Wes Santos, Noa Tominio, and Team Yey kids Lady Pipay Navarro and Lukas Magallano try out the new Disaster Preparedness Training Center.

Introduction of Disaster Preparedness Training Center by Mr. Ikey Canoy, Kidzania Manila's Content Manager

Dr. Renato Solidium, Jr., stressed the importance of educating every Filipino about Disaster Preparedness

KidZania Manila Mayor EO Masilungan officially opens the new Disaster Preparedness Training Center with special guest DOST Usec. Renato Solidum.

Taguig Bureau of Fire Protection SINSP. Jessie James Samaniego, KidZania Manila Mayor EO Masilungan, BFP HQ Chief Inspector Glezie Dauz, DOST Undersecretary for Risk Reduction and Climate Change Dr. Renato Solidum, and KidZania Manila COO Tourino Dilaga at the opening of KidZania Manila’s Disaster Preparedness Training Center.

But during the opening of the newest attraction of Kidzania Manila, the kids were taught more than that.  Children get to experience responding to disasters while learning basic survival skills.  They were taught different types of natural dangers and the threats these pose to citizens in a community.  The Disaster Preparedness Training Center is an all-in simulation facility to learn and have fun at the same time that's great for kids and even kids-at-heart!

Disaster response trainees Lukas Magallano, Noa Tominio, Lady Pipay Navarro, and Wes Santos.

The latest establishment adds another thrilling role play activity at KidZania Manila, which is celebrating its third year in the country. It teaches young disaster response trainees, aged seven to 17 years old, how to plan, prepare for, survive and recover from natural disasters. 

Team Yey kids Lukas Magallano and Lady Pipay Navarro with KidZania Manila's EO Masilungan and Tourino Dilaga.

Aside from the training, the young trainees also undergo a lifelike disaster scenario which will challenge them to:

• ·         Assess the emergency situation and secure the area.

• ·         Find survivors and help carry them to safety.

• ·         Locate exits and escape safely.

Inside the new Disaster Preparedness Training Center.

The new KidZania Manila establishment aims to promote disaster preparedness and resiliency among children, while seeking to develop their collaboration, communication, and critical thinking, when disaster strikes.
After my son experienced his Disaster Preparedness Training, I asked how was it, he said

"It was awesome Mom!  It's like real life disaster!  I only knew - Duck, Cover, and Hold because it was also taught in school.  But this time, I learned more!  We should prepare our GO Bag now when we get home!  I should bring a whistle with me all the time, is that okay mommy?  Also, we saved somebody during the disaster and carried the body outside.  It was freaky especially when the elevator broke and the emergency started, but at least I know what to do now!"  

Here's how it looks inside, it looks so real!  That's why kids would really love to try this simulation.  As a parent, this is a good educational attraction because they come out with new learning and bing home confidence because they know better when they leave the Disaster Preparedness Training Center door.

Got to wear the hard hat while the kids were inside during the simulation.

What we should pack in our GO BAGS: First-aid kids, water, a big Go Bag

GO-Bag content: flash light, extra cellphone, charger, can opener, battery operated radio, canned goods, other food.

Canned goods, biscuits, and more foods. We don't want to get hungry when disaster strikes.

As if the stars and the whole universe conspired to give me an awesome fashion show concert night because I believe I deserve an unforgettable Mommy Me Time.  Yes, the Tita of Manila in me, got a once in a lifetime chance to be seated in the VIP section during Natasha's 25th Anniversary Fashion Show-Concert held last August 25 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Natasha delivered a night of wonderful music from popular artists from the past and present, and showcased the trendiest styles in fashion today through a fashion show concert.  Actually, I was taken back to my younger years, and the happy nostalgic feeling of reminiscing my youthful days gave me shivers!  I am sure those of the same age as I am (saw a lot of titas and titos in the crowd) also felt the same way.

Screaming out of delight, Natasha members in the Smart Araneta Coliseum saw in person and on the expensive-looking and bonggang stage (hi-tech laser mood lighting and video backdrops) their Natasha’s ambassadors: Piolo Pascual, Bela Padilla, Ejay Falcon, Jessy Mendiola, Sue
Ramirez, Elisse Joson and McCoy de Leon, who gave their all during their performances.

In celebration of their 25th anniversary, Natasha – one of the country’s top direct selling
company – hosted an anniversary concert called “Ikaw ang Star” on August 25, 2018 at the
Smart Araneta Coliseum. The concert was Natasha’s grand celebration to thank its members in making the company shine over the years.
The concert was definitely a star-studded one and an event worth remembering throughout the coming years.  It's definitely a great milestone marker for the Natasha business and I am blessed to be there to celebrate it with the Natasha family.
It was like a glorious apparition when Papa Piolo Pascual, who dressed like Hugh Jackman in the movie The Greatest Showman, appeared from the crane.
Papa P was welcomed back to the stage by the eloquent host Robi Domingo.

Piolo sang a number of classic songs before introducing his son Iñigo Pascual as Natasha's newest ambassador.
Jessy Mendiola performed a sexy dance number.  She is one of Natasha's brand ambassadors.
The younger Natasha members (and even the young at hearts) screamed when #McLisse danced so together.  They really looked so good as a love team!  Nakakakilig talaga!
Maneouvres performed their popular dances (OMG!  Nagsayaw sila ng ALWAYS and many other dances from my teenager years the glorious 90s).  The younger generation Hashtag also sent kilig vibes to the younger women in the audience.
Sue Ramirez performed a beautiful song number which got the attention of the whole Araneta Coliseum.
Neocolours sang their lakas maka-LSS "Hold On" which again brought me back to yesterday once more!  Among the performers was Moonstar88 who sang my all-time fave OPM song "Torete" and when they did, they had the whole Smart Araneta sing with them.  Gracenote and DJ Arra provided the music during the fashion show of ladies, gents, and kids.
The fashion show concert was the celebrities' way to personally thank the Natasha members for their continuous support.

Prior to the concert, Natasha had a mix of pre-concert activities such as the Stars Walk of Fame, a photo exhibit showcasing the past 25 years, a Rookie Membership mini-event.

This event is made possible by its major sponsors: Freego, Disney, and Petrol; minor sponsors:
Shoetech General Mdsg Inc., Nonito Shoes and Bags Inc., New York Gear Footwear Haus,
Mylene Garment Manufacturing Corp., B T T Fashion Enterprises, Accuwork, David’s Salon,
Velprint, The House Printer, Printwell, Monte Cruz Enterprises Inc., Sprintasia (La Colors),
Unilab, Inc. (Ceelin, Enervon Syrup), Ulssi (Myra & PH Care), Nivea, Tiki-Tiki, Lex Media Digital,
Or’s Clothingtech Corp., Solea Shoes Manufacturing, Maxl Enterprises, and Soleace Trading
Corp.; and media partner: WheninManila.com

THANK YOU Natasha for letting me experience this once in a lifetime concert!  I had an awesome Me-Time!  Congratulations for the success of your business which you are now celebrating!  Happy 25th Anniversary Natasha! :)

For more stories about the 25th Anniversary Concert, updates, product availability, promos, and more, visit the Natasha official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/natashabusiness/

My high school and grade school boys are both enrolled in traditional big schools.  But since I became a stay at home mom early this year, and upon seeing more and more of my friends are shifting to homeschooling their children, my curiosity and interest level on homeschooling rose.  Also, in Christian services and small group meetings with co-parents, they have shared countless times how our children will benefit from homeschooling. I also believe that parents are still the BEST teacher for their children.

Though yes, I truly believe in these to the point of even discussing this idea with my husband (to homeshool our second son and our toddler), questions like "Kaya mo ba?" or "Paano ma-aaccredit ang school tasks or performance ng mga bata?" or "Di kaya maapektuhan ang socialization skills nila?" - yang mga questions linger in our heads.

Gladly, there is a growing number of homeschooling orientation seminars and conventions almost year round, to educate parents about homeschooling - which my husband and I are very much interested to attend to learn more and finally have answers to our homeschooling worries and questions.  One is EFL's Philippine Homeschool Convention. 2018.

Educating For Life (EFL), in partnership with Moneygment and SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier is inviting us all to the 2018 Philippine Homeschool Convention on September 22, 2018 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City.
EFL, a group composed of four homeschooling moms, organizes events for homeschoolers and other individuals or groups that are into homeschooling and what they'd like to call "intentional education." EFL has been organizing events for families—homeschoolers, in particular—since 2014.

The Convention, with the theme “On Fire!”, draws its inspiration from the quotation commonly attributed to the poet William Yeats, but is said to originate from Greek biographer and essayist Plutarch’s original words that say, “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.”

According to EFL, "As homeschoolers, we believe that our approach to education is characterized by this very concept. In homeschooling our children, we do not merely fill their minds with information. We aim for character-building that goes beyond the academics. We strive to guide our children to find what fuels them. We kindle these passions and vocations in the hopes that they find their meaning and purpose in life."

Thus, “On Fire!” is also a call to all Filipino homeschoolers—parents and children alike—to make a difference in a world that seems void of hope, empathy, and compassion. As we kindle the fire within our children and teach them life’s most important lessons, may all homeschooling families become tiny sparks that together will set the world ablaze.

To be held on September 22, 2018 at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura Premier, Taguig City, this year’s convention aims to gather Filipino parents and provide them with inspiration and encouragement to keep the flame burning as they fuel and kindle their children’s passion and purpose.

CONVENTION SPEAKERS
This year’s Philippine Homeschool Convention features inspirational speakers and seasoned homeschooling parents who aim to rally all homeschoolers to “Light the Fire”, “Fan the Flame,” and “Spread the Fire” of homeschooling within their families and communities.

Our line-up of speakers consists of both international and local speakers who will leave the participants inspired, encouraged, empowered, and equipped to start or continue their respective homeschooling journeys with even greater passion than before.

 Among them are homeschool student-turned-homeschooling veteran mom and advocate Cassandra Shepherd from New Zealand/Singapore, homeschooling dad, bestselling author and sought-after motivational speaker Jayson Lo, veteran homeschooling mom, author, and speaker at major U.S. homeschool conventions Dr. Teresa Moon from the U.S., and homeschool coach and author of the first homeschooling book in the Philippines Nove-Ann Tan.

If you are interested to know more about the program and topics during the convention, do visit http://www.educatingforlife.co/philippine-homeschool-convention-2018-program/ or http://www.educatingforlife.co/2018-convention-plenary-and-breakout-sessions/ for the plenary and breakout sessions.

CONVENTION EXPO/ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS AND TEENS
Apart from the talks, there will also be an expo featuring more than 50 merchants.  Educational toys and materials, tutorials, and classes which all aim to support both homeschoolers and  non-homeschoolers will be on sale or made available.

There will also be activities for kids and teens should you wish to bring them with you to be provided by Learning Lodge, Institute for Cultural Communicators, and YoutMax Plus.

PHC 2018 REGISTRATION PROCESS AND FEES
Currently, interested PHC participants can register online via this link:
http://www.educatingforlife.co/phc-2018-registration-page

Below are the registration fees:

• Early bird rate - Full access (With access to plenary talks, breakout sessions and expo) - P1000 per participant
• Expo only ticket - P100 per person
• Walk-in and on-site payment rate - Full access - P1200 per participant
• Kids 3 and below are free (lap seating only)

Physical tickets are also available at the following:

• Catholic Filipino Academy
• OMF Literature Bookstores
• Peniel Integrated Christian Academy of Rizal
• The Parenting Emporium

REMINDER: ALL TICKETS ARE NOT REFUNDABLE. If you wish to pass on your ticket to another participant, please email registration@educatingforlife.co.

I am pumped up for this for sure it will be a day full of inspiration and learning!  Parents like us who are exploring homeschooling or are already homeschooling are encouraged to come. 

To know more about the convention and homeschooling inspirations and stories, visit
www.educatingforlife.co or follow them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/educatingforlifeco and Instagram: www.instagram.com/educatingforlife.co

Okay, okay, okay, so I heard that LAZADA and PAMPERS have exclusive product offers for mommy shoppers  on Super Brand day this coming August 29!  Aaack!  I seriously can't wait for that day!  PLUS!  We all could be part of the record-breaking #BabyMarathon!  WOW!  Two great news for us moms from 2 BIG brands, LAZADA, Southeast Asia’s biggest e-commerce portal, and the world’s top selling diaper brand (and my favorite diaper for my children) PAMPERS.
Okay, let me first tell you about Pampers' exclusive product offers on Lazada this coming August 29.  (Don't forget to mark that date momshies!) For one day only, Super Brand Day allows consumers to discover the best of what a brand offers, which includes exclusive gifts or vouchers, limited edition products and offers as well as offline experiences.

Be Part of the Record-Breaking #BabyMarathon with Seve 
A 42-minute video montage and first-ever virtual #BabyMarathon will also take place on August 29.  It's going to be a record-breaking activity featuring Pampers Ambassador Toni Gonzaga's baby Seve who will "run" in a marathon together with hundreds of babies and toddlers in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and Singapore.  These cute babies will"run in a relay race and will be captured in the final video.

There will be five winners in the Philippines who get a chance to win a 6-month supply of Pampers diapers plus a grand winner of Php 30,000 cash. 

Ready, get set, go!
All diapering babies aged 5 months and above are welcome to join Lazada and Pampers in creating this one-of-a-kind record! The virtual #BabyMarathon video featuring all the little athletes who joined across Southeast Asia will be aired on Lazada on Super Brand Day on August 29.

My toddler Damien born and growing up with Pampers! :)

You can join the fun in two ways:

1. Take a video of your baby walking, playing or running about in their Pampers diaper and post on social media using the hashtags #PampersxLazadaPH, #BabyMarathon, and #SuperBrandDay.
2. You can also join through a professional crew at Gymboree Greenbelt 5 on August 27, to film your little one in action during the #BabyMarathon celebration.

Registration for the #BabyMarathon event in Gymboree is required in advance. You may check Pampers’ and Lazada’s social media accounts to find out more. 

Not all videos can be featured in the 42-minute video montage. But the most liked videos will win a
cash prize of PHP30,000 or 6-month supply of Pampers diapers.
Join a marathon of Pampers Deals on Lazada

To help babies enjoy their weekly marathons free from wetness and the discomfort of lawlaw diapers,
Pampers has put together a series of exclusive offers on 29 th August 2018:

Starting from 12am midnight, there are promotion offers up to 35% off on Pampers Baby Dry
Newborn Diapers and PHP100 discount vouchers for minimum PHP3000 purchases, which are
limited to a 1000 units only.

Lazada Philippines Chief Executive Officer, Ray Alimurung, said “We are proud to be partnering with Pampers, one of the world's leading diaper brands. This #BabyMarathon video collaboration excites us as this allows both brands and our customers to connect in the online and offline space. The campaign also strengthens Lazada’s continued commitment to be a one-stop shopping destination for all baby's needs.

Akhil Meshram, Pampers Philippines Brand Manager, said “Pampers recognizes that one of mom and baby’s biggest frustration are sagging diapers, and how this can affect babies’ ability to move and learn from their surroundings. The #BabyMarathon is part of our My Baby Can Do That Campaign, where we hope to show how babies can do nakaka-WOW and amazing things when they have the freedom to move, especially in a less lawlaw diaper. Lazada, given its massive footprint across Southeast Asia is the ideal platform to amplify our efforts.”

For more information on Super Brand Day, download and visit the Lazada mobile app, go to Lazada.com.ph and its social media pages:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LazadaPhilippines/ 
Instagram: www.instagram.com/lazadaph/
Twitter: www.youtube.com/user/lazadaphilippines

For more information on Pampers, visit Pampers.ph and its social media pages.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/PampersPh
Instagram: www.instagram.com/pampersph

I remember when my 2 older kids were toddlers and were still like huge sponges absorbing all the learning they could ever get. apart from ABCs and 123s, one of their interests is learning about animals.  This is the same with my youngest too.  There is something about the world of animals that definitely catches children's attention and imagination too.  The variety of their sizes, the way they move, and their different sounds, make animals very fascinating among kids.  I remember when I was little, I used to watch a local channel daily and I was so in love with Kiko Matsing and Pong Pagong.

Happy that ZooMoo, the first preschool channel which is all about wildlife and conservation, is now available on Solar Entertainment's latest digital platform, EasyTV.  ZooMoo brings funny and adorable puppet characters, stunning animation, breathtaking nature videos and interactive games that will help young children develop a love for animals. 
A collaboration between wildlife filmmakers and early childhood education experts from the University of Otago, New Zealand, ZooMoo features a lineup of more than 1,500 standalone episodes that are organized to make learning fun, easy, and effective for very young viewers.
The highlight of each show is the channel’s cast of funny animal puppet characters. Each furry friend has a unique personality, strength, and weakness the cast is able to overcome through teamwork. Some of these animal pals include the optimistic photographer Flash the dog, the wise and pedantic Owl, the skillful and expressive Ninja Gorilla, the inventive and adventurous Piglet, and the gentle giant Panda.
For additional content, the channel comes with a companion ZooMoo App that can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. The app lets kids explore a wildlife sanctuary called ZooMoo Island where they can look for and interact with up to 300 animals. Through the app, parents and their little ones can team up to complete games, puzzles, and other activities.

No Internet connection is required after the initial download, and parents don’t have to worry about in-app advertisements and purchases. ZooMoo’s ZooSync technology also enables users to sync their apps with the channel for more free content. Just run the app when a show flashes ‘ZooSync’ to receive gifts from the channel.