Sunday, May 31, 2020

on goodbyes and starting over ...

I have said hello to so many people in my life. I have introduced myself and gotten to know them. I have fallen in love, cared for deeply about people, and treasured people that I've come to know.

However, there is something different when it comes to family.

You don't get to introduce yourself to them. They just come into your life and you get hit with this ball of love the moment you lay eyes on them. Something that K said to me before that I still remember now is that we were never introduced to each other. For all her life, I was Atsi and she was Shobe. She grew up with that. I lived with that reality.

Until now ....


The last few months, K and I have stopped talking to each other. I tried reaching out to her twice but she wouldn't let me in. So I stopped.

She's not the little girl that I know. She's not even the teenager that I know, the one who was responsible and mature. In place now is a person that I barely recognize but still care for deeply.

They're moving out today. They found a place to live in where it will just be her and our Mom. M and I have also found a place for our small family to live at. It feels surreal because I never thought that this day would come.

In my head, they were always part of my little world. In my head, it was always my family and them. In my head, I had this perfect little world.


I didn't want to let go, not because I couldn't do well on my own but because I just never imagined in the last 10 years or so living without them. They have become an integral part of my life that the thought never even crossed my mind.

It hurts.

But I have to let go.

I need to let go.

I must let go.


As I move forward, I'm lucky that I have M, B, and baby MK with me. They are my family now. They are my reason for moving forward and for putting one step in front of the other.

I have a partner who needs me to help him lead our family. I have two boys that need me to be a Mom and guide them in life. I have my very own family now.

I have said hello to so many people in my life.
I have said goodbye to so many people in my life.

I have never said goodbye to someone that comes from the same family as I ... so I won't.

It's not goodbye ... perhaps, it's a see you later ... when things are better, when lessons have been learned, when changes for the good happen, and when forgiveness creeps in.

It's not goodbye ... it's I'll see you when I see you.

For now ... we all need to start over and just love each other from a distance.

Saturday, May 30, 2020

SLAMCI Market Outlook 2020

One of the things that I love about Sun Life is that they are very transparent when it comes to how the market is performing. You get a sense of reassurance because you know that they are looking out for you and is working with you so that you can have a better understanding of things.

I attended the recent SLAMCI and learned of different ways that I can still invest.




I also learned that they are closely monitoring what the government is doing in response to everything that is happening and how it is affecting the market.

The forecast so far is that it will be at around the 3rd Quarter of the year where we may see a potential rise in the market, granted that there is a strict adherence to all the health and safety protocols.

The economy took a hit but the thing is, it took a hit worldwide so in a way, everyone is still on the same playing field. I guess the main difference is that there are countries who are really helping out the companies in their area while here, we're left to fend for ourselves.

I guess the main thing that makes me feel secure the most about Sun Life is the fact that financial markets have always rebounded from losses. Major economies are slowly reopening which means that we are slowly going on the road to recovery. Most of all, people may feel fear now but eventually, they will have the fear of missing out and they will want to invest once again.

Friday, May 29, 2020

Mang Domeng's Bibingka

One of the things that I missed having during this entire ECQ is being able to buy kakanin. Since I have no talent in making one, I've always made it a point to buy one whenever I see a stall inside SM. However, due to the ECQ, the Mang Domeng's Bibingka stall in SM Center Las Pinas was part of the establishments initially closed.

Thankfully, they are now back in business so I made sure that I would get my hands on them once more. M trooped over to SM Center donned in eye goggles and mask of course to get us some of these goodies.

One of the things I love about Mang Domeng's Bibingka is that it comes in 4 packages. Solo, pasalubong, barkada, and salo salo. Since there was a lot of us at home, we got the barkada and salo salo box. The Barkada Box costs P180 while the Salu Salo Box costs P240.


This sticky bibingka is perfect paired with coffee, hot chocolate, or even soft drinks. It's not too sweet and is heavy enough to make for a filling merienda. It's also perfect for late night snacks as proven by M when he would get 3-4 slices at midnight while watching over our baby.


For those who are interested in buying, here are the stalls currently open for take out.

METRO MANILA
Waltermart Bicutan
Waltermart North Edsa (Munoz)
Guadalupe Kalayaan (infront of Palengke)
Puregold Arvo - Ayala Mall Marikina
Bambang Pasig (F Antonio St)
Tuktukan, Taguig (near PSBank)
Villamor, Pasay ( infront of Metro supermarket)
SM Center Las Pinas

CAVITE
Waltermart Carmona
Waltermart General Trias (Manggahan)
Waltermart Trece Martires
Puregold Buhay na Tubig (Imus)
Mariano Espeleta (Imus)

BULACAN
Waltermart Sta Maria
Waltermart Guiguinto
Waltermart Plaridel

LAGUNA
Waltermart Sta Rosa Bel Air
Puregold Tagapo
Puregold Binan


This is definitely going to be a staple merienda in our household because M loves it so much. He actually finished the two boxes in just 4 days. Now that's a whole lot of bibingka.

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Lessons I Learned from Sky Castle (SPOILER FREE)

I've been hearing so much about Sky Castle that I finally bit the bullet and made time to watch it. I must say that I absolutely do not regret watching this.

It's different from the usual Kdrama that I would watch. This one did not center on a blossoming love between a man and a woman. Sky Castle is a story of a mother's love and determination to make her kid be a success. 

Sky Castle is a series that should be watched by all parents. There are a lot of lessons that can be learned. Here are some that I can share without spoiling the drama for anyone who reads this.

LifeisKulayful_Sky_Castle

1. Family is everything. There is no amount of success, prestige, and honor that would make up for the love of a whole family.

2. Greed will get you in trouble. When you want everything, you will be left with nothing.

3. True power comes from knowing who you are, what you live for, and what you stand for in life.

4. Your kids success matters but it should never be at the cost of their mental health and happiness.

5. A real partnership between a married couple matters in helping them get through anything.

6. Sometimes, you need to give tough love to make someone realize their mistake.

7. A group of girl friends will drive you crazy but they will also get you through tough times.

8. The butterfly effect is real. Our actions will always affect someone else.

9. Family will always be family. They may fight but in the end, they should fix thing because that's what a family does.

10. No man is an island. We all need other people's help and we should all be willing to help others too.

Sky Castle is quite emotional but it will remind you of what family is about and how sometimes, the persons we love the most can hurt us badly but in the end, we will forgive because that's what family does.

Wednesday, May 27, 2020

SOLON PUSHES FOR MANDATORY IMMUNIZATION

Since webinars are the new seminars, I made time to attend the Kapihan sa Manila Bay session held earlier today. I've been going crazy wanting to know more about immunization and other things so this webinar was a way to alleviate the worries in my heart as a Mom.


House Committee on Health chair Rep. Angelina Tan reaffirmed her stand on mandatory immunization amid the COVID-19 pandemic as a way to prevent future outbreaks from happening.

During the very first online “Kapihan Sa Manila Bay” held Wednesday, Tan cited the importance of pursuing the government’s immunization program even during the community quarantine as a way to ensure that children are protected from future pandemics.

“We have several initiatives in Congress in relation to the country’s immunization program,” Tan revealed. “We are pushing for the creation of the NITAG, a national immunization advisory board, and we are trying to adopt a school-based immunization program that will benefit our students,” she added.

Tan also reaffirmed her call for an open, competitive bidding process in vaccines. According to Tan, an important element in the immunization program is to ensure that the procurement of vaccines is done in such a way that no single manufacturer is favored. The specifications in bidding should not favor a single brand.

Late last year, the Department of Health (DOH) suspended a call for bidding for pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) after medical experts noted that the bidding favored a single manufacturer.

Health Undersecretary Dr. Ma. Rosario Vergeire explained in the same forum that the DOH suspended the bidding for PCVs after new evidence that they need to look into more carefully was presented.

“Nung lumabas ang bagong ebidensiya na sinubmit sa atin, ang desisyon namin ay ipasok muna sa Health Technology Assessment Center (HTAC). HTAC is reviewing the procurement, which is really the right process. Ngayon po hindi pa lumalabas ang recommendation ng HTAC,” Vergeire revealed.

“Hindi natin tinigil ang programa, hinihintay lang namin ang recommendation ng HTAC at itutuloy natin ang programa,” she added.

The DOH previously requested the HTAC to review the National Immunization Program (NIP), particularly the Pneumococcal Vaccination Program for children, in light of new 2017 and 2019 evidence from the World Health Organization (WHO).

In February 2019, WHO reaffirmed this earlier position saying that the two available PCVs in the market--PCV10 and PCV13--are equally effective in preventing overall pneumococcal diseases in children. The position paper also states that there is at present insufficient evidence of a difference in the net impact of the two available PCVs on overall disease burden.

For her part, Dr. Lulu Bravo, an epidemiologist and professor of Pediatric Infectious and Tropical Diseases at the College of Medicine of UP Manila, stressed that the new evidence regarding PCVs that came out recently came from experts themselves. “According to the WHO, when it comes to pneumococcal vaccination for children, both PCV10 and PCV13 are just as good. The important thing is cost-effectiveness,” Bravo noted. “We should follow what the WHO says, being experts in their field. If you cannot believe WHO, who will you believe?” she added.

In the same Kapihan, epidemiologist Dr. Troy Gepte supported the DOH’s move to have the PCV procurement assessed, stressing that the HTAC review is indeed mandated by law. “It is something that we need to undergo so we can have a more objective way of determining both the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of any medicine, vaccine, product or procedure that goes through our medical system,” Gepte noted.

When asked about the P4.9-billion budget for PCVs, Vergeire said, “Talagang mahal po yung bakuna. Matagal na naming pinag-aralan yan, late last year pa. Kaya nga po ay humingi na ng tulong sa HTAC. We wanted to know if we are being cost-effective. Lalo na meron na tayong pangangailangan sa mga ibang bakuna. Kailangan na talagang pag-aralan ang gastusin sa vaccine.”

Tan also stressed, “Both vaccines exist. If the health assessment proves that both PCV10 and PCV13 have the same effects, then we need to go through a procurement process that’s open and competitive so the government can save on costs.”

On a related note, Rep. Adriano A. Ebcas of the Ako Padayon Pilipino Partylist, revealed  that he and three other partylist representatives filed a resolution urging the DOH to ensure the continued safe implementation of the mandated National Immunization Program for children despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The House Resolution aims to encourage and support the DOH in its endeavor to contain the current outbreak and prevent future community outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases (VPDs) during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The resolution also aims to secure and ensure a stable supply of available vaccines through the continued conduct of open, fair, and competitive bidding, thereby preventing any “outbreak within an outbreak.”

In the resolution, the solons declared, “An open, fair, competitive public procurement of NIP vaccines provide the Filipino people the broadest possible options for affordable, quality, and registered vaccines, allowing for potential significant savings to the government while at the same promoting strong public governance.”

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Tom DeBlass may go against Brandon Vera for ONE CHAMPIONSHIP

USE CODE MSKATHYKENNY for 10% OFF WHEN YOU BUY FROM THE ONE CHAMPIONSHIP SHOP 

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu icon and mixed martial arts veteran Tom DeBlass is excited to step inside the Circle for ONE Championship as soon as tense circumstances surrounding the Covid-19 pandemic have eased.

The veteran martial artist says the extended period in quarantine allowed him to take a step back and reevaluate his career, which rekindled his passion for professional competition and led to his signing with the Singapore-based martial arts organization.

“This pandemic has really changed my way of thinking and my thought process. It’s very hard for me to just sit in my home, and I started developing a fire, a drive, and a motivation that I didn’t have before, but I put all my faith in God,” said DeBlass. 

“A few days after I had a long prayer, Chatri [Sityodtong] messaged me and asked me what I thought about fighting. If it wasn’t him who messaged me, I wouldn’t have even thought about it. I truly admire what he has done with ONE, and I admire him. I said this must be God’s plan.”

ONE Championship Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong announced that DeBlass would be joining ONE in a Facebook post on Monday, 18 May.

 “Please join me in welcoming legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu trailblazer Tom DeBlass (9-2) to ONE Championship! A true champion with Viking warrior blood, he will be competing in mixed martial arts in the heavyweight division, and possibly the light heavyweight division too. With his athleticism and finishing abilities, Tom has the potential to take both divisions by storm, and make a World Title run. Of course, he will have to conquer some monumental challenges in order to do so. He has told me that the world will see the very best version of Tom DeBlass in history,” Sityodtong wrote.

LifeisKulayful_DeBlass

“Not only is Tom a World Champion grappler and a ferocious competitor, but he is also a role model with a heart of gold. I am not sure how it happened, but Tom and I somehow developed a friendship over time through Facebook. We share many of the same life philosophies, and we developed a mutual respect and admiration for each other.”

DeBlass is a multiple-time Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling World Champion, and one of the grappling arts’ most highly-regarded teachers. He is a product of the Renzo Gracie-Ricardo Almeida lineage and has mentored several high-level grappling competitors, including Jen Allen Russell, Kyle Cranmer, and fifth-ranked ONE featherweight contender, Garry “The Lion Killer” Tonon.

DeBlass last competed in mixed martial arts nearly seven years ago. His official record stands at 9-2, which includes four victories by knockout and two by submission. Following stoppage wins over Carlos Brooks and Jason Lambert in 2013, DeBlass decided to put his professional career on the shelf to focus on developing his students at Ocean County Jiu Jitsu (OCJJ). Now, he cannot wait to return to action and make the most of his abilities.

When asked why he chose ONE Championship, DeBlass explained his thought process.

“If I did come back to competition, it’s with ONE and no one else. I love what ONE Championship stands for and I’ve been to the shows multiple times. I love the Samurai spirit. I love the Asian culture. Whether ONE is fighting in Asia or the United States, the culture they have represents much more than mixed martial arts,” he said.

“I look at ONE as a way of life and not fighting. I don’t look at ONE as fighting at all. I look at ONE as a chance to showcase my skills once again, have fun and push myself, and hopefully inspire other people.”

DeBlass is expected to join the heavyweight and light heavyweight ranks, which means match-ups with ONE Heavyweight World Champion Brandon “The Truth” Vera and ONE Light Heavyweight World Champion “The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang could be on the cards if he can work his way to the top.

Though much is expected of him, the American grappling sensation is simply focused on taking one bout at a time and looking for victory each time he steps into the Circle.

“I don’t want to get ahead of myself. I don’t want to disrespect anyone that has been in ONE or any titleholders or anybody who has been putting their time in. I’m just going to say my goal is to inspire everyone, fight by fight,” said DeBlass.

“Every fight I have, I look to win. Every competition I have, I look to win. Whatever path God takes me on, whether that be a World Title or defeat, I accept my fate. Let’s see what happens. It’s going to be phenomenal.”

Monday, May 18, 2020

10 Lessons I Learned from Being a Hoarder

I used to be a hoarder.

In fact, I talked about my multiple efforts to minimize my things here, here, and here. It took me 3 years to actually let go of about 60% of my stuff and another year to get rid of 20% more. Now, I have about 20% of the amount of stuff that I used to own and I have never felt better.

To help someone out there who may be having a hard time letting go, here are 10 lessons / tips / thoughts that I have about being an ex-hoarder.

LifeisKulayful_Hoarder

1. You hoard because you are actually filling up an emotional void. Hoarding makes you feel like you are in control of things and that the more stuff you have, the more you have in life. This is not the case.

People who hoard will never stop hoarding until they actually address the real issue that they are hiding from or running away from.

2. Hoarding is an addiction. It's hard to stop and your mind is always on default between the following:
  • but I might need this someday ... 
  • I'll use this one day.
  • What if it runs out of stock?
  • It's on sale!
  • It was really expensive. I can't just let it go.
3. Hoarding wastes a lot of resources. I used to have too much of everything. Make up, skin care, clothes, bags, shoes, arts and crafts. I had too much of everything.

Since I had too much of things, I ended up not using a lot of them. I wasted so much make up, skincare items, bath essentials, and even bags and shoes.

Makeup expires within 6 months to 24 months. Please don't hoard this. It is the same with lotion and moisturizers. The temptation to try so may things is great but try to use up what you have first before buying another. There's this wonderful sense when you empty a bottle or pan.

4. Hoarding does not just take up physical space. It takes up mental space and that affects your overall psyche. You might think it's just physical space but our physical space has a lot of effect on our mental health.

When a house is too crowded, there's not enough air or light that gets in. You also need to always navigate around your clutter and the possibility of constantly looking for things is huge. This causes more stress.

5. When you have too many clutter around you, things that you don't use, love, or want, it lowers your creativity as well as your productivity. When there's less distraction around you, you can channel your energy on things that actually matter.

6. When you hoard, you spend money on things that you will never use, never enjoy for more than a moment, and will only add to the clutter in your home. When you finally learn to stop hoarding and just buy what you need or truly love AND will use, you will be able to save money.

7. When you stop being a hoarder, your entire well being improves. You will find that you will smile more, sleep better, and overall feel better.

8. You realize how much you really have the moment you de-clutter and stop hoarding. I recommend shopping your stash. I promise that the amount of items you have will blow your mind.

9. You gain more time. Now that you don't need to navigate your way around your clutter or spend time looking for lost treasures or items, you will have more time doing things that you actually love.

10. You learn to let go. When you de-clutter your hoarded stuff, you learn to let go. It will be really hard in the beginning but eventually, you learn to let go of the following:
  • things that belong in the past
  • things that have no real value
  • things that someone gave you but you don't really love
  • things that were handed down to you but you don't really want
  • things that you have outgrown
  • things that no longer matter
  • things that are in excess 
  • things that are just there because it's expensive 
Even if you have a mansion, hoarding is not a good thing to do. It affects your physical space by causing more dust, dirt, and insects to house in your place. It affects your mental health because it adds more stress and wasted time. It affects the Earth because you will waste more than 80% of what you have. You should buy only what you need.

Lastly, it will affect your finances because you will buy and buy but not end up using things. Wasted resources, wasted money.

I hope that this helped someone choose to not hoard anymore.


Saturday, May 16, 2020

10 Lessons I Learned from Negative People

Negative people are around us. Sometimes, they can even be your family, partner, or your closest friends. They suck the energy out of you and they just bring you down.

It's sad when you see a negative person. They are unhappy, miserable, and are never content in life. They blame everyone around them, but never take ownership for the things that they have done.

It's necessary that you cut ties with people like this. Sometimes though, it may seem impossible so you need to learn to cope. Here are some lessons that I learned from having negative people around me.

LifeisKulayful_Negative_People

1. If you are a negative person, don't expect good things to happen. If you constantly complain, whine, curse, yell, and do things that are considered negative, do not expect positive things to happen in your life.

2. If you committed a sin, you will pay for it. This is called justice. Justice is when you receive something good or bad depending on what you have done. You sin, you pay for it. You did a good thing, something good comes your way.

Eye for an eye. Tooth for a tooth. Life for life.

Grace will never come for you. Grace is when you receive something that you don't deserve but was given anyway because God granted it to you.

3. If you go about speaking ill of others when their back is turned to you and pretending to be good when they are facing you, it shows how MISERABLE of a person you are. Happy people do not go around trying to destroy others.

4. Ang magnanakaw, galit sa kapwa magnanakaw. A thief will hate another thief because it takes one to know one.

5. Secrets always have a way of coming out. ALWAYS.It's why scandals became a thing.

It's also why I made my life an open book. No one can use anything against you if you have nothing to hide.

6. Misery loves company. Miserable people want to make others feel miserable too. Let these people go, even if they are your closest friend or family. You owe it to yourself to find your happy.

7. You don't demand respect. You earn it. If you lose it, earn it again. Don't impose. Just because you are an adult does not mean you deserve respect.

8. What the adults do, stupid children follow. Smart children learn from the mistakes of the adult.

9. When you turn your back on people who don't deserve it, God will turn his back on you.

10. No amount of prayer will be enough if you live a life of sin and ungratefulness. You will not be blessed.

At the end of the day, face the mirror and ask yourself: "Am I happy? Did I do the best that I could today? Did I make someone's life better by existing? Did I add to the good of the world because I woke up today?"

If you can't answer yes to those questions, ask yourself why?

Life is already hard. If you aren't contributing to the good, then you're one of the problems.

Sunday, May 10, 2020

Mother's Day in the time of Pandemic

Times have changed.

These three words could not be more apt as it is now in this time of the pandemic.

LifeisKulayful_MothersDay

It's definitely going to be a different kind of celebration for a lot of families this year since we're all still required to stay home due to COVID-19. A lot of people have been wondering, "what can I do for my Mom if I don't have money or if we can't go out and celebrate?"

Here are a few suggestions that you can do even without preparation.

Coffee / Breakfast in Bed

LifeisKulayful_IcedCoffee

You can make your Mom's favorite drink or cook her favorite breakfast. If it's too complicated, just cook her something or make her something. She will appreciate the effort.

Gift of Relaxation

LifeisKulayful_Legande_Essential_oils

If your Mom is the one who does everything at home, taking over her daily chores will mean a lot. Let her sit, relax, and do nothing. If you have essential oils, diffuse so that she can soak it in and feel more calm. Moms worry a lot and a few moments of relaxation matters. You can order some at Legande.

Gift of Happiness

LifeisKulayful_Ice_Cream_House_PH

In this sweltering heat, a cup or tub of ice cream can spell a big difference. Let Ice Cream House help you with that. They offer so many flavors, one better than the last that you won't know what to get. You might just get it all.

Gift of Health

LifeisKulayful_vegetables

You can cook healthy dishes that will help boost their immune system or if you don't know how to cook, just order online these veggies that they can cook for the family. Sometimes, a few savings here and there can matter a lot to Moms.

Gift of Comfort


Moms walk a lot. They run errands, do the groceries, and some of them are the "tributes" in these times of pandemic. Make sure that they are wearing something comfy while they go around taking care of all the essentials for the family. You can order these Bandolino shoes via Zalora.

However, the most important gift that you can give your Mom this Mother's Day is actually your love, respect, and gratitude. Moms are not perfect but they do what they think is best and they will love you no matter what.


Say thank you.
Say I love you.
Say you appreciate her.

To my Mom, no matter what, I will always be thankful to God that you are my Mommy.


I love you Mommy. Thank you for teaching me to be strong, resilient, and to be kind. Thank you for helping me raise B.  Happy Mother's Day!

Friday, May 8, 2020

Celebrate Mother’s Day in the comfort of your home with Ortigas Malls

This year’s celebration of Mother’s Day is quite unconventional brought by the enhanced community quarantine-- almost everyone is confined to their homes, limiting the options of people to celebrate the most important women in their lives. With this in mind, Ortigas Malls finds a way to celebrate Mother’s Day through a series of engaging online sessions that our beloved moms will surely find enjoyable. 


From making DIY beauty essentials to preparing sweet treats and learning the basics of urban gardening - Ortigas Malls makes sure that moms are entertained at home with these online workshops on May 10 from 2PM to 5PM at Greenhills’, Tiendesitas’ and Estancia’s Facebook pages.

To complete the celebration, Ortigas Malls makes it even easier to order from your favorite restaurants through their Click & Collect program, available in Estancia, Tiendesitas, and Greenhills from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.


Nature, Mother Nurture: an online learning session in urban gardening with Jennie Agcaoili of Plant Project PH.

Join us this May 10, 2020, 4PM on our official Facebook page for this free workshop!

#OMSayItAtHome


Learn to make health and beauty essentials at home! Exfoliate with a DIY lip scrub and sanitize with a simple hand sanitizer.

Join us this May 10 at 2 p.m. on our official Facebook page for this free workshop!



Have a sweet Mother's Day celebration as we teach you how to make your own no bake peanut butter rolls!

Join us this May 10, 2020, 4PM on our official Facebook page for this free workshop!

Wednesday, May 6, 2020

GIVE YOUR MOM THE GIFT OF BANDOLINO

One of the things that I have learned over the years of wearing shoes is that no matter how pretty or stylish a shoe is, if it's not comfortable and if it's not something that will last for a long time, it's not worth buying.

Seriously.

Now that I am more mature, I've come to realize that a pair of shoes is only worth it if it's something that you can wear the whole day and forget about because it's that comfortable. This is now the only category that I have for my shoes. This is also why Bandolino makes the cut of shoe brands that I plan to spend my money on because their shoes are stylish enough for me and definitely comfortable.


Whether on-the-go or stay-at-home, being a mom is one of the hardest jobs in the world. The family constantly looks to moms for care, support, and wisdom. It’s a balancing act that requires a lot of grace, patience, and strength that only shows that mothers are as sturdy as they come.

It takes a lot to walk in a mom’s shoes, so it’s best to make sure she’s comfortable.

With nearly forty years of experience in the Marikina shoe industry, Bandolino is one of the leaders in comfort and durability. Started in 1983, the brand has always put a premium on quality and expert craftsmanship.

“My father really worked hard on perfecting his craft. He taught us to always go for the best in everything,” said company president Rachel Aguilar. “He never sacrificed quality for cost.”


That passion for quality and excellence propelled Bandolino to great heights. With styles to complement every lifestyle, the brand grew to become the go-to shoe for women. Today, the tradition continues as the second generation has taken over the reins of the company. Driven by the same no-compromise attitude, they continue to make shoes that mix classic and modern styles. And with a desire to propel the company further by keeping with the times, they ensured that the shoes are available online to make the brand accessible to more people than ever.

“Years later we, the second generation owners, still believe in making products that are comfortable and durable, but at the same time, are still stylish and timeless,” she added. “Now that we’re online, our hope is that we are able to reach more customers-- especially those who are younger-- so we can hand them a piece of our history. To show them what Bandolino shoes are all about.”

Like a good trusty pair of Bandolino shoes, the tradition of getting the best pair for your loved ones can be passed on from one generation to another.

Make your mom feel special this Mother’s Day by gifting her with a pair of Bandolino shoes. Available now on Zalora.

Friday, May 1, 2020

April 2020 Spread


Last 3 months spread: January February March

April was probably the hardest month for me to do my daily journals. Since we did not go out at all the whole month, it was hard to write about things until I realized that I could write about other things.

I initially wanted to capture a moment each day but since the days kind of meshed together and there wasn't anything new happening, I decided to focus on feelings, learnings, and lessons.

So here are my favorite pages from my April Daily Journal.










Here's to hoping for better spreads in the month of May.

Recap of April 2020


Past recaps: January, February, and March.

April has been slow because the entire month, we were on quarantine but I'm still really grateful.
  1. Every member of my family is safe and healthy. 
  2. I found another writing gig to help pay the bills. 
  3. My newborn celebrated his 2nd month
  4. My firstborn did really well in school with all the online learning and assignments. 
  5. I splurged a little and got myself some Happy Planners. 
  6. I was also able to watch an entire Kdrama and even wrote a blog post inspired by it. 
  7. I learned a lot of lessons about life, love, and living in the time of COVID-19
Life is not where we want it to be and so many plans have changed and are still on standby but as long as we are alive, we will be able to adjust, manoeuvre, and make things work. 



Here's to hoping for a COVID free rest of the year for all of us.