Did you know that at this moment in time more than

500 million people are living in “absolute poverty”

and more than 15 million children die of hunger every year?

The fight against hunger is one advocacy that’s worthy of undertaking and promoting. This is one of the advocacy about caring for an issue deeply enough to stand up and say that something needs to be done about it. It’s painful to see babies, children and adults suffer from malnutrition, or make mud pies to merely survive, as what's happening everywhere in the world.

Sandwich Heroes Project was launched in partnership with World Food Programme and Unilever Philippines on October 24, 2012 at the Unilever Food Solutions Cilantro Kitchen, UN Avenue, City of Manila.

During the celebration of World Food Day 2011, according to WFP the message of this years event is “Feed a Child, Feed a Dream”, it connects the importance of nourishments to literacy. According to him, the brain of a nourished child functions well compare with the one who experience chronic hunger. Aside from the mental development it also affects the physical and emotional development of the child. It is very alarming to know that 12 million of the 1 Billion people around the world who are experiencing chronic hunger are located in the Philippines, and most of them are children who live in conflict affected areas, areas that experience calamity and extreme poverty.

World Food Day is observed every Oct. 16, in recognition of the founding of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), which took place that day in 1945. World Food Week is the week following World Food Day with different event around food and hunger issues.

Put Food First video

Put Food First - Every day nearly 1 billion people go to bed hungry. Rising and volatile food prices are causing pain and suffering for poor people around the world, driving 44 million people into extreme poverty in recent months. We need to find solutions to ensure everyone has enough nutritious food now and in the years to come.

Imagine what it would be like if you could not eat for a day. It would not be as though you were unable to eat, but food would simply not be available. For hours you could think about food, picture it in your mouth as you savour it, but there would be nothing there. Your stomach would ache, your head would grow light, and your energy would falter. No matter what you did, where you turned, you could not eat anything. Now imagine if that day was like every single day of your life.

The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of our world’s population is underfed and another third is starving. Right now, more than 500 million people are living in “absolute poverty” and more than 15 million children die of hunger every year.

In this event, bloggers was able to make their own sandwiches.

Dyaraannnnn! And this is my "Mangyan Sandwich"....

It's great to know that one of the world’s leading suppliers of fast moving consumer goods with strong operations, Unilever, in more than 100 countries and sales in 180 is now partnering the World Health Organization (WHO). This will surely make this project a hit!

These are the restaurants that will participate on this project - Bigg’s Diner, Cibo, The Coffee Experience, CoffeeBreak, Figaro, HotShots, JD Bakeshop, KFC, Mushroomburger, The Flying Pig, Holy Cow, The Sandwich Guy, and Wham! Burgers. So when the Sandwich Heroes is officially launched, drop by at these restaurants and order these sandwiches and become a hero by donating a portion of your purchase to WFP.

If the public and world governments step up and if our members and others rapidly increase their responses then a catastrophe can still be averted. Visit their site http://www.wfp.org/countries/philippines, follow their twitter @WFP_Philippines and like their facebook http://www.wfp.org/countries/philippines.

Share

Finally, the 2012 Starbucks Planner is finally here! You know the countdown to Christmas in Manila has begun when the Limited Edition Starbucks Coffee Philippines Planner starts their promo. This is about the time customers start asking for our annual holiday offerings. This will be the 9th year that Starbucks will be having this planner and this is the 1st time that the planner will be available in five (5) unique covers.

Starbucks will be releasing five (5) unique covers this 2012 that will follow “Starbucks Shared Planet” theme. This year's designs includes Poplar, Bamboo, Cherry, Spruce and Oak. The Starbucks 2012 Planner will also have the new logo of Starbucks that uses Trotec Laser to emboss or print the image clearly. Each planner comes with a pouch, a bookmark and nine different coupons that can be redeemed at all Starbucks stores in the Philippines in 2012.

Starting November 3, you can avail the Starbucks Christmas traditions planner promo card and collect stickers from that date to January 8, 2012. This year, every customer has two (2) options in collecting stickers to redeem one (1) Limited Edition Starbucks Coffee Philippines Planner. First option is to get nine (9) Christmas beverages plus eight (8) core beverages (except bottled drinks) that is equal to 17 stickers; and the second option is to get twenty three (23) core beverages (except bottle drinks) that is equal to 23 stickers.

Christmas has never been the same with Starbucks doing its part to give back to the community. Like every year, every redemption comes with a donation to the SparkHope. This is Starbucks' flagship program for early childhood care and development in partnership with UNICEF.

Christmas at Starbucks will never be complete without the Limited Edition Starbucks Planner 2012. This will surely be hit especially to those who collects the Limited Edition Starbucks Coffee Philippines Planner every year! Complete the stickers starting November 3!

Share

The Philippine SME & Franchise Expo is now on it's third year and is organized by Tradecon, a Philippine based events company. On October 27 to 29, 2011 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC), Bartolome has taken time out to meet and share ideas and success stories with visitors. There are also other dynamic speakers invited to give a free seminar on topics like trademark, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and even how to be a successful franchisee.

The 3rd Philippine SME and Franchise Expo will showcase the emerging franchise concepts, business trends for prospective entrepreneurs. This event is an annual activity that provides a venue to build and enhance a business network.

Philippine SME & Franchise Expo 2011 provides your company the opportunity and platform to position your new leads and relationships through refreshing ideas and present your products. In addition, this is a chance to have a face-to-face with new and budding entrepreneurs in the business industry. Philippine SME & Franchise Expo 2011 creates a dynamic environment where commerce is the result of bringing the community together to make vital connections.

This specialized event will also be the venue of learning occasion for the visitors to acquire new leads and relationship through awareness campaign on new business ventures. Moreover, a great deal of free services, workshops and seminars, free educational, classes and new product launches will also be highlighted during the expo as it promises to be the right avenue to increase the exposure of SME products in domestic and foreign markets, and to improve the distribution of SME products between local manufacturing and trade sectors as well as within each sector.

This will surely be a good news for small and medium enterprises that would like to gain new business ideas and showcase their products.

Members of the FIP like Mang Inasal, Fiorgelato, Potato Corner, VCargo, Lay Bare, Generika, Cut, Bibingkinitan, Julie’s Bakeshop, Freshka, Baliwag, Chicco di Caffe, Baliwag Lechon Manok, El Bono Pizza, Unigosyo, Chichariffic and the newest member Chicken Deli of Bacolod will be joining the roasters of participants and exhibitors of the Philippine SME & Franchise Expo 2011.

Be a part of this annual expo and come out a well-equipped and well-informed entrepreneur! Come and Visit Philippine SME and Franchise Expo, October 27-29, 2011 at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) and to know more about the 3-Day event and to register for free visit http://www.smexpoph.com and don’t miss the chance of this jam-packed business seminars and activities that might bring you fortune you all waited for. You can also call (02) 6338547 for inquiries.

Related Post: "Pinoy Dream Academy" scholars Bunny and Chivas to perform at the Trade Advertising Exhibitions and Conventions International, Inc. (TRADECON, INC.) event

Share

European shoe label “Feiyue” (pronounced as “Fay-wee” litteraly means “Flying Forward” in Chinese), is finally in the Philippines! “Feiyue” is proud to be stocking its latest collection in the Philippine market, looking to benefit from the growing demand of high-design sneakers in the country. It makes its first march into Shoe Saloon, Philippines’ answer to the sneaker hub.

From Europe, “Feiyue” is now shaking the sneaker scene in Asia. “Feiyue”’s goal to strengthen its foothold in Asia office in Singapore in August 2010. “Feiyue” launched its presence in Manila through a fashion show and a party thrown at Opus Bar in Resorts World Manila last October 12.

This will sure be a hit here in the Philippines since Filipinos are known to be hip and fashion-forward that is why Philippines has the growing demand of high-fashion sneakers. Filipinos really love to wear sneakers! And I find them very comfortable in that bare foot sort of way. These shoes are so light weight it literally feels like you’re walking in socks and you can feel the ground. It makes you more aware of your feet, which just makes me want to run and jump.

“Feiyue” is making shoes for over 5 years since its start on 2006. French team of sneaker enthusiasts who then sent it through a series of improvements in both quality and design. It’s nice to know that “Feiyue” sneakers have jumped beyond the French trendsetters and now being sold in more than 20 countries and centering on Asia and the Philippines’ hip and fashion forward youth.

Kindly like them on Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/Feiyue.Philippines and also follow them on Twitterwww.twitter.com/FeiyuePH

Related article: Euro footwear icon, "Feiyue" steps into the Philippines

Share

"Relive the Drama of the Greatest Story for the Love of Music"

The night was filled with excitement for that was the first time to set foot on Resorts World Manila and I was there to watch the heartwarming production and an offering of the Resorts World Manila entitled "The Sound of Music." I haven’t read the book or seen this play in a movie that’s why I have no idea on what’s the plot or the story of this play. Sorry guys but that is the truth. I am just excited because this is my first experience at Resorts World Manila.

The Sound of Music (1959) is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers. The Sound of Music tells of how Maria Rainer’s love for music and singing sees her dispatched from the convent to become a governess for the seven children of the stern widower Captain Georg Von Trapp.

I never thought that I knew many songs of this musical that have become standards like the song "The Sound of Music", "Edelweiss", "My Favorite Things", "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" and "Do-Re-Mi". These are the songs I am singing when I was a child but I never thought that they are original songs from this stage play.

There is so much to admire in this production. The entire cast is blessed with fine singing voices, and the show has a great deal of singing. The story and characters still works, though, as does the wonderful musical score. This stage play maximized the wide stage of RWM's Newport Performing Arts Theater (NPAT). This play also used state of the art designs and technologies. This is the one play that anyone who cares about live drama should see.

This lovely production with nuanced individual performances of this lovely play by the Resorts World Manila is truly a world-class!

RELATED ARTICLE: RWM unveils newest production “The Sound of Music”

Share

Global Handwashing Day (GHD) marked its 4th anniversary in the Philippines on October 15, 2011. Three main destinations were held in Manila, Cebu and Davao to remind the Filipino Families everywhere of the GHD message that "Clean hands Save Lives". The GHD, which is set every October 15, is a campaign that aims to motivate and mobilize millions around the world to wash their hands with soap, at the same time, raise awareness on the benefits of hand washing in preventing diseases.

For this year’s nationwide celebration, the theme was “Pamilya Playtime Para sa Kalusugan,” embodying the importance of children’s play and family activities through a fun-filled morning of games, while communicating the importance of handwashing with soap afterwards to keep kids healthy and prevent disease through a Grand Handwashing Ceremony with hundreds of children.

The Manila celebration was held in Batasan Hills National High School where hundreds of students join the games, and the handwashing drills. In this event was launched the "Tip It Up" set from the DOH for those areas who has no water supply.

In our hands alone, there are lots of microorganisms of so many kinds. Well there are millions of bacteria on your hands, also fungi and viruses. They are of all different kinds. When you wash your hands, you are not killing all of them, just the ones that have jumped on recently and are probably bad for you.

Handwashing is the most essential factor for maintaining good health. That is one of the things I've learned when I was in gradeschool that are really applicable everytime. Handwashing for hand hygiene is the act of cleaning the hands with or without the use of water or another liquid, or with the use of soap, for the purpose of removing soil, dirt, and/or microorganisms. Handwashing with water is not enough! Using soap breaks down disease-causing bacteria and leaves hands smelling good.

When to Wash Your hands? According to Department of Health, it must be at least minimum of 20 times per day. So it must be:

• After using the washroom at home or at any public place
• After visiting a patient at the hospital
• Before as well as after eating food
• Before and after one starts cooking food, especially meat, fish and poultry
• After changing a baby's diaper
• After touching pets or cleaning their feces
• Before touching young infants and children
• Before and after touching injured areas and changing the dressing of a wounded person
• After collecting and throwing out garbage
• After sneezing, coughing and blowing your nose
• As necessary (I added this one to the list)

Keeping hands clean through improved hand hygiene is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Keep your hands clean, make yourself a health agent. Let's save lives. Because clean hands, save lives!

Related article: Global Handwashing Day Philippines 2011 – A Nationwide Celebration of How “Clean Hands Save Lives”

Share

Tonight is the premiere of the first advocacy-serye on Philippine TV on ABS-CBN. Entitled "Budoy," this teleserye talks about the life of a mentally disabled person named Budoy played by Gerald Anderson.

This family-oriented drama also stars Janice de Belen, Tirso Cruz III, Zsazsa Padilla, Mylene Dizon, Christian Vasquez, Jessy Mendiola, Enrique Gil, Ana Abad Santos, Dante Rivero, Gloria Sevilla and Barbara Perez. "Saan Darating ang Umaga" is the OST of the teleserye sang by Angeline Quinto.

I am glad that I was one of the lucky people who had the chance to see it first on the big screen before the regular airing of this teleserye on ABS-CBN. All I can say is that "Budoy" is not just a typical teleserye. There's something really special in "Budoy" which makes me feel that it's not that ordinary. It's for you to find out! Haha! 'Coz I am still searching for the right term for it.

Maybe it's hard to accept illnesses, handicaps, etc. but it's still much harder to lose someone in the family. I actually cried lots of times while watching this teleserye. It's common to most of TV series to show good values, importance of family, love, etc. But in this teleserye, you will really love the character "Budoy" which will teach you on acceptance especially on mentally-challenged person like "Budoy." Despite of cruelty he faced and the disability he had, he can still manage to smile and show the world love.

Tonight will be the start of "Budoy" on ABS-CBN right after 100 Days to Heaven. Don't dare miss it!

This is the full trailer of "Budoy"

Share