“If it doesn’t involve you stepping outside, touching other people, it is pointless.” says Under Armour’s ambassador Emmanuelle Adda, a French-Filipina performing artist and fitness enthusiast. She is referring to expanding her enthusiasm for fitness and spreading this passion to other people.

Under Armour Power in Pink celebrates those who use sports, fitness and an active lifestyle in the fight against breast cancer. Under Armour will donate a minimum of $500 to various breast cancer centers and charities through their Power in Pink program.

Inspiring change
I could relate quite well to Emmanuelle’s firm belief as stated above. Lately, I have been on a mission to become the best version of me. With the help of friends, fitness mentors, nutrition coach, doctors and the support of loved ones, I slowly am headed to becoming my best self in all aspects of my humanity. By slowly changing and transforming myself, I realized that my students, friends, readers and followers slowly notice the positive changes in me, and then I began to realize, I could in fact inspire change or make an impact in other people’s lives. I respond slowly to fitness questions via email, skin and beauty tips via social media and facebook messages and even as as far as giving advice to people who are emotionally distraught. I think one thing my readers know about me is that I am transparent in my struggles and they see the real deal. I blog about these things, but more importantly, I never fail to share that I am always trying to stand right back on my feet, dust off some negative juices and try again.

Blogging could surely take up a lot of my time. Traveling from one event to another, writing and documenting travels, hours of research and content writing too, and so on and so forth. I am not even blogging for the money, nor is this my main source of income. I blog continously so that I could send a message to everyone that they can achieve anything they want to as long as they put their heart to it.

Success is not as sweet, when you keep it to yourself. Success is best when shared. And I applaud Under Armour fo their campaign “Women of Will”, which engages women of different shapes, ages and bckground to immerse themselves more into active lifestyle and fitness.

Women of Will goes Urban

Under Armour has designed whole month-long fitness activities for women who want to empower themselves. These activities have already begun, starting with the breakfast group “Girls Run”, headed by Tessa Prieto and Under Armour athlete Doray Elis last October 28, as they tried Under Armour sports bra in their fitness yoga and run. These activities are now being conducted regularly for the month of November together with partner gyms and women groups.

TheWomen of Will campaign rallies to fight against breast cancer so be sure to check out these dates and GET ARMOURED!

• Women of Will Wednesdays at Urban Ashram. All Wednesdays of November
• Total Wellness and Fitness Saturdays at Edsa Shangri-La Health Club. All Saturdays of November!
• Exclusive Tea Fitness Party at Raffles Hotel. ovember 0, 2015 at :0 pm.
• Women’s Basketball Treat – PBA Basketball 3 on 3. November 28, 2015.
• Ftness Day with Belle de Jour. November 29, 2015.

For Further information, please visit Under Armour’s official website at www.ua.com.ph and follow Under Armour Philippines on instagram (@underarmourph).

  

Donate now starting at P100

The Philippine Red Cross is stepping up its rescue and relief operations for flood-stricken families and assisting in the evacuation of more than 8,000 individuals (numbers will rise in the coming days) with the help of Red Cross 143 volunteers. Persons rescued were from Valenzuela, Rizal, Caloocan, Manila and other affected areas.

The Quezon City Red Cross assisted in the search and rescue of the victims of the landslides in Commonwealth where three persons were given first aid and transported to nearby hospital.

The Red Cross as well is providing hot meals to more than 7,500 persons in various evacuation centers.

Earlier, the Red Cross has provided generator to Epifanio delos Santos Hospital and assisted as well in providing fuel for the generator of the UERM Hospital.

More relief operations and hygiene promotion will be conducted in some of the 174 evacuation centers where 11,591 families are still sheltered. The Red Cross is setting up welfare desks in the evacuation centers to provide psychosocial support and other welfare needs of the affected families.

The Red Cross will continue to work round the clock with more areas still under water.

The PRC welcomes donation for flood-affected families. Through your generosity, we can stand prepared for disasters. We appreciate your continuous and unwavering support. Thank you.

About Buyanihan Digital

Buyanihan Digital is the Philippines’ first digital link agency providing website development, e-commerce solutions, social media analysis, blog marketing, community building and management & IT services to SMEs and top brands and corporations.

About the Philippine National Red Cross

The story of the Philippine Red Cross is the story of men and women from all walks of life who have dedicated themselves to the service of humanity. It is the tale of hundreds of thousands of ordinary people who devoted their time and resources to help the poorest of the poor.

Professionally trained and truly compassionate, these men and women are ready to lend a helping hand to those in need – whoever, whenever and wherever they may be.

At present, the Philippine Red Cross provides six major services: Blood Services, Disaster Management Services, Safety Services, Community Health and Nursing Services, Social Services and the Volunteer Services.

All of them embody the fundamental principles of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement – humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality.

These values guide and inspire all Red Cross staff and volunteers, to whom being a Red Crosser is more than just a philosophy but a way of life.

NOTE:

• Proceeds will be remitted to the Philippine National Red Cross.
• You can also donate relief goods (e.g. Canned goods, instant noodles, blankets, purified drinking water, medicine, clothes, etc.) to Buyanihan Headquarters at Unit 1010, Cityland Herrera Tower, Makati City or at the Philippine National Red Cross Office.
• #RescuePH

I went home via Clark airport and I was so worried that Clark airport might be flooded as well, and my car would be flooded too.  Luckily it didn’t flood in Clark Airport and it is one safe place for my car, rather than I would have left it in my condo in Manila, my car would have been gone.

I got stranded in Clark area because NLEX was flooded and the rest of the roads I needed to cross to go home. 

With nothing to do, I was companied by music and color.  I brought my Urbanears with me.  I waited long hours in the airport, and more hours being stuck in Clark.

After the rains and the onslaught of the habagat, we rise again.  As always.

Brand new Urbanears Tanto for auction

Minimum bid at P500!

In lieu with this, I donated one of my Urbanears Tanto (unused, unopened, brand new) to our PHL360.com online auction.

Proceeds of the auction will benefit the victims of the recent habagat flooding via Philippine National Red Cross.

Click on the image to participate in the auction! 

This is worth P1950 but the bidding price starts at P500.

Check out other auctioned other items here.

PLUS!  There’s another colorful contest from Urbanears!

Urbanears concept store in the Philippines will launch it’s opening on August 14 at the Podium. Digits will also launch the new Fall/Winter collection on the same date!  They will be bringing in 3 new colors which they will announce there.

All you have to do to join is take at least one photo of yourself in instagram with the Urbanears or an outfit post or closeup shot with your Urbanears. Put the photo in the post.  You don’t have to own Urbanears to join.  Read the poster below for details.

Find out where you can buy your very own Urbanears here.

Get updated with more contests and announcements here on Digit’s FB page https://www.facebook.com/digitstrading

We go beyond travel and blogging.  We experience and indulge in the spirit of every place we go

A reality show is a reality show… We are usually unaware we were taped liked dizzz

And dizzz…. coz I try to catch as much sleep as I can T___T

This is me.. making a full 360 cartwheel

And my travel partner Chyng Reyes

They call us TEAM #HaChyng !

We passed by a surf-spot … it wasn’t part of PHL360’s itinerary,

but I had to experience it

and I’m going to do some street pole when I can 🙂

Find out the whole story at PHL360.com

Watch Full Episodes every Thursdays 12nn at

PHL360.com

Know more about the pearls and how fabulous nature’s creations are.

I instantly fell in love when I heard about its story.

And now, I share it to you all

Our Philippine National Gem: The South Sea Pearl

As the latest endeavor to mark the Philippines as a major design destination in Asia, Manila FAME invites Jewelmer to participate in the major sourcing event for lifestyle products, furniture, gifts, and fashion. The exposition will be held from March 14 to March 17, 2012 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm at the SMX Convention center.

Jewelmer will give attendees an opportunity to purchase their lustrous golden gems set in fine jewellery. Collections such as Stella and Lautitia will be on display alongside the quintessential Jewelmer golden strands and some very special archive pieces.

The company is in a unique position for collaboration with Manila FAME 2012. In 1993, President Fidel V. Ramos declared the Philippine South Sea pearl as the country’s National Gem, which is the perfect complement to an event to showcase the best of the talent, quality, craftsmanship, and creativity that the Philippines has to offer.

Jewelmer’s representatives will be at Booth DX20, located on the ground floor of the SMX Convention center. Manila FAME 2012 will run between 9:00am to 6:00pm from March 14 to March 17, 2012.

For more information, please visit www.jewelmer.com.

Apart from this, Jewelmer now resumes exclusive Educational Pearl talks.  I went to the island itself to discover how beautiful pearls are.  Better than diamonds I say because the Pearl sprouts on a very nice and happy environment, unlike diamonds who needs to be in excessive pressure to be grown.

Jewelmer Resumes Exclusive Educational Pearl

Newly harvested golden pearls.  Yes, I was there to witness this! *cries for joy*

Nature is beautiful

Have you ever wondered how to tell real pearls from plastic? What is the difference between freshwater and saltwater pearls? How can you assess the true value and quality of a pearl?

The country’s authority on pearls brings back The Exclusive Jewelmer Pearl Talk in three educational events, which will take place at three separate locations. The host venues in March include The Peninsula Manila hotel, Eastwood Mall and Resorts World.

Beyond the basic Pearl 101, an interesting mix of clients, media representatives, and friends attend the talks to reacquaint themselves with the straightforward facts of the complex nature of pearls. It is an interactive experience with the specialists at Jewelmer who are eager to share their knowledge about the most lustrous pearls in the world.

Jewelmer’s Exclusive Pearl Talk dates are as follows:

The Peninsula Manila Hotel

4:00 pm on March 13, 2012

Eastwood Mall

4:00 pm on March 15, 2012

Resorts Worls, Newport Mall

4:00 pm on March 16, 2012

Limited slots are available. Interested parties are invited to inquire at any Jewelmer boutiques or contact Tess Catedral at 0917.327.1025. For more information on Jewelmer, please visit www.jewelmer.com.

Speakers:

Blogging 101 – Micaela Rodriguez

Social Media and Marketing – Yours truly, Hannah Villasis

Understanding Search Engines – Fitz Villafuerte

Vigilant Net Surfing and Nettiquette – Mr. Gerald C. Bataoil, MIT

It was a great day of learning for everyone, including me.  Thank you for the hearty welcome and the energetic welcome!  The students were very attentive and eager to learn and this inspires all of us speakers to continue sharing what we know about the triple W!

Congratulations to the student organizers, volunteers and faculty members for drafting this successful event!

It was a pleasure speaking in front of everyone.  I hope you all learned a few important things that can change your life and challenge you to Ready.Fire.Aim!

My apologies for submitting the wrong set of slides.  It has been a busy week for me, but do know I took time to prepare this – I think it got me too excited I misorganized my files and sent the wrong version.

Let me make it up to you all and I post here the entire contents of my correct slides 😛 <— I use a lot of emoticons!
Social Media and Marketing – Hannah Villasis Slides
Please feel free to read through again, you can ask me any questions here or if you want to mail me privately, do so at hannah@flaircandy.com

I am not really a diver (claustrophobic and ear problems), but I love being in the ocean.  I guess you can say free diving would be more of my thing.  Best thing about the ocean is – it’s free!  It’s just there, waiting to be enjoyed by everyone 🙂

And in the Philippines, we are quite lucky to have some of the world’s best diving spots and surf spots!  I envy some of my diver friends and how they can see the beautiful bed of corals underneath our seas.  I can only enjoy exploring shallow reefs when I snorkel, but I haven’t seen much of the world down there and I believe it’s beautiful <3

South Sea Pearl

Yes guys, we have a national gem – as declared by Pres. Fidel Ramos on Oct. 25, 1996.  It is a beautiful product of our seas – the South Sea Pearl <3

Ah… beautiful isn’t it?  there are different kinds of South Sea Pearls, different colors, shapes and characteristics but one of the rare ones are the Golden South Sea Pearls…

and yes, they come out of the Oyster in lustrous golden color – no coloring whatsoever.

You know what, after our Palawan trip… I feel like a pearl expert now… Everytime I see pearls I look at the luster, the size, the shape and I feel the texture.  I identify if it’s South Sea pearl or just fresh water pearls…

Diamonds are girl’s best friend they say, but honey, once I introduce you to Golden Pearl baby, you will fall in love <3

Unlike diamonds that are formed naturally in a harsh environment (at high pressure and high temperature), pearls are actually an indicator of our Ocean’s health!  Sadly, the world is changing and unfortunate damages in the environment like pollution, garbage and global calamities can affect the quality of the pearls.

It is really pretty <3 I fell in love with these golden pearls knowing they had to go through 323 steps to produce and 5 years in the making at least.  Apart from that, only 10% of the oysters would result in a natural golden pearl.

WOW!

So you can just imagine how valuable they are and how important it is for us to protect our seas that in turn gives us these gifts 🙂

More than what you see…

I know that the Golden Pearl you see is pretty, but what’s more beautiful is the story behind it all.

It’s the story of the people who initiated a movement to protect especially Palawan seas.

We visited an island in Taytay Palawan they call “Baras.”

This is a community of people who are slowly changing their lifestyles into a greener approach.  If before people are so into dynamite and cyanide fishing, kaingin (burning of trees resulting to bald islands) and harmful practices to the environment, volunteers and some staff from the pearl farm reach out to these communities and educate them on the consequences of their actions.

And now, they teach them to make their own natural fertilizers, cultivate their own lands to produce root crops, vegetables and many more.  They are also into fashion!  The picture above is of the locals making necklaces and other decorative items 🙂

Beautiful flowers 🙂

They even have a bee farm to help polenate the plants <3

At the end of our trip… I felt good about the beautiful things that I have seen and I got more inspired to take part in saving it.

I care for the world I live in and I love capturing it in photos, I love walking on it, enjoying it and sharing this wonderful world with the people I love <3

and with that, I am honored to be one of Jewelmer’s Pearl ambassadors along with top online personalities like Vince Golangco of Wheninmanila.com, Noemi Dado of AboutMyRecovery.com, Estan of EstanCabigas.com, Anna Oposa of AnnaOposa.ph, Jayvee Fernandez of ABuggedLife.com,  Kankan Ramos of Yehey.com and myself 🙂

now joining Piolo Pascual as Pearl Ambassador!

wee!

There are things that you can do to save our seas :)  I will share with you how you can do this soon!

Not all superheros you read in comic books have super powers like superman.  We have Batman, Green Archer and many others.  We Filipinos are also proud to have Anna Oposa who is included in Yahoo!’s seven inspiring Filipinos – modern day heros!  She may not have gills like Aquaman, but she has the passion to protect our Philippine seas 🙂

Know more about the Golden pearls here.

For those of you who don’t know what Human Nature is, it’s a local brand that’s 100% made in the Philippines.  By 100% I mean 100% labor and 100% materials are locally made!

Human Nature is actually in close partnership with Gawad Kalinga and Ganda Kalinga.

They focus on 3 factors that affect the company as a whole and the products that they produce, namely:

1. Pro-Philippines

To provide jobs for people in the Philippines and to purchase all supplies from Filipino farmers and suppliers.  They envision 100% local sourcing of all their ingredients.  In doing so, they provide hard-working Filipinos, especially the poor, opportunities that will allow them to flourish and enjoy a better life.

2. Pro-poor

Through their close partnership with Gawad Kalinga and Ganda Kalinga, they will provide farming communities with the resources to convert low-value, basic crops that will forever keep them poor to high -value, organic crops that will greatly improve their quality of life.

3.  Pro-environment.

All their products are natural & organic – 100% free from harmful chemicals that may seep back to our soil and water.

Also, by making products affordable and competitive in the market, it becomes easy for all of us to use chemical-free productrs that wil not harm our environment.

I actually tried some of their products and I would like to highlight their deodorant.

Human Nature Women’s Deodorant

with Rosemary and Sunflower oil – 100% natural, non-darkening deodorant that contains only the good and none of the bad.  Chitosan, a natural anti-bacterial agent, together with organic oils & extracts helps neutralize body odor.

I’ve tried this and I actually love it!  It keeps my underarms soft, smooth and lighter looking.  My underarms usually are dry when I use antiperspirants and my problem is, it always feels harsh.  So I’m very thankful to have found this deodorant that keeps my underarms moisturized while keeping body odor away.  It is free from aluminum, parabens, phthalates, triclosan and harmful chemicals.

Also, did you know that most anti-perspirants contain aluminum compounds that close pores and stope the sweat and odor from escaping the body?  This has also been closely linked to breast cancer.  Is it worth the risk? It’s up to you to decide.  Also note, that this deodorant is not an antiperspirant but it neutralizes odor and will not give you cancer

 

Human Nature: 100% Made in the Philippines

Gandang Kalikasan, Inc. (GKI), through its Human Nature brand, is a fast-growing, trail-blazing natural & organic consumer goods company operating as a social enterprise and driven by the core philosophy of PRO-PHILIPPINES, PRO-POOR and PRO-ENVIRONMENT. Founded in November 2008 by Anna Meloto-Wilk and Camille Meloto, daughters of Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto, Human Nature’s products are 100% made in the Philippines and 100% free from harmful chemicals.

Today it announces:

· A call to buy products that are Made in the Philippines

· What fellow Filipinos (here and abroad) can do to support local Filipino farming communities

· How Human Nature is doing its part to help uplift this nation from poverty

91.98 million –that’s the total population for this beautiful group of islands; the Philippines. This July 12, as we celebrate the independence of our wonderful nation, let’s all make a stand and be proud by honoring Philippine-made products and buying what is proudly our own.

The Filipino people are filled with so much creativity, ingenuity, skills and hardworking traits that it’s saddening to think that we’re all still going gaga over international brand names when in fact, we can produce the same if not better products as our competitors abroad.

Human Nature is the perfect example of this –a local brand that’s making it big in the global playing field. Not only is Human Nature providing us Filipinos with a healthier, more natural alternative when it comes to our personal care product choices, it is also keeping in mind the impact each ingredient has on the Filipino farming community. Each raw material used in Human Nature products is carefully considered to make sure it has the potential to grow here in the Philippines and can eventually be sourced here too. The raw material for its top-selling product in fact, the citronella bug spray, is sourced from a local Citronella farming community in Labo, Camarines Norte, Bicol and its lemongrass raw material needs on the other hand, are met by the Lemongrass farming community in Negros. Its latest venture with a Filipino farming community is a partnership with the Passion Fruit farming community in GK Catigan, Davao where their passion fruit seed oil will eventually be sourced for Human Nature’s Hydrating Mineral Lipstick and all-new Passion Fruit Hydrating Lotion.

More popular products that contain Philippine-grown ingredients are the Balancing Facial Wash and Toners that contain the now-trending Manila Elemi Oil, or “pili” as we Filipinos call it, a sought after raw material to fight skin-ageing and used for perfumes by big names such as Chanel, Dior, Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren and Marc Jacobs. Other products like the Intensive Hair Mask contain our lola’s ever-famous gugo bark for thick, healthy hair and the new Natural Moisturizing Shampoo with CREAMFoam Technology contains a new star ingredient, the Philippine Coco Nectar that’s enriched with 24 amino acids, 17 vitamins and 14 minerals.

Human Nature is definitely paving the way for other local brands to make it big. Having several branches and dealers in the US and in Singapore, it won’t be long now until this 100% Philippine-made brand will take the world by storm. Do your part as a proud Filipino and buy products that are proudly… Made in the Philippines!

To learn more about Human Nature products and advocacy or to learn how to be a dealer, please visit www.humanheartnature.com or your nearest Human Nature Branch or call (02) 931-5787. You may also visit Rustans Supermarket & Shopwise for a select line of Human Nature products.

Sadly, there are not a lot of bunny stores in Manila.  Here are the pet shops that carry bunny food, well, the ones that I’ve been visiting so far.

1. Bio-Research

They used to have a branch in Robinson’s Manila, but it closed down.  🙁

You can go to Greenhills branch (that’s in V-Mall, in front of the car park building )

Or, you can also go to Robinson’s Galleria.  I forgot which floor though so just ask the information desk, but they have more choices of bunny food there.

2. Petty Pets

Their only store (so far) is in SM Megamall A ground floor.  In front of either Shakeys or Pizza Hut (I forgot) It’s near the Entrance/Exit door.

They only focus on bunnies, birds, gerbils and hamsters.

I found the cutest little things!

I die of cuteness!!!

They were cuddling each other, it was the cutest thing!

I wanted to adopt all of them and build a bunny zoo where they can freely hop around a garden full of carrots and sunflower seeds!

That’s all of the pet shops I know so far that sells bunny food.

Do you know more? Please help me compile a database of bunny pet shops that will help bunny owners here in Manila 🙂

Just comment below if you know anywhere else!

Thanks you so much!