This is the first time I have heard about this Yellow Propaganda. Sure, for years and years issues about Hacienda Luisita props up from time to time. We barely watch the news – it is overall depressing. There are some questions in my mind, sure. But since the politics is probably the dirtiest thing in the world, my thoughts was to leave them be and just prayerfully hope for the best for our country.

But when I watched this “Aquino Conjuangco: Facts They Don’t Want You to Know (Yellow Propaganda)” over YouTube today, I can’t help but feel disheartened. Totally makes sense, sure. But I have no idea how accurate these facts are. Clearly, something I can no longer be silent about.

Scary and sad. What greed! —> These are my first thoughts as I was watching the video. But there is one statement that my heart refuses to agree with – Ninoy dying because of his ambition to become the president. But then again, my mind might just have been “set” from what could easily be a result of brainwashing via the media. I really don’t know. Yes, I am confused. If it goes back to so many generations before the current living Cojuangcos, can the evil legacy be so potent to this day?

It’s just sad what’s to happen to our country if there is truth to this sick legacy and if this further presses on. All the more reason we should storm the gates of heaven and pray for the leaders of this country, for the sake of our children. Can anyone share your two cents and maybe enlighten us about this Yellow Propaganda?

Rarely does a Facebook application catch my attention. Aside from the occasional games I tried for sometime (all of which I have totally abandoned to date), this I Star App has got me thinking. All of us, girls, are sure to be good at one thing or another. Most of which, we hardly know about each other. So I thought it was fun to just stop and think of something that we star at.

I star at being able to juggle homeschooling with the rest of my online and homemaking tasks. It’s a challenge that I thank God I was able to pull through. Although I have already hired an assistant before 2010 ended, I was practically helper free for all the 9 years I was married. This, for me, is something, especially so that I grew up with a house help (a nanny when I was younger) for most of my single days.

On the funnier side, I also star at making my big toes dance. My husband is pretty amazed about it. It’s something that I thought, all along growing up, that everybody else is capable of doing. Turns out it is a rare talent and I have it!

How about you, what do you star at? You can head on over the app and share where you star at as well. It’s fun! Shine on, Sister!

Believe it or not, there is now such a thing as Philippine Spring Cleaning Day and it is happening on May 11, 2011, coinciding with our unico hijo’s 6th birthday. Spring Cleaning to begin with, may not sound so local as it is. Spring, being non-existent in our local geological context. But Spring Cleaning is really more than just a season.

Allow me to share the origins of  “Spring Cleaning” via Wikipedia:

Another possibility of the origin of spring cleaning can be traced to the ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the spring-time holiday of Passover (Hebrew: פסח pesach‎). In remembrance of the Jews’ hasty flight from Egypt following their captivity there, during the eight-day holiday there is a strict prohibition against eating anything which may have been leavened. Jews are not only supposed to refrain from leavened foodstuffs (known in Hebrew as חמץ chametz), they are expressly commanded to rid their homes of even small remnants of chametz for the length of the holiday (Exodus 12:15). Therefore, for the past 3,500 years, observant Jews have conducted a thorough “spring cleaning” of the house, followed by a traditional hunt for chametz crumbs by candlelight (called bedikat chametz [Hebrew: בדיקת חמץ]) on the evening before the holiday begins.

According to research, 1.5 million lives are lost due to cleaning and sanitation-related diseases. One life in every 20 seconds can be saved if there is a strong and compelling campaign that pushes for cleaning and sanitation in the country. USAID 2008 data, also states that the Philippines loses 77.8 billion pesos every year due to poor sanitation, which later on causes an absenteeism rate of 8 days every year for a common Filipino worker.

Armed with the battle cry of  “I clean. I save,” the Philippine Spring Cleaning day, in partnership with Department of Health (DOH), UP-National Institutes of Health (UP-NIH), Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines (PIDSP) and Reckitt Benckiser, is the first public and private initiative for cleaning and sanitation to prevent infectious diseases that can be spread inside the home.

Our family is all for Spring Cleaning and we try our best to not limit the top to bottom to bottom cleaning tied to a season. It does not just keep our house tidy, it’s also like Diet pills that work fast as it involves a lot of working that might as well be exercise for me. This is why we join Lysol and its partners in celebrating the very first Philippine Spring Cleaning Day on May 11, 2011.

Here’s an online promo I’d like to share with you, my dear readers. Share your best tip in cleaning your home and get a chance to win a gift pack from Lysol.

1. Put your best tip in Philippine Spring Cleaning Day in commitment/tips page.
2. You also have to email your tip to philippinespringcleaningday@gmail.com with your name and contact number.

Best 20 tips will receive gift packs from Lysol. Happy Spring Cleaning!

In connection with the blog post I published last year is this entry dedicated in defense of Babywise. I figured with my response as lengthy as the one I posted below, I might as well dedicate a separate blog on it altogether. But you will have to refer to the specific post on parenting to get hold of the exact context.

I don’t remember mentioning that Babywise as middle ground. I know a lot have labeled it as the other extreme and it could be for some reason. This is why there were just certain principles that we took from Becoming Babywise and it worked for us, still does. It did say that scheduling does not have to be rigid, you device a system where it will work best for all concerned.

Our son started sleeping through the night at two months and he is not undernourished in any way. In fact, all through his infancy up until now that he is five, all his developmental milestones (physical and otherwise) are all above average. Babywise has very practical and Biblical principles, if one will really look into it. Like not allowing babies to play with things that are not toys. It protects them from dangers that they could get themselves into otherwise. I cannot remember a moment when my husband and I had to run towards our son just to make sure he does not play with electric sockets or mealtimes will have to be a chore that turns into a chasing game.

Let us say that we were without helper or nanny and it forced us to instill this kind of discipline. But even if we do not pertain to said specific things, our son generally respects our authority. We did not allow for the battle of wills to exist in our home. Of course, we do not encourage Babywise to families with special child. It is a different story altogether if a child happens to have cerebral palsy or a special health condition.

“Freedom comes with responsibility.” What can be more practical than that? Why would any parent give a child to freedom to handle the remote control, for instance when he is not ready yet to know what it is for and it will just end up being dropped and broken. The book’s principles really make sense and it has been almost six years and we’re reaping the benefit of a well behaved, secure and loving child.

It’s a plus that I do not have to run around during meals to chase him and give him the food. It has been discipline that taught our son to stay seated until he’s done with his food, right from the time he was able to seat on his high chair. Why would I subject myself to unnecessary woes of motherhood when there’s a better way to enjoy parenting my son and train him up to be a disciplined individual right from the beginning?

It is also false to conclude that there is a danger for a child brought up Babywise way will grow up insecure. Whoever who has met our son will say otherwise. The stress is definitely non-existent in our family. Never a delayed weight issue right from infancy, as well. People should really investigate further on the principles behind BabyWise. This is coming from a family that has benefited from its principles right from day one.

We just hope to share here that all that we have practiced are off shoot from the choices we made as we choose to be intentional parents to our son through the years. If Babywise is not for other families, then it’s their choice. I have nothing against families who take up AP instead. That’s their choice. As for us we don’t get ourselves dictated by any type, whether AP or BW. We just take up principles that make sense and prove to be biblical, apply them and we see from there. So far, we’re good.

My husband and I attended the ParenTin.tv Talk Series 3 last September 11, 2010 held at the Auditorium of the brand new St. Luke’s Global City. They had very interesting topics, which brought me to register. Our topics of interest were: Investing in Children’s Health and Relationship as Investment. But whoever organized that event has yet a lot to learn.

The ParenTin.tv Talk Series 3 was a well attended event. In fact, it was so well attended that I think they may have overly booked guests. So we ended up standing all across the auditorium for close to thirty minutes, with no ushers in sight to ask where we can get ourselves seated. We did help ourselves though after a while in one of the three or four tables supposedly “reserved” for special guests. What were we to do, right? It was lovely to hear Nona Andaya-Castillo speak about how to increase breast milk production and other breastfeeding tips. She was the same person who helped us when we had difficulty in breastfeeding when Jed was just newborn. Nona Andaya-Castillo is IBCLC is one of the only five International Board Certified Lactation Consultant s (IBCLC) in the Philippines.

My husband and I had to leave the seminar half way through her talk. We did not want to have to be asked to ship out from where we were. I also think that even as they have one sponsor after another speak about their brands, they were actually speaking to the wrong crowd, “majority” of them at least. In my observation, 90% of the attendees will not even half afford to invest on cord banking, let alone give birth in St. Luke’s Medical Center. Well, that is just my opinion. I guess when you have sponsors to satisfy, the number of registrants mean a lot. But I hope they do better next time.

June 12, 2010 PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY MARATHON (HALF Marathon) : Ang Takbo Para Sa Ating Kasaysayan”

Ceremonies begin at 5am, along 8th Avenue and 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City, Philippines

RUN 1-2-3
Set them free
From poverty
For love of country…

The CIE Global Colleges, the lead institution among several NGOs, is spearheading the June 12, 2010, PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY MARATHON (PIDM), would like to invite EVERYONE, YOUNG and OLD to our event, which is NOT JUST AN ORDINARY MARATHON BUT A GATHERING OF PATRIOTS ! ! ! It is History in the making! ! ! !

The PIDM is a non-profit endeavor whose vision is to institutionalize a very meaningful yearly celebration of our INDEPENDENCE.

We have been very frustrated when we realized that the ordinary Filipino does not really know and therefore, does not appreciate the relevance of this very significant day.

We want our countrymen to love this country, yet we do not purposefully and mindfully exert our efforts in creating new traditions for the 21st century generation to imbibe.Celebrations that will reinforce this great moment in our history, not just to know, but to deepen our love for country, discover our true identity and our true destiny.

Five(5) years from today or sooner…. we envision twelve(12) key cities simultaneously celebrating JUNE 12.

Beginning this year, and every year thereafter, the celebrations will be more relevant and grander, as we find more like-minded advocacy partners.

Then six(6) years from today and onwards, the entire country will do the same, not because it will be so ordered by Malacanang or by Congress, but that the people want it…., and are already doing so by themselves because they truly understand its significance to their lives—our lives.

The PIDM pledge “INIIBIG KO ANG PILIPINAS, gagawin ko ang lahat upang siya’y maiangat sa pagkakasadlak” was an original pledge of Pearl Principle Fellows from the National Conference in 2005 at the Hotel Intercontinental, Makati City.

Since then, two(2) books have been published to explore the possibility of developing a National Philosophy rooted in our history as a people.
“The Pearl Principle: Ang Diwa ng Perlas ng Silanganan, Alay sa Sambayanang Filipino” and the “Legend of the Pearl of the Orient: The Philippines.”

The marathon is the most popular sports activity among the lower/middle class, generally the youth, the young professionals, the entrepreneurs, ordinary “masa’, and even the elite.

We are using the marathon as an initial vehicle to unite one and all for the same advocacy…. the DEEPENING OF LOVE OF OUR COUNTRY-THE PHILIPPINES.

Our plan is to create” Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas Runners Clubs” all over the country and introduce discussions on our dreams for our Motherland and our dream roles, to make those dreams come true and teach the people to L.I.V.E. which means Lead, Inspire, toward a Vision and Engage others to do what ought to be done for the greater good and the glory of God. Our “yell” …

Run 1,2,3
Set them free
From poverty
For love of country ! ! !

and

INIIBIG KO ANG PILIPINAS
GAGAWIN KO ANG LAHAT
UPANG SIYA’Y MAIANGAT
SA PAGKAKASADLAK ! ! !

Every June 12 from hereon, during the PIDM, we will do something EXTRAORDINARY BY ORDINARY FILIPINOS LIKE you and me… like us!

This year we will award 12 furnished “A- CIEAN” Homes to the homeless urban poor right on the same day, immediately after the run during the awarding of medals to the marathon champions.

A-CIEAN means A gape, Communion with God, Integrity in thoughts,words and deeds, Empathy with commitment, Accountability for one’s actions, Nobility of aspirations—-we call these the Goals of our all our Lives.

During the PIDM, we will do the awarding of housing materials and appliances/housewares for ten(10) CIEAN Homes from the CIE Global Colleges and CIE World Alumni Association, Inc., together with our other NGO partners, the Association of Former Flight Attendants of the Philippines (AFFAP) FOUNDATION, Inc. and the Sta. Ana Homeowners Association, Inc. which worked out the subdivision of their supposedly OPEN SPACE for recreation, but had been occupied by over 150 urban poor families for over twenty five(25) years now (beside Sun Valley in Paranaque), and with the help of Atty. Paul Garingo and HLURB.

We want people to see that the PIDM is different! We will show that this event is truly a sincere effort to make a difference and to make this world a better place.

We would like to truly reach out to you to join the ordinary Filipinos in the celebration of this special occasion to prove that we are ONE PEOPLE, ONE COUNTRY, with ONE VISION:

PHILIPPINES: A Soaring and Tenacious Republic Instituted by Nation Loving Generations of Passionate, Ethical, Action-driven, Results-oriented, Leaders of Society. Truly, A S.T.R.I.N.G.of P.E.A.R.L.S.

www.612marathon.org
takbo.ph

National Geographic Channel announced their very first Earth Day Run which will be held on April 18, 2010 at the SM Mall of Asia. The Earth Day Run 2010 will feature 3K, 5K and 10K races.

The proceeds of NatGeo’s Earth Day Run 2010 will support the Design Against the Elements (DAtE), a global architectural design contest that aims to provide solution to the problems presented by climate change. “The funds we’ll generate out of the event will help build affordable, sustainable, eco-friendly and disaster-resistant model houses in Taguig City that can withstand environmental calamities like last year’s Ondoy flooding,” FOX International Channels Asia and NatGeo Channel Asia Territory Director Phils. Jude Turcuato said.

For those interested, you can register online via NatGeoRun.com. Online registration runs from March 8 to April 4, 2010. Major credit cards are accepted. For inquiries, email secretariat@natgeorun.com. You may also go to the following participating outlets for cash registration.

• Nike Outlet in Bonifacio High Street
• Timex Outlets in SM North Edsa and SM Mall of Asia

Registration fees: (inclusive of limited edition Earth Day Run 2010 technical shirt)

• 3K – P500
• 5K – P600
• 10K – P700

Gray colored technical shirt – 3K and 5K races | Black for the 10K race

with fellow bloggers,  Ilac Diaz and Jude Turcuato

This video started off the Sun Life Financial It’s Time Bloggers Event that the hubby and I were invited to, held at Buenissimo (By Café Ysabel) at the Eastwood Mall last Saturday. Although the statistics is not really new to me, it can still be pretty overwhelming when you get to the grips of how real it is.

I can say that I am blessed when it comes the influence my mother has on me. She is one prudent woman who has made sure she took care of things ahead of time. If it was not for her investing on my educational plan for college, it would have been an a challenge for my folks to send me to college, a reputable one at that. Given the tumultuous time our family was going through during that time.

Without her probably meaning to, my mom handed down this virtue to me. I figured that out when I got a hold for myself a Pension/Life Insurance plan during my first year in the bank where I was previously employed right after college. As someone who has benefited from these type of pre need plans, I was able to appreciate it as young as I was. I was probably around 22 years old then and I paid off the entire plan 5 years after.

with fellow mommy blogger Mauie

Pia Magalona and Bam Aquino shared their thoughts and experiences on insurance and financial investments. The hubby and I happen to believe that it is just right to be good stewards of whatever riches that were given to us. Even the Bible is keen about this that a good man should leave an inheritance to his children (Proverbs 13:22). If there is anything that we could do now to prepare for the future, then we should be at it.

my husband Jeff with Bam Aquino

If we should at all look at things, even young professionals could easily afford to invest, if they would just go easy on patronizing consumerism.

Pia Magalona with us, lady bloggers- Brigitte, Mauie, Moi, Tanya, Shen and Edel

So there. I’m just going to have you guys watch the video we took of Pia and Bam’s talk during the It’s Time Bloggers Event and listen to what they have to say.

Sun Life Financial is currently promoting this advocacy and further encourages people by taking the challenge and you get a chance to win a trip for 2 to Switzerland. And to bring the advocacy closer to the people and to engage the public better, an on- the- ground activation was launched Feb 5 to encourage participation and engagement of the target public and to finally transform awareness of the advocacy into action.

The It’s Time Activation kicked off in Shangri-La Mall on Feb 5 and will tour different malls in Metro Manila and the provinces until May 10.

Take the It’s Time Challenge on the following venues: Eastwood Mall (Feb. 26-28), SM Mall of Asia (Mar. 5-7), SM Lucena (Mar. 19-21), Ayala Center Cebu (Apr. 9-11), Limketkai Mall Cagayan de Oro (Apr. 16-18), SM Davao (Apr. 23-25), SM Iloilo (Apr. 30 – May 2), and SM Bacolod (May 7-9).

For more information, visit www.itstime.com.ph.

About Sun Life Financial

Sun Life Financial (SLF) is an international leader in protection and wealth management with key operations in Canada, US, UK, Hong Kong, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Bermuda, and the Philippines.

What if I told you that right now, someone is choosing if you were gonna live or die. What if I told you that this choice wasn’t base on what you could or couldn’t do, what you’ve done in the past or what you would do in the future.

And what if I told you, you could do nothing about it. Fellow students and teachers, thousands of children are right now in that very situation. Someone is choosing without even knowing them, whether they are gonna live or die. That someone is their mother and that choice is abortion.

Everyday 115,000 children are dying through abortion. A hndred and fifteen thousand. That means that 5,000 children die every hour, all those lives gone. All that potential gone and all that hope and future gone.

Now I know what some of you might be thinking, “It’s not really killing after all. A fetus isn’t a child,”  right? Why do we think that just because a fetus can’t talk or do what we do, it isn’t a human being yet? The word fetus comes from the Latin word meaning “young one” or “young child.” Some babies are born after only 5 months, is this baby not human? We would never say that but abortions are performed on 5 month old fetuses all the time. Or we only call them humans if they are wanted. No, fetuses are definitely humans. Knit together in their mothers wombs by their wonderful Creator, who knows them all by name. Some people might say that since abortion is legal now it doesn’t matter, it’s not our business. But if an action is unjust, it needs to be illegal and it has to be our business. And this particular law has a huge impact on our society.

In 1997, over 1 million abortions took place just in the U.S. and just last year, over 42 million abortions happened worldwide. I’d say that’s a huge impact. I know some people say that the mother has right to abort, after all her life is dramatically impacted by having a baby. But I’m asking you to think about the child’s rights, that were never given to it. No matter what rights that mother has, it doesn’t we can deny the rights of the fetus.

Talking about the mother’s choice. The mother may have had a choice – not to have unprotected sex in the first place. You must remember that with our rights and our choices come responsibilities. And we can’t take someone else’s rights away to avoid our responsibilities. At this point, I imagine the age old questions arises, “What if the mother didn’t choose to have sex, what if she was raped?” But let us look at the fact in the U.S. as an example. Only 1% of all American abortions are “hard case” categories. This includes: rape, incest and the life of the mother being in danger. One percent, that hardly justifies the disturbing volume of abortions that happen these days.

And who’s to say that abortion is the easy way out. I don’t think people understand the effect of abortions on women. I don’t have time to list the negative after effects but here are few examples the physical effects: 17% of women who’s had abortions face complications in their subsequent pregnancies. Some may not even be able to give birth at all. They are also at a greater risk of developing breast cancer if they have an abortion. But perhaps the worst effects are the emotional ones. Women who’ve had abortions tend to have mood disorders substantial enough provoke them to harm themselves. In addition, a women who’ve had abortions are five times more likely to have problems with drugs and alcohol abuse. Abortion leaves a woman feeling lost and uncertain about their future. Almost 1/3 of women who’ve had abortions are dissatisfied with their decision. It certainly is not the cure all people think it is. I read a story on the Focus on the Family website, it was a girl who had an abortion. She writes,

“I had an abortion at the age of 17 and it was the worst thing that I ever did. I would never recommend it to anyone because it comes back to haunt you. When I tried having children, I lost three. Something happened in my cervix during the abortion.” – Sharon Osbourne

Hers is just one of the many heart wrenching stories that nobody tells these days and those same ones are the ones that we need to hear about. Thank you for taking time to think about the issue of abortion, to think about the unborn and to think about the effects of abortion on a mother. If you walk away with anything after this speech, walk away with the words of Horton. You know him, the elephant that risked his life to save that little speck. Remember him and his famous quote, “Even though you can’t see them or hear them and all. A person is still a person. No matter how small.” Thank you.

We have tried to stay clear of  political issues when it comes to things we tackle in this site. But with the election coming up in a few months, there really is no way we could totally keep mum and not give a piece of our minds. I admit to veering away from watching the news for the longest time but lately, we have found ourselves following through each news that comes up. We are choosing not to remain hopeless amidst our frustration over our government. We may only be but two votes, but we do plan to use them wisely, as the Lord would lead us to vote for particular candidates. With this said, we cannot just stand in the sidelines with apathy.

I believe in my heart that casting our votes is not just a social responsibility that is trivial. The future of the generations to come will depend on how we choose our current leaders. Even as we pray for the Lord’s hand to be upon this particular presidential election, we are pleased to have found this political forum wherein we could look into the candidates for office and even post into discussions and maybe get our queries answered. Politicalarena.com operates under the network of 88DB.com, the Philippines’ first rich media service portal.

I am particularly pleased to browse through the page dedicated to Bro. Eddie Villanueva, the very person we voted for in 2004. I personally expressed my support again by clicking the support button on his dedicated page. This site allows me to look into the other candidate’s platforms as well.  Voter education is very important and it is just right to have the access to information to the candidates for us to be able to cast our choice wisely.

Around the world, the number of children identified with ASD has nearly reached epidemic proportions. In United States, the rate is now one in every 91 children and still rising, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the Philippines, it is estimated that about 500,000 people in the country have autism, with only 5%of them diagnosed and only 2% of them given appropriate care.

Autism Hearts Philippines will lead global efforts in the prevention and treatment of autism early next year by hosting the first-ever International Autism Conference (IAC) in Pasay City.

Medical experts around the world, as well as foreign dignitaries and advocacy groups dedicated to helping families and children afflicted with ASD are all invited to participate in the meaningful event slated on February 3-5 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

“Concerned individuals including health practitioners and teachers from all over the world will find their participation greatly beneficial as the conference will also highlight the launching of Autism Institute of Asia, a locally based “one-stop-shop” for children with ASD and the New York-based autism advocacy group Autism Speaks’ Global Autism Public Health Initiative in the Philippines (GAPH), which is dedicated to service delivery and research collaboration on Autism,” said Christine Roa, executive director of Autism Hearts Philippines, Inc.

The conference will present the most current research, knowledge, information, diagnosis, assessment, treatments and policies surrounding Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in support of people under the spectrum and their families.

Among the presenters are leading experts from the Medical Investigation of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND), an international, multidisciplinary research organization based in Sacramento, California.

Roa said that through this initiative, the Philippines would also have the opportunity to tell the world about the initiatives being undertaken by both the government and the private sector. It would also help highlight the close-knit family values that Fiipinos espouse.

“The conference would most importantly reinforce the thought that all of us, wherever we are in the world, can do our share in helping individuals with autism optimize their full potential and become productive members of the society,” added Roa.

Autism Hearts Philippines is the local affiliate of Autism Hearts Foundation, a US-based private group that funds organizations that provide direct services, family, support grants, education, research, treatment, advocacy, and recreational opportunities, sees the urgent need to reach out to international communities to promote awareness about and gather support for Autism.

Join the International Autism Conference at the Philippine International Convention Center on February 3-5, 2010. Please visit www.autismhearts.com for more information on the International Autism Conference.

For the past year, the Guadalupe MRT Station has been the site of the world’s largest air cleaning paint trial. The station was painted Boysen KNOxOUT, the world’s first air cleaning paint, and data from the trial indicates that the paint on the walls is cleaning the emissions of over 30,000 vehicles that pass by the area daily. As a result, the station has earned a most unlikely distinction.

“In effect, the Guadalupe MRT Station is now the biggest air filter in the world,” says Johnson Ongking, Vice President of Pacific Paint (Boysen) Philippines, Inc. “The trial shows that KNOxOUT transforms an ordinary wall into an air purifier that helps protect people from the ill effects of air pollutants such as NOx.”

NOx, or nitrogen oxides, are harmful gases mostly generated from motor vehicle emissions. Trial data indicate that NOx levels in the vicinity of the Guadalupe MRT Station are at times over 200 micrograms per cubic meter — a figure that’s more than 5 times that of the World Health Organization (WHO) recommendation of 40 micrograms per cubic meter.

Dr. Abundio A. Balgos, M.D., MHA, Tolete-Velcek Professor of Medicine, says that these figures should be a cause for concern. “At elevated levels, NOx can impair lung function, irritate the respiratory system and, at very high levels, make breathing difficult.”

He notes that among those most at risk from the effects of NOx are vehicle drivers, traffic enforcers, field workers, garbage collectors and scavengers, and those with compromised immune systems including the children and the elderly.

NOx are highly reactive gases, and is not only a health hazard in itself, but when it combines with other gases. In the presence of sunlight, it reacts with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to form ground level ozone, more commonly known as smog. NOx also reacts with other compounds to form small particulate matter. Both smog and such particles cause respiratory problems such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema, and reduction in lung function.

Until the introduction of KNOxOUT, there has not been a way to clean NOx once it’s in the air. In an ironic twist, Boysen Paints and its technology partner, Cristal Global, developed a paint, which has long had a reputation for fouling the air, to actually clean the air.

Cristal Global, the world’s leading producer of ultrafine titanium dioxide (TiO2), developed CristalActiv technology, which breaks down noxious air pollutants into harmless substances through an environmentally safe process called photocatalysis. The process requires only light and humidity for activation, and because the air cleaning TiO2 is merely a catalyst in the reaction, it does not get used up and is able to continuously clean the air.

Cristal Global had been the supplier company to European Union funded consortium called Photocatalytic Innovative Coatings Applications for De-Pollution Assessment (PICADA), which did small trials that showed that the technology could indeed reduce the level of air pollutants in real life settings. Cristal Global were involved in several more trials in Europe – a tunnel in Milan, a school in London, and an indoor parking lot in Paris that all showed promising results”.

Cristal then worked with Boysen to do the world’s largest air cleaning paint trial in Manila. The trial was a partnership with the DOTC-MRT 3 and the MMDA, and involved painting the whole Guadalupe MRT station as well as an embankment wall opposite the station along EDSA. In all, over 6,200 sq. meters of area was painted with close to 740 liters of KNOxOUT.

The trial was overseen by Conexor, a Swedish environmental project management company and the Manila Observatory, the Philippines’ oldest scientific research institute and a leading authority on air quality studies in the country. Data analysis was done by the Philippine Institute for Pure and Applied Chemistry (PIPAC) at Ateneo de Manila University. The trial involved 18 NO2 monitors, nitrate boxes, a series of traffic counting carried out by the National Center of Transportation Studies, and a weather mast to account for meteorological factors.

Data from the trial suggests that Boysen KNOxOUT, the first commercial paint in the world with CristalActiv technology, is cleaning the air at a significantly higher rate than those achieved in European trials. Initial estimates are that the KNOxOUT used in the trial will take out over 1,3 metric tons of NOx in a year.

As the country observes the 10th year anniversary of the passage of the Clean Air Act, the need to clean the noxious air of Metro Manila has never been more urgent. A study of the World Bank and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) estimates that up to 5,000 people die prematurely due to air pollution in the metropolis every year, accounting for 1 of every 8 deaths.

“KNOxOUT not only provides every Filipino with a way to help protect themselves from the harmful effects of air pollution,” says Ongking. “It also gives everyone a chance to be part of the solution to air pollution.”

”Everytime we travel with a motor vehicle, we add things to the air that harm people. Painting a wall with KNOxOUT is one of the only ways to take out the NOx that we put in the air,” he added. “It’s like planting a tree to neutralize our carbon footprint. Now we can paint walls to neutralize our NOx footprint. Every wall is a potential air purifier.”

That’s the idea behind the company’s One Wall One World Advocacy – a way to empower people to do something against air pollution. “People feel that air pollution is beyond their control, that there’s nothing they can do about it. With KNOxOUT, we’re giving people a way to fight back, so they’re no longer powerless against air pollution.”

Every little bit counts in the fight against air pollution. A study in Europe by APHEIS (Air Pollution and Health: A European Information System) found that even very small cuts in pollution can benefit health, and a recent Harvard University study found that people living in cities where air pollution decreased in recent decades saw their life expectancy increase an average of five months as a result of cleaner air.

“We have one world and we breathe the same air; therefore we have a common responsibility to improve its quality. If everyone gets involved, we can neutralize our NOx emissions one wall at a time and make the air safer for all of us.”

To find out more about air Boysen KNOxOUT and to find out which companies and citizens are stepping up to clean our air check out www.onewalloneworld.com.

BEARHUGS FOR BAGUIO-The children in many of Baguio’s evacuation centers have been severely traumatized by the typhoon. Reports say that many of them stare blankly at walls, and have no appetite. A stuffed toy is a small thing, but for a child who has been through a nightmare such as the recent floods and typhoon, it can mean everything and help him or her, break out of that shell. Together with PINE, a Baguio NGO, a group of friends are trying to raise at least 500 bears or stuffed toys to send to Baguio’s children. If you would like to donate your old teddy bears or stuffedtoys, please email 10000bears@gmail.com or send a text message to 0917-529-1964 so you will be advised of drop-off point. Thank you very much!

The Department of Tourism (DOT) has launched its newest campaign, “Byaheng Pinoy with Apl,” in partnership with MTV Asia.  A refreshing take on promoting the country’s top destinations, the campaign is a product of a long-time collaboration between Apl.de.Ap, or Allan Pineda Lindo, of the Black Eyed Peas and Tourism Secretary Ace Durano. The campaign gave rise to several projects that utilize Apl.de.Ap and his music as a platform to showcase the country’s sites to the world.

“As a globally successful Filipino artist, Apl is the perfect icon to represent our country and its fascinating destinations. His music infused with Pinoy pride certainly makes this campaign fresh and exciting,” said Durano.

The project includes a music video entitled “Take U to the Philippines,” which Apl offered as a complimentary to the DOT compaign. The DOT held a soft launch of the campaign in Singapore recently, where the Black Eyed Peas also performed in the F1 Rocks concert.

“The sheer magnitude of fans who watched the Black Eyed Peas in Singapore is just a tip of the global market we are reaching through our campaign with MTV,” said Durano.

The video, “Take U to the Philipines,” was launched last October 1, to a worldwide MTV market.

When asked about his inspiration in making the video, Apl remarked, “I wanted to showcase all the beautiful spots in the Philippines. I wanted to help out tourism, to inspire others to visit the Philippines; to create jobs for people and help out the country and the community.”

Directed by Andrew Lo, creative director of MTV Asia, the video utilized mixed motion graphics stylized by The Source, a renowned studio in Hollywood.

Apl himself wrote the lyrics, with suggestions from Durano, to highlight local texture of tourist destinations—warm blue waters, parties in Manila, unique Pinoy culture, heart-stopping adventure rides and an infinite number of activities found only in the Philippines.

Undersecretary Eduardo Jarque, Jr., Tourism Planning and Promotions, said, “Although it may seem geared towards the young MTV generations, we are tapping the global traveler and culture connoisseur of all markets. We want the campaign to brand our country as one with infinite number of exciting activities to do for the adventure and culture lovers.”

It’s now or never — at least when it comes to teaching children the value of time and the discipline of time management.

“Parenting experts have said it time and again—childhood is the best time to ingrain the skill of time management,” points out Kelvin Ngo, Operations Manager of Kids Watch Central. “Studies tell us that 80% of a typical workday is wasted on unimportant tasks and wasted time – a statistic that could have been prevented if only these adults had been disciplined early on.”

To help raise awareness on the importance of time management among children, Kids Watch Central will be holding Kids Watch Central Family Fun Summit 2009 a parenting seminar on time management that takes this issue head-on. “It may sound like a cliché, but now’s the right time to do something about it;

Real Mothers, Real Lessons

“What makes Kids Watch Central Family Fun Summit 2009 different is that the lessons from it  are not textbook-based. The insights that will be shared are from real-life mothers who actually had to experience teaching their kids first-hand,” notes Ngo.

Kids Watch Central Family Fun Summit 2009 will be headlined by Mocs Lopez and Jennifer Tan. The former is a teacher from Explorations Pre-School and a mother to three kids.  Lopez is a firm believer on setting clear priorities and delineating tasks. “One important insight is that the prioritizing should come from the children themselves. If they’re the ones who classify homework for tomorrow as ‘urgent’ or attending soccer practice as ‘important;’ then they can delegate their time and optimize their efforts willingly.”

Meanwhile, Jennifer Tan, who’s likewise a teacher from Explorations Pre-School and a single mother to two boys aged 6 and 8, opines that children themselves should realize the consequences of not having their time managed well.

”Parents should talk to their kids about the consequences whenever they don’t manage their time,” says the progressive parenting advocate and hands-on mom. “It isn’t enough that parents discipline them whenever they refuse to follow. Parents should communicate how time management affects their kid’s daily activities. For example, parents can tell children that if they prioritize studying now, that means they have more time to play later on.”

Concretizing Time

However, both Mocs Lopez and Jennifer Tan admit that teaching time management is not an easy task – especially since time itself is an abstract concept. “It’s not unusual for children to ask: ‘mom, what does a minute look like?’ or ‘how do I know if my time is already up,’ and this is where tools such as children’s watches come in.”

They also believe that it would help if these timepieces are visually appealing or interesting to the kids themselves. “If their favorite character is Spiderman or Barbie of course, they’re likely to be more interested in looking at watches that feature these characters as opposed to a plain-faced one. It’s about adding an element of ‘fun’ to a visual representation of time.”

Kids Watch Central –a retail outlet that specializes in kids watches—for instance, is one place where parents can source trendy and colorful character watches. Here characters such as Transformers, Hello Kitty, Barbie and Ben10 come alive to teach children the value of time and the discipline of time management. Kids Watch Central stores can be found in the children’s accessories area of leading department stores.  

Without doubt, parents should give their children an early head start on the lesson of time management. And with proper guidance and the right tools such as Kid’s Watch Central’s character timepieces, ‘now or never’ is not so daunting after all. 

Kids Watch Central, is located inside the Children’s Accessories area in leading department stores such as SM, The Landmark, and Rustan’s.

PANATANG MAKABAYAN
Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas, aking lupang sinilangan
Tahanan ng aking lahi, kinukupkop ako at tinutulungang
Maging malakas, masipag at marangal
Dahil mahal ko ang Pilipinas,
Diringgin ko ang payo ng aking mga magulang,
Susundin ko ang tuntunin ng paaralan,
Tutuparin ko ang tungkulin ng isang mamamayang makabayan,
Naglilingkod, nag-aaral at nagdarasal nang buong katapatan.
Iaalay ko ang aking buhay, pangarap, pagsisikap
Sa bansang Pilipinas.

(English version – translated)

I love the Philippines, the land of my birth,
The home of my people, it protects me and helps me
Become strong, hardworking and honorable.
Because I love the Philippines,
I will heed the counsel of my parents,
I will obey the rules of my school,
I will perform the duties of a patriotic citizen,
Serving, studying, and praying faithfully.
I offer my life, dreams, successes
To the Philippine nation.

This morning, as we were doing the pledge of allegiance to the Philippine flag (Panatang Makabayan), I opted to record my son as he recited. We have been homeschooling for a little more than a month now and although he is still fumbling with the words and with the less than perfect Filipino diction, I am still one proud momma.

His primary language being English, it took extra effort for him to go through every line (as if it isn’t obvious) of the “Panatang Makabayan.” But I know he’ll do better as we go through it everyday. It was not easy for me as well, even as this was not the version that I got used to growing up. Here is an older version that I grew up with:

Iniibig ko ang Pilipinas
Ito ang aking lupang sinilangan
Ito ang tahanan ng aking lahi
Ako’y kanyang kinukupkop at tinutulungan upang maging malakas, maligaya at kapaki-pakinabang
Bilang ganti ay diringgin ko ang payo ng aking mga magulang
Susundin ko ang mga tuntunin ng aking paaralan
Tutuparin ko ang mga tungkulin ng isang mamamayang makabayan at masunurin sa batas
Paglilingkuran ko ang aking bayan nang walang pag-iimbot at nang buong katapatan
Sisikapin kong maging isang tunay na Pilipino sa isip, sa salita at sa gawa.

(English version-translated)

I love the Philippines.
It is the land of my birth;
It is the home of my people.
It protects me and helps me to be strong, happy and useful.
In return, I will heed the counsel of my parents;
I will obey the rules of my school;
I will perform the duties of a patriotic, law-abiding citizen;
I will serve my country unselfishly and faithfully
I will be a true Filipino in thought, in word, and in deed.

Today, Jed also finished his second unit tests in Social Studies and Science. Two stars for him today, too. I look forward to the coming months that he will do better at reciting the pledge of allegiance to the Philippine flag (Panatang Makabayan).

Contest Mechanics:

1. The contest is open to all photographers – professional and non-professional – residing in the Philippines, male or female, a Filipino citizen aged 18 and above.
2. The theme of the contest is, “Breastfeeding: A Vital Emergency Response”. To qualify, the entries must capture the essence of breastfeeding, showcasing its importance and benefits especially in an emergency situation.
3. Entries must be exclusive to this contest only, and should not have been submitted as an entry in previous contests.
4. Entries must be printed in full color, size 8″x10″, unmounted – with or without boarders.
5. Entries must be submitted with a duly filled out registration form available at the Office of the Department of Pediatrics, UP- PGH , put in a short brown envelope together with original negative and data file. It must be submitted in person or via registered mail to:
   1. Department of Pediatrics
      University of the Philippines- Philippine General Hospital
      Taft Avenue, Manila
6. Participants can enter any number of entries, but can only win once. Photos must be taken using digital or conventional film camera, and must be exclusive to this contest.
7. Submission of entries is from July 15 to August 1. Mailed entries should be dated on or before 30 July 2009.
8. Prizes are:

1. • 1st prize: P5,000
   • 2nd prize: P3,000
   • 3rd prize: P2,000
2. Winners will be notified via registered mail.
3. Prizes may be claimed within sixty (60) days from receipt of notification from the Department of Pediatrics, UP-PGH.

Be forewarned however that upon joining the contest, you will be unconditionally consenting to the use of your winning entry by Department of Pediatrics, University of the Philippines – Philippine General Hospital for all advertising, advocacy and promotion activities, including but not limited to photo exhibit of all winning photographs, without liability on the part of and fee to be paid for by the contest organizers.