KidZania Manila is the 20th KidZania city in the world and is set to open on August 7, 2015. It is an 8,000 square meter city located at Park Triangle, Bonifacio Global City. KidZania Manila takes role-playing to the next level by building a city just for kids aged 4 to 14 years old, providing a realistic and interactive environment for children play out numerous roles of their own choice. KidZania, when roughly translated, means “Land of Cool Kids.” Cool kids indeed because it’s the place where kids rule and kids do big things!

Ticket Prices

Ticket prices from August 7 to October 7, 2015

Ticket prices from October 8, 2015 onwards

You may purchase your tickets at the KidZania Manila Ticket Counter on the day of your visit. You can also book your tickets in advance via Ticketworld. Online purchase of tickets will start on August 3, 2015.

Operating Hours

Mondays to Thursdays

• 9 AM to 4 PM (1 shift)

Fridays to Sundays (and National Holidays) 

• 9 AM to 2 PM
• 3 PM to 8 PM

How to get there

Get directions on how to get to KidZania Manila in BGC, Taguig in their website. If you’re bringing your car, there is available paid parking in the building.

What to do

At the entrance, KidZania International Airport, you need to buy your tickets. Upon registration, you will get a check worth 50 KidZos, a city map, a security bracelet for the kids and the parents, and a meal stub at McDonalds. After check-in, get ready to enter the world of KidZania.

Checking in at @kidzaniamanila International Airport via @cebupacificair. #kidzania #kzmnlpreview #kidzaniamanilafoundationday

A photo posted by Badet Siazon (@badudets) on Jul 28, 2015 at 8:25pm PDT

First, proceed to the bank, BPI, to encash the check worth 50 KidZos. Your kids can then use the money for their trainings inside KidZania because there are activities that they need to pay. Otherwise, they can keep it and let their KidZos grow by looking for jobs and earning from it.

At KidZania, kids have the RightZ to choose what they want. They have six fundamental rightZ:

1. To Be
2. To Know
3. To Create
4. To Share
5. To Care
6. To Play

I pretty much let Gwen choose what activities or jobs she likes. First job she took was in a laundromat. Gwen said they were taught how to sort clothes according to color, operate the washing machine, mix the detergent, and fold the clothes.

KidZania Laundromat: Operate the laundry service of the city and learn how to clean, sort, pick-up, and deliver laundry around KidZania

After tackling the laundry, she worked as a nurse and took care of the babies at the hospital.

Nurse at the Hospital’s Baby Care Center

After each work, kids will earn KidZos. The rate depends on your work. At the hospital, she got paid 15 KidZos for working for 20 minutes.

Gwen jumped onto the glamorous world of modelling. She was taught how to walk and pose like a model, so cute! They let her pick her outfit at Penshoppe before her photo shoot. She earned 15 KidZos for her stint.

Fashion Boutique: Model clothes and accessories inside the boutique or be part of the fashion show in the Theater.

At the second floor, she worked at the Farm House.

Farm House Store: Learn the importance of fruits and vegetables by planting, harvesting, and delivering produce.

Aside from planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables, she will deliver the harvest to the supermarket, Healthy Options.

At the residential area, Gwen built parts of the wall as a construction worker. This job earned her 20 KidZos.

Construction Site: Build the walls of a house under construction using bricks and mortar.

Some activities or trainings require the kids to pay KidZos such as training in Cebu Pacific as a flight attendant or a pilot. You need to pay 15 KidZos to undergo training.

Aviation Academy: Receive professional training on tasks that pilots and cabin crew members do before, during, and after each flight.

If kids can’t decide what jobs they like, there’s also a Job Information Center wherein they can help kids find a job match depending on their personality.

Employment Office: Jobseekers welcome! Find the right job for you or print your own kool business cards to take home.

After taking on a couple of jobs, Gwen surely knows how to work hard and play harder. She then used some of her KidZos to go to the salon. Time for some pampering time, she chose a pink nail polish!

having a manicure session at the salon

Other cool jobs your kids might want to try are firefighter, courier, or as a DJ at the radio station.

Gas Station: Operate the gas pump, change oil, check tire pressure, and care for a customer’s car.

Courier Service: Pick-up and deliver packages across the city. You will also learn how to handle and store goods.

KidZania Radio Station: Transmit music, news reports, and radio dramas within the city. Be part of a live radio broadcast!

Fire Station: Join KidZania’s Fire Brigade where you can learn about fire safety and train to put out fires in the city.

Parents’ Lounge

KidZania Manila has a Sky Zone which is the Parents’ Lounge. We can get overflowing coffee, comfortable chairs, and free WiFi. Oh, there are plenty of outlets to plug your devices and recharge.

Sky Zone Parents’ Lounge

B Kidzanian

B KidZanian PaZZport Office

Kids can also apply for their own PaZZport and gain additional kidZos and benefits. KidZanians can also use it in other countries when they travel.

What to do with kidZos?

If your child earned a lot of kidZos, he/she can use it to buy stuff at the Department Store. If they don’t want to spend their kidZos, then head over to the bank and open a savings account. They will be given a BPI ATM card and they can withdraw their money when they come back.

Gwen has 69 KidZos in her account

Souvenir Shop

Like any attractions, KidZania Manila also has its own souvenir shop where you can buy plush toys featuring KidZania’s mascots. Firefighter costumes and nurses costumes are also on sale, perfect for the Halloween.

One day isn’t enough to cover all of the attractions in KidZania. I think you need to come back up to 5 times just to try all the activities. But here’s a tip, go to unique activities first like the Aviation Academy, Fire Station, and CSI because slots get filled up fast. Some attractions requires to have at least 3 to 5 kids to start so consider this factor too as it takes longer to finish than having a solo activity.

KidZania City Map

KidZania is so big the map doesn’t fit my scanner, lol! But to give you an idea, here’s KidZania’s city map. It has two levels.

Don’t forget to read about our: KidZania Bangkok experience

Z U at KidZania and have a blast!

Do you want to fly to Washington, DC and see the National Geographic Museum? Here’s your chance for a really educational tour for your family. Know more about the Fly and Learn Promo brought to you by Progress Pre-School GOLD and National Geographic Channel Philippines.

How to join Progress Pre-School GOLD Fly and Learn Promo

1. Purchase a specially-packed Progress Pre School GOLD 1.6kg can like the one shown in the photo.
2. A scratch card that contains a unique code will be found at the bottom of the can.
3. Enter the code in the Registration and Entry Form here.
4. 1 code=1 raffle entry

Promo period is from July 1 to September 30, 2015. Participants must have a child aged 4-12 years old to join.

Kids M.I. Expedition Mall Tour

Progress Pre-School Gold and National Geographic Channel Philippines are inviting you to a journey in building a new generation of kids with #MultipleIntelligence.

Head to Trinoma Activity Center on August 2, 2015, Sunday for a fun-filled day and get a chance to win #MultipleIntelligence gift packs! Entrance is FREE! Make sure that your kids are aged 4 to 8 years old only. For more information, visit www.multipleintelligence.com.ph.

Maynilad is once again having scheduled water interruptions due to the flood control project of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Affected areas are portions of Caloocan, Manila, Pasay, Makati, Parañaque, Muntinlupa, and Las Piñas; and Cavite City, Bacoor City, Imus City, and the towns of Kawit, Rosario, and Noveleta in Cavite.

photo from ANC

Maynilad is realigning its seven-foot-tall water pipeline along Juan Luna St. and Hermosa St. in Tondo, Manila, starting August 10. This pipe realignment will give way to the flood interceptor project of the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The activity will involve exposing, dewatering, realigning and energizing the seven-foot-tall water pipeline, which will take almost 5 days to complete. As a result, water supply interruptions will be felt in several portions of our concession area from 1 p.m. of August 10 (Monday) to 10 p.m. of August 13 (Thursday), and from 1 p.m. of August 17 (Monday) to 3 p.m. of August 18 (Tuesday).

For the complete list of Barangays and their schedule, visit http://www.mayniladwater.com.ph/downloads/Water-Interruption-this-August.pdf. You can call Maynilad Hotline 1626 or the Text Hotline 0998-8641446 for your concerns.

Pampers Baby Dry has been a witness to Gwen’s many firsts since she was a baby up until her growing up years. As parents, we were able to linger on those precious moments because Pampers Baby Dry lessened our worries and just let us enjoy parenthood. When we’re still using Pampers, it kept Gwen’s bum dry for 12 hours giving ALL OF US quality sleep. And we all know that a sound and uninterrupted sleep at night guarantees a happy growing baby, not to mention a happy well-rested mommy!

Pampers Baby Dry will not only let us experience more of our baby’s firsts but is also giving away your baby’s first million!

What will you do if you have 1 million pesos for your baby? Aaaah, 1 million… this may seem big but with all the inflation rate, by the time our children will be adults, a million may be too small. So for me, the best thing that I can do for my baby’s first million is to invest it in the stock market or in mutual funds where interest rate is bigger. When the money grows over the years, I can use the interest on her milestones like her 7th birthday, debut, or a trip abroad to celebrate her graduation day. Yes, everything momentous in her life calls for a celebration.

Grocery shopping for her needs when she was around 2 years old

Mechanics

Simply buy any Pampers Baby Dry Economy/Value pack/Low counts at participating stores nationwide and check to see if there’s a sticker indicating it is an entry in the promotion. There will be a WINNING TICKET for all the lucky moms out there and it could be a Gymboree GC worth P1,200 consolation prize, or the major prizes including P10,000 worth of bank savings, P50,000 worth of bank savings and a whopping Php 1 million.

Winners can contact Manpower for Advertising Services Agency Inc. at (+632) 335-3518 for instructions on how to claim the prize. Don’t forget to bring the winning ticket, 2 valid IDs, and the official receipt for purchase of Pampers Baby Dry during the redemption. For more details, watch their newest TVC.

For more details, visit the Pampers Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/PampersPh).

I always enjoy doing my groceries at Robinsons Supermarket because of its nice and quality selections. They have well-organized aisles which makes the products easy to spot and fast and efficient cashiers and baggers which makes grocery shopping a breeze.

Aside from that, Robinsons Supermarket always have exciting promos in store for its shoppers. Check out their #ILoveWellness and #Freshtival campaigns. From August 1 to September 30, 2015, it’s their Family Fun Fair Promo that will bring together families for some fun shopping.

Family Fun Fair Prizes

2 winners of a Trip for 4 to Malaysia
5 winners of ASUS Zenbook Laptop
5 winners of GoPro Hero4
5 winners of New Nintendo 3DS
100 winners of Php 5000 Robinsons Gift Certificates

Mechanics

Simply buy Php 500 worth of participating products in a single receipt to get 1 raffle coupon.

At Robinsons Supermarket Ermita, some of the participating products are displayed near the entrance.

If you missed it, just look for the labels beside the participating products in their respective aisles.

Orange-colored price tags also means that it’s a participating product to qualify for the raffle.

Take note that not all variants of a brand is included in the promo. For example, this Downy Antibac variant is a participating product hence the Family Fun Fair label beside it and the orange-colored price tag. But the other variants, like Downy Parfum Collection is not included.

Great Taste White is a participating product. Buy the Big Save pack and then you can also join the Choose Great, Win Great Raffle Promo, o di ba more chances of winning!!!

Progress Pre-School GOLD is also part of the promo. Buy this 1.6 kg. can and you’ll automatically get 2 raffle coupons. They also have an on-going Fly and Learn promo for a chance to win a trip for 4 to the National Geographic Museum in USA. Hitting two birds in one stone talaga!

For your reference, here are some of the participating products:

Lactum 3+ Plain 1.6kg
Lactum 3+ Plain 1.2kg
Lactum 3+ Choco 1.2kg
Lactum 6+ Plain 1.2kg
Lactum 6+ Choco 1.2kg
Enfagrow A+4 / Enfagrow A+ Kid 1.8kg
Enfagrow A+4 / Enfagrow A+ Kid 1.2kg
Similac Gain School 900g
Similac Gain School 1.2kg
Similac Gain School 1.7kg
Pediasure Plus Vanilla 850g
Pediasure Plus Choco 850g
Pediasure Plus Vanilla 1.6kg
Ensure Gold Vanilla 850g
Ensure Choco Milk 1kg
Ensure Acti M2 850g
Glucerna SR Milk Powder Vanilla 900g
Nescafe RTD White Mocha
Nesfruta Melon
Maggi Magic Sinigang 22g Original
Nido Fortigrow 1kg
Nido Fortigrow 900g
Bear Brand 1.2kgBear
Bear Brand 900g
Bear Brand 700g
Bear Brand 320g
Bear Brand Choco 800g
Nido 3+ 1.6kg
Nido 3+ 1.2kg
Nido 3+ 1kg
Nido 3+ 700g
Nido 3+ 370g
Nido 5+ 1.2kg
Nido 5+ 1kg
NAN Kid 4 700g
Nestle Chuckie 180ml
Nestle Chuckie 250ml
Nescafe Classic 100g
Nescafe Decaf 80g
Nescafe 3in1 Creamy White Polybag
Nescafe 3in1 Original Polybag
Nescafe Cappuccino
Coffeemate 450g
Koko Krunch 500g
Bonakid Preschool Milk 1.2KG
Bonakid Preschool Milk 1.6KG
Aqiva 900G
Progress Preschool Gold 1.6KG
Progress Preschool Gold 900G
Johnsons Baby Shampoo Active Fresh 200ml
Johnsons Baby Body Wash Active Fresh 200ml
Johnsons Baby Cologne Regular 125ml
Johnsons Baby Powder Active Fresh 20
Johnsons Baby Skincare Wipes 20s
CDO Ulam Burger with Cheese 228g
Bibbo Cheesedog Chubbies 1kg
Bibbo Super Jumbo 1kg
CDO Regular Sweet Ham 250g
CDO Funtastyk Pork Tocino 480g
CDO Funtastyk Pork Tocino 225g
Purefoods Cooked Ham Slice 250g
Purefoods Sweet Ham Sliced 250g
Tender Juicy Cheesedog 1kg

Other brands to look for are Downy Antibac, Baygon, Ariel, Huggies Ultra Diapers, Pampers Baby Dry, Sweet Baby Explore, Lucky Me, Sprite, Minola, Alaska Crema, Golden Fiesta, Maggi Magic Sarap etc.

After paying at the cashier, just present your receipt at the Customer Service to claim your raffle coupons.

claim your raffle coupons at the customer service

Free Thermal Bag

available in 2 colors: Purple and Light Blue

You also get a FREE Thermal Bag for a minimum Php 3,000 purchase inclusive of Php 500 worth of participating products.

Thank you to Robinsons Supermarket for my grocery treats and for coming up with exciting activities for the family. This August to September, they have something in store for your family in these malls:

• Robinsons Place Manila: August 28-30, 2015
• Robinsons Place Malolos: September 4-6, 2015
• Robinsons Place Dumaguete: September 18-20, 2015

In the Kitchen will be the category where I will post some of the recipes I cook for my family. I promise you these are super-duper easy recipes because I’m really not an expert in the kitchen plus the fact that I don’t want recipes with so many steps/how-tos. Just 4-6 instructions, anything more than that, I skip the page of my recipe book and look for simpler recipes. So newbies in the kitchen, I hope you’ll try my recipes or suggestions and let’s share kitchen secrets!

It’s been a while since my last recipe post, it’s because I don’t have something new to cook. I haven’t been adventurous in my cooking lately, or I didn’t find something that’ll excite me to cook something new again. Last weekend, I put a different spin in my macaroni soup, instead of using ground beef, I used Swift Premium Corned Beef. And because I miss eating ramen, I added corn kernels too which is an ingredient I like with my ramen.

I discovered Swift Premium Corned Beef recently and I was a convert! It tastes like the imported and expensive ones but this is really affordable. You can see big chunks of meat which is slow-cooked to perfection, or should I say #mmmTakesTime. When I was boiling the water for this recipe, the stock’s color looks like I boiled “bulalo” for hours. Try using Swift Premium Corned Beef on your next sopas recipe, it will make your soup more flavorful.

Corned Beef and Corn Macaroni Soup Recipe

Ingredients

1 can Swift Premium Corned Beef
1 small can or 1/2 cup corn kernels
1/4 pack (smallest pack) of Del Monte Macaroni
1 big can of Carnation evaporated milk
1 carrot, diced
small cabbage, chopped
1 Pork cube
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. oil
water
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

1. Saute garlic and onion in oil.
2. Add Swift Premium Corned Beef. Cook for a few minutes then add water, about 4-5 cups. Cover.
3. When the water is boiling, add the pasta. Also add the pork cube and carrots.
4. Once the pasta is cooked, add the corn kernels, cabbage, and evaporated milk.
5. Season with salt and pepper according to taste.
6. Serve hot, enjoy!

I hope you try this! I’d love to know what other ingredients goes into your sopas? Share them in the comments section.

I’m curious what and where do you buy your family’s drinking water? And if you have kids, how old did you let your kids drink the same water the rest of the family drinks? We have this drinking water issue when we travel, because we always bring Wilkins for Gwen. Lagi namin iniisip na baka walang ganyang brand in our destination (which is what we experienced when we went to Guimaras), so para sure, we always bring around 3 to 4 liters of water.

At home, Gwen has a separate water bottle because she still drinks Wilkins. As for the rest of the family, we drink alkaline water. Nanay and I are particular about our drinking water. Medyo brand-conscious, hehe. Kaya kahit medyo malayo yung refilling station and we have to add for delivery, we still order from them. Besides, the water refilling station’s place is the one approved by Nanay which is “clean”. There are 2 water refilling stations just a block away from our house, pero naman… the first one is beside a stinking taho factory and the other one’s facade is always flooded. Upon reading this Rappler’s article about How safe is your drinking water?, I am now contemplating if I will buy a water purifier at home. We were doing this before until the convenience of refilling stations lured us.

The nitty-gritty on water refilling station as a business is not new to me. It’s my Auntie’s business in Aklan and whenever we go to the province, we help in getting and delivering the orders. Although I take pride on how my Auntie runs her business in the province, I can’t speak on the safety of water refilling stations here in Manila. For one, do you know that the big water containers should be changed after how many uses? I just forgot how long pero sa nagdedeliver sa amin, minsan yupi-yupi na tsaka madumi yung water bottles pero ginagamit pa rin. Minsan pa nga, kami na yung bumibili ng new water bottles and just give it to them.

This is the reason why we still buy Gwen her own water in the grocery. As for how long, I don’t know. Maybe when I finally decided to get an in-home water purifier, I’ll be 100% sure of what my family drinks.

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by Wilkins, this is really the brand Gwen uses since birth. All opinions are mine.

Baby wipes is a necessity in every diaper bag especially if you have younger kids. When Gwen was still a baby, I simply cannot leave the house without it. We used it every diaper change, to wipe her hands and face, and also to clean the surfaces like high chairs in restaurants. With its many uses, imagine how much we’ve spent on baby wipes alone. They really don’t come cheap.

A friend sent over these Tender Love Wipes for me to try. It’s very affordable with its Travel Pack containing 20 wipes priced not over Php 30.

Tender Love Baby Wipes are quality tested and approved by pediatricians. It comes in 2 variants: Unscented and Baby Powder Scent. Both are hypoallergenic, alcohol-free, with Aloe and vitamin E and with moisturizing lotion to keep your baby’s skin soft and smooth.

Uni-Love Soft Baby wipes Unscented

Tender Love Baby Wipes Baby Powder Scent

Each ply has just the right amount of moisture and does not tear with constant rubbing.

They also have Tender Love Cleansing Wipes in Papaya and Sweet Delights for adults. I personally love the scent of Sweet Delights.

Papaya and Sweet Delights

Tender Love Wipes is available in Super8 and Puregold outlets nationwide. They have the Buy 2 Take 1 Free promo for the Baby Powder Scent. Like them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tender-Love-PH/) and follow on Instagram, @TenderLovePH.

Jollibee Kids Meal gets jollier because it now comes in a Jolly Joy Box! The Jolly Joy Box is Jollibee’s first-ever interactive packaging which makes meal time fun and exciting as kids are given toys to play, puzzles to solve, words to form, and challenges to overcome. For the month of August, featured toys are Jollibee and Friends Road Rollers.

The Jollibee and Friends Road Rollers is a great way for kids to play with their imagination.

With the Fire Truck Troopers, kids can play as fire fighters, filling the toy with water and pressing the spray button.

With the School Bus Buddies, little ones can roll out fun by pulling the toy backwards and inserting the cards on both sides to move the toy forward.

Children can drive their Ambulance Rovers to the hospital by switching on the light of the siren and pushing the toy forward.

The Jollibee and Friends Road Rollers are included inside the Jolly Joy Box which features simple yet engaging games such as Jollibee Finger Twister, Spot the Difference, Jollibee Face Maze and Your Favorite Jollibee Meal (jumbled letters) to help unleash a child’s problem-solving skills. Embedded in the packaging, these extra features definitely put in a different twist on kids’ dining and learning experience.

Collect all 3 Jollibee and Friends Road Rollers in the first-ever Jolly Joy Box with your favorite Jollibee Kids Meal treats: Yumburger (Php 84), Jolly Spaghetti (Php 87), and 1-piece Chickenjoy (Php 104). All meals now come with a regular pineapple juice. Bring home joy and let kids enjoy a more fun, creative and interactive learning experience with the Jollibee and Friends Road Rollers, available from August 1 to September 30 only!

Hi-5 Philippines is already winning the hearts of Filipino children nationwide with more tuning in to sing, dance and learn with them roughly two months since its launch. The local adaptation of Australia’s favorite edutainment program is enjoying success with its steadily rising viewership rating.

The vibrant and youthful energy of Hi-5’s all-Filipino cast, as they engage children to learn while having fun through music and creative play, have captivated the little ones and their parents as well, gaining them a significant following.

The show is formatted to teach children five specific skill sets focusing on theme concepts like words, color, music and numbers. Each cast member heads a segment according to their specialties.

Fred, for one, hosts the Shapes in Space segment where he teaches children about spatial awareness. Meanwhile, Gerard stirs children’s musicality through the Making Music segment.

Another one is the Puzzles and Pattern segment of Alex, which helps kids develop skills in math and local thinking. This is perfectly complemented with Rissey’s Body Move segment that is all about physical development through dancing and exercising. Last but not the least, is Aira’s Word Play segment with the help of Hi-5’s resident chatterbox, Chats. In this segment they explore fun word games and learn about letters and pictures.

Hi-5 is in itself a remarkable brand that contributes to the development of children, accounting for the enormous success it has worldwide. And producing it locally with an all-Filipino cast, made the show more accessible and relatable to the nation’s young ones.

The show highlights good values and employs the universal themes of friendship, creativity and learning, making it an ideal platform for children to learn and discover fit role models in this time and age.

TV5 expects the show to steadily gain ground in the country as the edutainment program of this generation. Its popularity with the young viewers sends word that Hi-5 Philippines is here to stay and will continue to empower, stimulate and entertain children. Catch the Hi-5 magic on weekdays at 8:30 a.m., only on TV5.

Recently, I asked you about your family’s drinking water after reading a post on Rappler on water safety. I came to realize that providing drinking water from refilling stations isn’t generally safe. This was proven by a video shown to us during the launch of Unilever PureIt’s “Sure Ka Ba?” campaign. More on the campaign later but please watch the video.

From the sando boys to the pedicab delivery, relate na relate ako, kayo ba?

Mr. Brian Duruin, PureIt’s brand manager, said, “Through the video, we wanted to show households, especially the moms, how refilled water can easily be contaminated due to improper handling and transport of containers and other human factors. This, in turn, can pose health risks for the family, especially the children”.

Celebrity mom Dimples Romana is launched as the Pure It brand ambassador. She is joined by Unilever Philippines VP for Homecare and Food Benjie Yap and Pure It Brand Manager Brian Duruin.

Unilever’s Sure Ka Ba?

Unilever Philippines, through its state-of-the-art water purifier – Pureit, has launched an awareness campaign to empower household consumers to question the safety of their drinking water, and in so doing, protect the health of their families.

PureIt Excella

Unilever has introduced Pureit Excella, an in-home, non-electric water purifier that converts tap water into clean and safe drinking water. Pureit has an advanced five-step purification process that eliminates 99.9999% of bacteria, viruses and parasites to meet the stringent safety standards of the US Environmental Protection Agency.

They also launched two other PureIt models: the PureIt Marvella RO Slim and the PureIt Marvella UV.

PureIt Marvella UV

If you want to see Pureit demo units and how it will look inside your homes, visit the Avida Showroom in Glorietta Center, Makati City until September 30, 2015. Avida, one of the country’s leading real estate developers for the mid-market segment of the industry, supports Unilever and Pureit in their effort to provide households with access to safe drinking water to ensure their health.

I’m happy to share that we just finished the last gallon of water we ordered from our suking refilling station and then we’ll use our very own PureIt Excella. Now, I am sure that the bottles are washed, I can see what goes in and out my water purifier, and the bottles goes straight to the fridge. No more exposure to dust and other contaminants. I can finally say that I’m 100% sure of my family’s drinking water. Ikaw, sure ka ba?

For more info about Unilever PureIt, visit www.pureitwater.com.

When parents think about how to raise their children, there’s one thing they find themselves asking: “How do we teach our kids to become better people?” It’s one of the biggest responsibilities that parents have to their kids, to be able to help them learn how to grow up into responsible adults. But while it all might seem fairly straightforward, anyone who’s ever raised children will tell you that it can be quite difficult to steer them down the right path.

One strategy parents often turn to is using games to teach kids. Games, whether they’re board games, card games, or video games, have always been an effective tool for teaching kids, because through them, kids are given the chance to learn and have fun at the same time. But what’s a good game to use when trying to help your kids get used to healthy behavior, such as doing nice things for others and going out of their way to help around the house? Why not try a game like Buddy Bingo?

Buddy Bingo is a play on the traditional game, making use of bingo’s versatility to help encourage kids to do nice things for others. After all, with bingo being played largely for charity and to help others, and Free Bingo Hunter also reporting that the game’s been used to promote Breast Cancer Awareness, there’s no reason why it can’t be used to help our kids as well. The way the game works is that you make a list of things you’d like your kids to start doing, such as:

• Wash the dishes without being told
• Share your lunch with a classmate
• Help a neighbor with a chore
• Tell mommy “I love you”
• Finish homework before 8pm

Make a list of 24 items, and then use a bingo card maker such as the one on Print-Bingo.com to turn your list into a Buddy Bingo card. Here’s a sample card:

You can then proceed to assigning corresponding points to each item on the card. Make a list of rewards that your child can exchange his/her points for. These rewards can range from anything from reduced chore time to family outings. Just make sure you reward appropriately, and that you don’t end up bribing your kids into doing good things

Hello! We just came from our 7-day vacay in Hong Kong and I’m still feeling sad because we have to leave and return to the daily grind. We just love HK, kung pwede lang dun tumira. For a family who goes to HK with kids, I’m sure Disneyland is part of your itinerary, hindi pwedeng mawala yun.

Read: Hong Kong Disneyland 2012

Last 2012, it was Christmas time and the place was so happy because of the decors. This time, the Frozen fever invaded Hong Kong Disneyland. This is the main reason why we wanted to go since Gwen loves Elsa and Anna. I heard stories that the lines get pretty long for the meet and greet and for you to enter the Frozen Village that’s why we made a point to come before the park opening. We usually wake up late just like most HK locals, around 10 or 11 am but not this time, we woke up at 7 am to have breakfast and rode the MTR going to Disneyland. We reached the park at 10:15 am, sakto lang because the park opens at 10:30 am.

Park Tickets

You can also buy discounted Disneyland tickets at China Travel Services at the arrival hall in HK International airport. CTS price for the 1 day admission for adults is 450 HKD. You can also go to some guesthouses such as Taisan Guesthouse and Golden Crown Guesthouse in Tsim Sha Tsui, they sell discounted tickets at 460 HKD for the 1-day admission for adults. We always buy at Taisan Guesthouse and we didn’t encounter any problems using them but this time, we’re saving our USD so we bought the tickets at the park since they accept credit cards.

How to go to HK Disneyland via MTR

It’s so easy to DIY your travels whenever you’re in Hong Kong. They have one of the most efficient train system and just follow the instructions and you won’t get lost. It also helps that you download the MTR app on your phones so you will be guided accordingly. In this case, we’re staying at Tsim Sha Tsui and we’re going to Disneyland Resort. Just use the app and follow the route.

Now that you have the info you need in case you’ll be visiting soon, let’s continue with our Frozen fever.

Frozen Village

The first thing we did upon entering the park is to look for the Frozen Village, it’s near Adventureland. Actually, lahat yata nung andun pareho kami ng naiisip, unahin ang Frozen Village. Mainlanders even run to the village para lang mauna. The show starts at 11 am pa naman pero talagang hot na hot ang Frozen.

You have to wait for the show to finish before you can enter the snow village wherein you can play with snow. During the show, syempre Frozen hits like “Love is an open door”, “For the first time in forever”, and “Let it go” were sang by the characters as well as the audience. Ang saya naman especially when the snow is falling above us while Elsa belted out Let it go for the finale.

P.S. Kristoff is cute ha! Sayang lang hindi sya kasama sa meet and greet.

After the show, the snow village finally opened. From there, Olaf is waiting for the guests to have a picture.

Kids and adults can ride a sled and slide. We did it twice and it’s so fun! I’ll try to upload our video here. Kids can play with the snow too.

Even the food are Frozen inspired…

Elsa and Anna Meet and Greet

Akala nyo tapos na ang pilahan portion, nope, because there’s another line for the Elsa and Anna meet and greet. This is at the left of Sleeping Beauty’s castle. I don’t know the exact times but just ask some of the Disney staff for the sched. We were lucky to be there at 2:15 pm when the line started to build up. Sulit naman pagpila because Elsa and Anna takes time to tell stories to the guests before the picture taking. Gwen was dressed as Anna and Elsa said, “Am I seeing double?”, to which Gwen laughed.

After the main event (Frozen Village), it’s time to roam around the attractions. We walked from Adventureland, Grizzly Gulch, Mystic Point Toy Story Land to Fantasyland. Medyo hindi pang small kids ang Grizzly Gulch and Mystic Point. I just rode the Mine Cars in Grizzly Gulch and then we went to Toy Story Land to ride the Slinky Dog Spin. Fantasyland is the one where we spent most of  our time, there’s the It’s a Small World, Cinderella’s Carousel, Dumbo ride, and Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Gwen’s favorite is the It’s a Small World ride.

Parades

Another thing you shouldn’t miss at Disneyland is the parade. Make sure you grab the Times Guide at the entrance so that you’ll know the time and location the parade will take place.

Flights of Fantasy Parade starts at 3 pm at Main Street, USA. Make sure to look for a good place to catch your favorite characters. Meron din interaction like they will let the kids join them.

Disney Paint the Night Nighttime Spectacular starts at 7 pm. Gwen enjoyed this more than the 3 pm parade.

Meet Mickey and friends at the Fantasy Gardens

Having your photos taken with the characters can be time-consuming. Mickey and Minnie Mouse has the most number of people and it will take you 30 minutes for just one character. But when you come on a weekday just like us, you might be lucky to get to have your photos taken with all the characters in an hour.

Disney in the Stars Fireworks

One rule when you go to Disneyland, never leave the park without watching the fireworks. Eto talaga yung nagpapasulit sa bayad mo. And to think I watched it for the 4th time already, I’m still in tears after the fireworks. I have a clearer video last 2012, they put ropes in front of us this year kasi for crowd control that’s why I don’t have a better view.

Things to remember

Just a few things to remember before going to HK Disneyland.

• Try to go on a weekday, lesser crowd.
• Bring bottled water, it’s expensive inside the park.
• Grab the maps and times guide, it will be super helpful.
• Maximize the Fast Pass in some of the attractions.
• Don’t miss the parade and fireworks.

Frozen Village is extended until October 4, 2015 so plan your visit if you’re going to HK soon. Enjoy! Just leave a comment if there’s anything I can help you with your trip.

There’s a new online contest that’s perfect for us Filipinos. Now, aside from singing in the shower, you can showcase your musical talent to the world with Taiwan Excellence’s Made to Enjoy Singing contest. If there’s The Voice on television, the internet has Made to Enjoy Singing contest.

The Taiwan Excellence Made to Enjoy Singing Contest aims to showcase the musical genius of Filipinos. Adding to the fun, it allows the public to vote for the best musical video submissions, which will then be judged by a panel of experts. The winners will take home superb Taiwan Excellence products, as well as cash prizes.

The August winners brought home a Transcend Drive Pro 200 and a Tatung Rice Cooker 100 plus Php 10,000 cash prize, they will also sing with Sam Concepcion on September 05, 2015 at the 2nd Taiwan Excellence Experiencing Zone in SM City North EDSA The Block Atrium.

The September winners can take home an Acer Liquid Jade Z or a Kingcom Sigma Evo smartphone; while the October winners will be the proud owners of Asus Zenfone 2 or an Acer Iconia Tab. In addition, each finalist will get Php 10,000.

The grand winners will be gifted with a KYMCO Agility 125”motorcycle and a cash prize of Php 50,000. The grand winner will receive the prize from Taiwan Excellence endorser Maja Salvador.

Whether you’re just starting out as a singer or you’ve been performing for your friends for a long time, the Made to Enjoy Singing contest is a perfect opportunity for you and all aspiring singers to show their excellence in their field, just like the brands under Taiwan Excellence, which are noted all over the world for their great and innovative designs and workmanship. Aspiring singers will discover that this is a good opportunity to let the world know about their talents, and to connect with other music lovers. This may even be a way for your talents to be discovered! Most of all, the contest is guaranteed to be a fun and memorable experience for you and your loved ones, with great prizes that you will definitely enjoy.

To join, register at the Taiwan Excellence Made to Enjoy Singing official website at http://www.madetoenjoysinging.ph/.

Have you entered the promo codes in your scratch cards found at the bottom of the cans of specially marked Progress Pre-School GOLD? Just a heads up that the Fly and Learn promo will be until September 30, 2015 only.

How to join Progress Pre-School GOLD Fly and Learn Promo

1. Purchase a specially-packed Progress Pre School GOLD 1.6kg can like the one shown in the photo.
2. A scratch card that contains a unique code will be found at the bottom of the can.
3. Enter the code in the Registration and Entry Form here.
4. 1 code=1 raffle entry

If you still haven’t entered the promo codes, go to www.multipleintelligence.com.ph now and complete the entry form. Who knows, you might win a trip for 4 to National Geographic Museum in Washington, DC, USA.

What’s exciting about a trip to National Geographic Museum is that there will be an Indiana Jones exhibit.

Here are some trivia from the Indiana Jones exhibit:

1:28: Length of the welcome message recorded by Harrison Ford on the tablet they give you to help guide you along.

2: Bullwhips, including the one used by River Phoenix in The Last Crusade.

12: Shot glasses from the drinking-contest scene at Marion Ravenwood’s bar.

3′: Approximate length of the Ark (well, the prop, anyway).

6’2″: Approximate height of Indiana Jones (harrison ford), based on the costumed mannequins on display.

4′: Approximate height of Short Round, based on his mannequin.

You still have time to add more entries by buying more cans of Progress Pre-School GOLD. But you better hurry because it will end on September 30, 2015. Goodluck!

FACT: According to a study conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO), children around the world miss an estimated 443 million school days each year because of diseases caused by poor sanitation and hygiene practices, including using unsanitary toilets. Simply put, this number of sick days is equivalent to all grade school and high school classrooms in the Philippines being empty for one month. This sanitation-related concern hinders the children’s learning and significantly reduces their quality of life.

This is sad especially for the Filipino children, the quality of our educational system is one major problem, madadagdagan pa because of missed school days because they got sick due to poor toilet sanitation.

According to Dr. Luisa Efren of the Philippine Public Health Association (PPHA), the simple act of proper toilet sanitation can help prevent the spread of these germs. However, children continue to be at risk from these deadly diseases because many households still use ordinary laundry bleach to clean their toilet bowls, which is not enough to kill all toilet germs.

In our household, we are using Domex since the time it was introduced in the market. I trust its cleaning properties and thankfully, our family rarely gets sick so its germ-killing properties is really working, right? For your info, here’s how you should clean your toilet using Domex.

For the past three years, Unilever Philippines through its germ-kill expert brand Domex, has been working with UNICEF and PPHA to champion the One Million Clean Toilets Movement. This advocacy program aims to educate Filipinos on proper toilet hygiene and the need for sanitized household toilets to keep their families safe against disease-causing germs.

On November 13, World Toilet Day, join the One Million Clean Toilets Movement in the fight against disease causing germs to save lives, one clean toilet at a time. To learn more about Domex and how you can stay safe from disease with a germ-free home, visit Domex Philippines on Facebook.

Zooming in this November are the Mario Kart 8 toys in your Mcdonald’s Philippines Happy Meals.

image from Google

The latest happy meal toys are inspired by Mario Kart 8 by Nintendo for Wii U.

Collect all 8 toys from the collection: a Mario visor and seven miniature vehicles featuring Mario, Luigi, Peach, Yoshi, Donkey Kong, Bowser, and Toad.

November 13, 2015, the world celebrated #WorldToiletDay2015. Here in the Philippines, Domex led a toilet clean-up in East Avenue Medical Center to join the fight against disease causing germs to save lives.

The Misis Chronicles is one with Domex in supporting the 1 Million Clean Toilets Movement. And I want my readers to have a germ-free and clean toilets too. I’m giving away 2 months supply of Domex to 10 lucky readers!

Domex Giveaway Mechanics:

1. Like The Misis Chronicles and Domex Philippines on Facebook.
2. Follow @badudets on Instagram.
3. Answer this question:
   

   Who do you protect from disease-causing germs? Who inspires you to keep your toilet at home clean and germ-free?

4. Along with your answer, post a photo of you or with your loved ones doing a checkmark hand gesture using your left hand. Make your post/profile PUBLIC, tag The Misis Chronicles or @badudets on IG, and use the hashtags #BadudetsXDomex #WorldToiletDay2015 #1MCleanToilets
5. This contest ends on November 20, 2015. I will pick 10 winners to win 2 months worth of Domex.
6. Winners should be able to claim their prizes in Makati until December 15, 2015.

Sample Entry:

Post on FB: @The Misis Chronicles, I use Domex to keep our toilet clean and germ-free so that my family will be free from diseases. #BadudetsXDomex #WorldToiletDay2015 #1MCleanToilets

OR

Post on IG: @badudets, I use Domex to keep our toilet clean and germ-free so that my family will be free from diseases. #BadudetsXDomex #WorldToiletDay2015 #1MCleanToilets

Hurry, contest ends on Friday, November 20!

Winners

1. Nelina Gatong @nhelynne – https://instagram.com/p/-O08GZqQeu/
2. Mary Grace Saquing @gracey9347 – https://instagram.com/p/-OfLxaCSKS/
3. Aiza Cruzata @gandaiz – https://instagram.com/p/-P21cYEZVM/
4. Ellen Dalisay Pablo @lhen_99 – https://instagram.com/p/-KzR5pHL8-/
5. @iambeautyful – https://instagram.com/p/-Kv1lLR9Mh/
6. Leny Del Gallego Martinez – https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10208451360750038&set=a.1257849774832.2039435.1487265069&type=3&hc_location=ufi
7. Ennaira Adajet – https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1095956307105927&id=100000747051546&refid=17&ref=bookmarks&__tn__=*s&hc_location=ufi
8. Ivafer Cruz – https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=444865689031898&set=a.344829179035550.1073741825.100005254113829&type=3&hc_location=ufi
9. Kaye Lao – https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153892828257847&set=a.10150119440077847.295619.677267846&type=3
10. Sherry Ann Gole Cruz – https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10204899361995512&set=a.2898429671527.2109488.1583953945&type=3&hc_location=ufi

To all the winners, please send a message of my Facebook page on how to claim your prizes.

Thanks for joining! Stay tuned for another giveaway.

Are you confident that your baby’s diaper will keep him/her dry? If you’re using New Pampers Baby Dry, then that’s your best bet! For those who are using other brands, here’s an exciting event for you and hopefully will make you switch in an instant. World’s leading diaper brand, invites you to the New Pampers Baby Dry 99.9% Skin Dryness Challenge.

Head on to Robinsons Place Manila on November 22, 2015 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Bring a sample of your current non-Pampers diaper and take the challenge!

To join, mommies age 18 years old and above, residing in the Philippines, and have babies 0-3 years old should simply register online and bring their current non-Pampers diaper to the event.

Moms who correctly choose the diaper which keeps their baby dry will win their “Baby’s First” prize, like their first play set, first high chair or first stroller.

Mommies from Visayas and Mindanao can also get a chance to challenge their current diaper and win their baby’s first prizes when they register in Ayala Center, Cebu City on December 6, 2015, and Centrio Mall, Cagayan de Oro City on December 15, 2015.

This is exciting mommies, some of the prizes are play set, baby’s mobile, baby gym, play house, and a Gymboree class pass. Don’t forget to PRE-REGISTER online because only those registered on an event promo date will be counted as participants. You can PRE-REGISTER by sending a private message to www.facebook.com/PampersPh with the following information:

• Mommy’s Full Name
• Contact Details
• My baby is within 0-3 years old: YES
• I am 18 years old and above: YES
• Current diaper brand:

Enjoy the challenge on Sunday!

Sweldo na naman, masaya na naman tayo! Even Gwen’s yaya, Ate Yong, is excited with her salary. She will send her saved money to the province today. Months ago, she was saving part of her salary to buy a smart phone but I gave her my old one kaya sabi nya ipapadala na lang nya sa tatay nya yung sweldo nya. Of course, every time she sends money to her father in Aklan, she uses Cebuana Lhuillier!

Cebuana Lhuillier is mobile-optimized!

I’m the one who goes to the nearest Cebuana Lhuillier branch for her Pera Padala because there’s a branch near the office. I also prefer going to Cebuana to remit money or even to pay bills because their service is fast!  Sometimes, I ask her to give me the exact amount including the charges. Buti na lang at the NEW Cebuana Lhuillier website, we can easily find their Pera Padala rates.

The Cebuana Lhuillier website, is really helpful as it consolidates all of the brand’s products and services in one website. Now, we can access information on remittance, insurance, and pawnshop in one sitting and at the touch of our fingertips. It’s also mobile-optimized so it’s not a problem whether you’re accessing it through your laptop or smartphones.

Just by looking at the main page, I learned other services provided by Cebuana Lhuillier, not just Pawning and Pera Padala. They also have Microinsurance, Bank, and other services. The new website also contains information on PJ Lhuillier Inc. the mother company of Cebuana Lhuillier brands. It is also equipped with links and a log-in page connecting to the Cebuana Lhuillier 24K Plus online portal and a dedicated section for corporate clients.

So if you’re new to Cebuana and want to know their services, check out their website first, it’s very user-friendly. If you don’t know how to pawn or Sangla, there’s even a video how to go about it.

The Cebuana Lhuillier website, www.cebuanalhuillier.com is your one-stop site for all your remittance, insurance, and pawnshop needs.  Your 24/7 access to everything Cebuana Lhuillier.