

Lazada's Birthday Sale is not only for tech enthusiasts and beauty junkies but for moms and dads as well. Nestle and MamyPoko will both be offering discounts on their products during the Birthday Sale which runs from March 21 to March 23, 2017.

It will all start at midnight of March 21 with Nestle offering a 10% discount on Nestle Nido 3 + Pre-School Powdered Milk Drink With Free Storage Box 1.6kg. From its original price of P770, it will be priced lower at P693. Another Nestle product which will be having a 10% discount is the the 3-Pack 50g Nestle Cerelac Nutripuffs Banana & Orange which is priced down at P201. Nido FortiChoco and Nido Fortigrow will also both get a 10% price reduction during the 3-day sale. The set of 6 Nido FortiChoco 150g-pack will only cost P679 while the set of 6 Nido Fortigrow 160g-pack will be priced at P757.

MamyPoko will be offering discounts of up to 50% off starting midnight of March 21. At 40% discount, MamyPoko Extra Dry Diaper Newborn, Pack of 28+2 will be priced at P181. MamyPoko Easy to Wear Diaper Panta Medium 20's, Pack of 6, on the other hand, will only cost P507. That's less than P4.25 pesos for every diaper! On top of these flash sale products, MamyPoko will be applying a 30% discount on many of its products for the 3-day sale as well so make sure that you visit the MamyPoko website.

Visit Lazada.com.ph to check out Lazada's amazing deals for all of its product categories. Lazada offers both CASH ON DELIVERY as well as FREE DELIVERY so shopping is effortless especially for parents who have limited time to go shopping outside for their children's needs.

Wait! There's more!

Good news for food lovers like me! For a minimum purchase of P1,000 in Lazada, use the code "BOOKYAPP" to get P1500 worth of Booky credits that you can use in booking a table in restaurants such as Vikings, Todd English, and more using the Booky Application in your mobile phones. Click here more details about the promo. 

Celebrating 25 Years with Cable Car

Cable Car – a staple in the Philippines’ bar and restaurant industry since it was founded in 1992 – celebrates its landmark 25th anniversary with new branch openings, a scintillating menu revamp and bevy of other exciting plans for the near future
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For the past 25 years, Cable Car has been a trusted stalwart in the Philippines' bar and restaurant industry since it swung open its doors way back in 1992 as one of the pioneer resto bars in Metro Manila. After a quarter of a century of serving millions of customers (250 – 300 per day) with sumptuous food offerings and delectable drinks, it's cemented its stellar reputation among several generations of Filipinos with its San Francisco-style pub ambience, beer pong nights and delectable bar food including famous dishes like Cable Car Rice and Sisig Rice. With its familiar, comfortable and casual vibe, Filipinos and tourists alike know to make a beeline for Cable Car – an impressive establishment that makes you feel at home from the moment you enter its doors. Over the years, it's continued to be a popular hangout spot, with most of its regulars being college students and young professionals who flock here to blow off some steam by drinking, relaxing and socializing. But Cable Car is also ideal for families searching for a place to dine out with loved ones, with a full menu of hearty and flavorful dishes – many of which have a Filipino twist – that are perfect for a casual weekday or weekend dinner. Cable Car's story has been one of remarkable growth and success, resulting in its recent foray into franchising. It's very first branch – Cable Car Makati – opened its doors in 1992, and was followed by Cable Car Tomas Morato and Cable Car BGC located at the Fort Strip. The latest Metro Manila branch is Cable Car Ortigas, and the very first Cable Car franchise – Cable Car Iloilo – opened in July 2016. Cable Car will also mark the opening of an exciting franchise in Pampanga this year, quickly followed by another in Alabang. This year, Cable Car is celebrating its 25th year of existence and has much in store to mark this huge milestone. These include a menu revamp to include more special dishes, branches opening 24 hours a day, a food delivery service and a Big Open Grounds Concert Event with a host of exciting activities this November.

With its sumptuous cuisine, refreshing tipples and top quality service, Cable Car aims to continue to provide its guests with an unparalleled and unique experience that they can only get at Cable Car – a home away from home.

Branches: Makati, BGC, Tomas Morato, Ortigas, Iloilo. 

Contact: +632 239 4293 / +639 175 2857 88

Wedding Dresses and More at Muee.com (Closed)

To prepare a wedding is one the most exciting and also one of the most stressful events one could ever have, and one of the most essential parts for the bride-to-be is choosing her wedding dress. Wedding dresses are hard to find especially cheap ones with good quality. One has to file a leave of absence at work so that she could go around town to find the right dress.

Hotel Review: Penthouse Suite in B Hotel Alabang 2017

Last year, I won a gift certificate for an overnight stay in B Hotel's Penthouse Suite that was a sweet, sweet prize for me and for my family. Before the gift certificate expired, we made sure to set up a date before the Christmas holidays to use the GC and to experience what it's like to stay in one of the most talked-about hotels in southern Manila.