Yakapin: huggable stuffed toys for the children victims of Tropical Storm Sendong

My friend, Cathy Babao, is once again at the helm of a drive to collect huggable, stuffed toys for the suffering children victimized by Tropical Storm Sendong. Cathy did this before when she launched "Bearhugs for Baguio" and sent stuffed toys to Northern Luzon for the children victims of Typhoon Pepeng.

If your children, nieces or children of friends have stuffed toys to spare, please donate them to Yakapin. Cathy explains it all in this post:

Put yourself in her shoes. 

You fall asleep snug in the arms on your mother, the rain pounds on the room but you are not afraid because beside you is your mother and you know you will be safe. All of a sudden, the waters enter your home and you are swept and carried away from all that is familiar and everyone whom you love.  

You wake up dazed not knowing what has happened to your family members. You walk around aimlessly, only to find that your home and all that you love is gone… 

Toys are effective tools in helping children heal from the trauma of loss. Stuffed toys are effective comfort givers in times of stress and trauma. To children, stuffed animals are more than toys, they become the vehicles by which they are able to tell their stories and release their pain. Stuffed toys or teddy bears are able to provide some degree of comfort in a scary world. 

Please send clean, friendly looking toys in good condition (no pigs please, owing to cultural and religious sensitivities) in any size, but ideally, big enough for a child to hug. 

Thanks to Dennis Garcia for the image used on this page and to friends who have generously donated their homes and establishments as drop off points throughout the city. Let’s all pull together and send as many hugs as we can to the children of Northern Mindanao. A new and soft teddy bear costs about as much as a Starbucks frapuccino or a ticket to the cinema -- a small price that will go a long way in bringing back hope and a smile into a child’s life. 

May you all be blessed to be a blessing to others.  

Alabang: 12 Brentwood Street, Hillsborough, West Service Road, Alabang Look for Magding or JC
Greenhills: 33 Madison Street, North Greenhills, San Juan. Look for Ann or Shirley Asuncion Berenguer, Inc. 3/f Homestudio Building, 63 Connecticut Street (same building as Homestudio, Torch resto and Bose) Northeast Greenhills . Please leave with guard and indicate “Bears for YBHM”
Makati: The Citadel Inn, 5007 P. Burgos Street, Makati City c/o Andre Urbina
Marikina: 1 Ferdinand Marcos Street, Industrial Valley Subdivision, Marikina Leave with guard please indicate “Bears for YBHM”
Paranaque: Johnson and Johnson, Edison Road, Paranaque City (Edison is street by Zuellig) Leave with guard, indicate “Bears for YBHM”
14 C. Diamond Street. Greenheights Village Sucat Paranaque. Look for Yaya Marlene
Quezon City: A-2 Dona Sotera, Pilarville Subd.,Quezon City c/o Dennis Mariano
41 Milkyway Drive, Blue Ridge B, Quezon City Look for Lily
C1C3 Narra Heights Condominium #28, Mariposa Street, Quezon City (near Camp Crame)
Eastwood area: Unit 5c Eastwood Lafayette Tower 3, Eastwood Avenue Libis Q.C (In front of Watsons, near Mcdonalds) Leave with guard indicate “Bears for YBHM”

She still needs people to volunteer their homes as drop-off points in the following areas: Mandaluyong, Manila,  Pasig. To volunteer or join this project, kindly click "Like" on Yakapin's Facebook page HERE.

The Sandwich Heroes Project of the World Food Programme and Unilever

I was one of several who gathered at the Cilantro Kitchen of Unilever last October 24 for a blogger event for a cause.

The United Nations' World Food Programme and Unilever people were there to present to us their project that will involve feeding about 40,000 children in Mindanao via the Sandwich Heroes project. This project would also involve several food establishments which would contribute to the project with every sandwich bought at their establishments.

As a mother, I know how important it is for good nutrition for babies (even the unborn). During my pregnancies, I stopped taking coffee, watched what I ate, and regularly took in the vitamin supplements prescribed by my OB-Gyne. I knew that poor development and growth even in the womb would be irreversible.

Malnutrition in children can lead to permanent damage. Some of these are: impaired brain development, skinnier children, stunted growth and weaker immune systems. If you regularly watch episodes on TV Patrol, Bantay Bata 163, and other public service shows, you will notice that the poor people more often have children with medical conditions not seen in those who are wealthier.

World Food Day was just recently celebrated globally (Oct. 16 every year) so it was appropriate that this event was also the launch of a project that addressed food security.

We learned more about hunger, in the Philippines and worldwide during this gathering. Did you know that -

• Worldwide, it is estimated that 925 million people will suffer chronic hunger in 2011 (according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). About 12 million of these people live in the Philippines.
• One-third of children who die annually die of malnutrition.
• One in 7 people worldwide go to bed hungry every night. One out of every 9 children in the Philippines go hungry.
• About 1 in 4 children under 5 years of age in the developing world is underweight.
• Hunger kills more people than TB, HIV and malaria PUT TOGETHER!

Two slides shown us prove the devastating effects of malnutrition in children.

Watch this video from the World Bank for more statistics.




The partnership between Unilever and the World Food Programme aims to bring Unilever's reach beyond the chef's kitchen and bring hope to hungry children in Mindanao via Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan.

Every sandwich purchased from participating food outlets serves to make a contribution from you towards the Sandwich Heroes project. The establishments participating in these are:

Biggs' Diner
Cibo
The Coffee Experience
CoffeeBreak
Figaro
HotShots
JD Bakeshop
KFC
Mushroomburger
The Flying Pig
Holy Cow!
The Sandwich Guy
Wham! Burgers

At the event, Unilever laid out a wide array of sandwich ingredients from different kinds of breads to vegetables, dressings, cheeses, meats, spices, sauces and so much more. As I made my own personal sandwich which I called "Sinfully Healthy" (made of whole wheat bread, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, cucumber, blue cheese dressing, cheese square, chicken strips personally cooked by me), I kept thinking how luck I was to have this option of making my own sandwich tailor-fitted to my preferences. So many children did not even have the option to eat any kind of sandwich.

My "Sinfully Healthy" sandwich

WFP has also launched a Facebook page to keep us updated on their food program efforts. To join, please click HERE.

When Sandwich Heroes launches, please bring your family and friends to any of the establishments above, knowing that while you are eating, you are also helping towards feeding the children of Mindanao. Be a hero. A SANDWICH HERO!

Seeing the brighter side of life with the "Be Happy" Movement of NGF

Studies show a rising incidence of depression. Unfortunately, depression is not easily recognized as such and treated appropriately and as a result, suicides occur when these may have been prevented. Some depression triggers known include, but are not limited to, sad moments brought about by rejection, failure, trauma, and illness or loss of a loved one. Each one of these triggers requires varying medical approaches to manage and treat the resulting depression.

The Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (NGF) was set up in loving memory of Natasha Goulbourn who suffered from depression but was known for her love for life and compassion for others. Her Mom, Jean Goulbourn, is its President. The foundation was created with the sole mission of sharing with the world wide-ranging education and comprehensive information about depression. And it seeks to demystify and help eliminate the stigma carried by people suffering from depression by holding lectures and seminars that promote integrative approaches in the management and treatment of depression. Both proven modalities of mainstream as well as alternative medicine are employed for the benefit of those suffering from depression.

NGF believes that before real depression sets in, a state of happiness can be created and maintained on a regular, continuing basis. So they decided to launch the "Be Happy" movement -- to plant small seeds of happiness that eventually blossom into feelings of joy, pleasure and cheerfulness within the self. These "seeds" could be as simple as a kind gesture, a word of encouragement, a smile or a hug.

How does this "Be Happy" movement work?

The Tour of Hope 2011 - 500: Going the Xtra Mile Against Cervical Cancer

As a woman with 2 daughters, I am well aware of the dangers of cervical cancer, a silent killer and now the number 2 killer of women worldwide.

So I enjoin you, if you are an avid biker or just own a bike which you use for leisurely exercise around your village, to come and support The Tour of Hope 2011 which aims to save 500 women from cervical cancer.

Organized by Bravehearts in partnership with Team David's Salon and GlaxoSmithKline, this year's tour aims to provide cervical cancer vaccinations for 500 women during its 5-day tour.

The tour will cover approximately 500 kilometers with stopovers in 5 major towns where, at each stop, 100 women (identified by their local officials) will get their first cervical vaccination. Beyond just giving women the vaccines, at each stopover there are going to be lectures to the local community about how to take care of their health.

This year's Tour of Hope will kick off from TriNoMa Mall in Quezon City on May 28, 2011. From there, the tour will take bikers to Tarlac City, Tarlac on its first stopover, then to San Fernando, La Union where the renowned La Union Botanical Gardens is located. The third stop will be Vigan City, Ilocos Sur, home to historical churches and ancestral homes. The fourth stop is Laoag City, Ilocos Norte where tourists often go to visit the Juan Luna Shrine and get a glimpse of the Spolarium painting. Finally, the tour ends up in Paoay where bikers get to see the unique blend of Spanish and Chinese architecture at Paoay Church, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

To add glitz and excitement to the tour, several celebrities have pledged to join in as bikers including known names such as Matteo Guidicelli, Sen. Pia Cayetano, Marvin Kiefer, Rovilson Fernandez, Troy Montero, Aubrey Miles, Will Devaughn, Richie Hardin, Richard Herrera, Janna Victoria, Jeena Lopez, Gem Padilla-Thomas, Anthony Pangilinan and David Charlton. Tessa Prieto-Valdes is also currently working on a special project that will help raise funds for cervical cancer prevention.

Team David's Salon with Tessa Prieto-Valdes

Some of the bikers who will join the Tour of Hope 2011 at its launch

Do you need to bike the entire 500 kms? NO. Since this is open to anyone who loves biking, you choose how far you want to go and at what pace you wish to go.

To join the Tour of Hope 2011 on May 28, 2011, please email Joyette Jopson at joyette.jopson@gmail.com or contact her at 0917-8827352.

Live Curious, NatGeo and Regatta Say

When my kids were small, they'd pester me with so many quetions. Why is the sky blue? Is there really a man on the moon? How does Santa distribute the gifts all over the world in just one night? 

As they grew older, curiosity continued but this time the questions had to do with more mature topics. Why is my body changing? Why is breakfast important? Even the proverbial -- Why do we have to have homework on weekends?

Studies have shown that curiosity is what leads to experimentation, discovery and more learning. When a child asks a lot of questions, it is because that child is thinking about things that don't make sense to him at that age. This is the start of what will later become research - a longing to find the answer.

The National Geographic Channel (NGC) recognizes that living the curious life leads to myriad possibilities for adventure and knowledge so it wants to continue promoting this trait in the young people of today.

NatGeo, as it is called for short, is one of the largest non-profit scientific and educational institutions in the world. It has produced beautiful magazines that take you on adventures as you turn the magazine pages, teaching you more and more about places you have never been to, making you aware of the environment, the wonder of archaeology, appreciation for natural science and better awareness of geography. With the advent of cable, NatGeo created its own channel, showing the beauty of our world and its creatures. Truly, NGC is one of my favorite TV channels.

NatGeo has tied up with Regatta, a leisure wear brand that offers high-quality casual wear, as both of them share similar values, i.e., promoting the love for a good life as well as love for adventure.

They've launched the "Live Curious" campaign which believes that no matter what country we live in and regardless of the language we speak, "Everything deserves a 'Why'". This slogan is now one of several statement shirts launched and available at all Regatta boutiques nationwide when you sign up for a National Geographic society membership.

Join "Tulak ng Kariton" with Efren Penaflorida (Dec. 11, 2009)

I received this invitation in the email from a friend. If you're in the vicinity or even if you're not but you believe in Efren's cause, come join.
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Please watch this INVITATION FROM EFREN PENAFLORIDA





All Filipinos of all colors are invited to gather in a tribute for CNN
Hero Efren Penaflorida on Dec 11, 2009. 3:30PM. Assembly at the Ninoy
Aquino Statue at the corner of Ayala and Paseo De Roxas. Efren,
followed by the people, will push his Kariton on Ayala Ave and will
lead us to the concert venue on Makati Ave between Landmark and
Greenbelt 4. This event will also be the venue for our outrage over
the Maguindanao Massacre, GMA's candidacy, and Martial Law in Maguindao.


4-5PM Tulak ng Kariton
5-8PM Konsyerto ng Pagbabago


We will start the march at the Ninoy Aquino Statue at Ayala corner
Paseo at 4PM on Friday, Dec 11 and we'll have the concert at Makati
Avenue between Landmark and Greeenbelt 4 fro 5PM to 8PM.


Thanks and best regards,

Blog Watch Launches for the 2010 Elections

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

Bearhugs for Baguio: A Project for Typhoon Pepeng's Smallest Victims

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com

Help Krispy Kreme Raise Funds for Ondoy Victims

Please click here to read the post on my new domain - philippinebeat.com