Mother's Day: Treats, gift ideas for dearest 'nanay'
MANILA, Philippines — With the COVID-19 safety guidelines in the country now loosening up, families can now celebrate Mother's Day on May 8 freely.
Philstar.com lists down some options for gifts and treats to celebrate the wonder woman of the house.
Review: What makes Akari's air coolers the perfect gift for yourself or for mom
A great option to beat the summer heat, Akari Air Cooler is a mobile and eco-friendly alternative to air conditioners, minus the punishing electricity charges.
Among the brand's range of air coolers that bring enough wind strength to sustain long, uninterrupted cooling is ARFC-12C, a rechargeable air cooler that can be very useful during power interruption. This rechargeable cooler is big and reliable enough to ventilate a room especially during a power outage for hours. When fully charged, it can also be brought into any space, even an outdoor glamping, without worrying about looking for sockets or a power source to plug into.
In addition, the cooler has air purifying features that get rid of allergy-inducing agents and impurities inside your home. Its honeycomb filters have a great capacity to retain more water and cool the air more quickly. Best of all, it lasts longer, and requires less maintenance. It also makes use of ionizers to help make the air quality better. Aiding in trapping contaminants in an indoor environment, ionizers eliminate pollutant particles that contribute to health complications such as asthma, chemical sensitivities and breathing problems. These features allow the appliance to helps promote relaxation and improve sleep. — Deni Bernardo
A celebration of mom’s love
The never-ending love of mothers deserves a special treat for all the sacrifices she made throughout the years. And for this Mother's Day, homegrown Filipino food chain Conti’s Bakeshop and Restaurant is offering something special for everyone who loves their mother—the Triple Berry Mousse cake.
This delightfully light cake is made with layers of vanilla sponge cake, blueberry, raspberry, and strawberry mousse between crunchy granola bits and a crispy butter crust. The cake is topped with mixed berries coulis which adds the finishing touch of love.
This is one cake you will adore not just for its taste but also for its symbolic meaning of love, sacrifice, and appreciation. For all the mothers around the world who made these three core values for their children, the Triple Berry Mousse cake is an ultimate gift that shows how much you care about her and appreciate what she does for you.
The cake is available starting April 26 for dine-in, takeout, and pick-up in all Conti's stores, and for delivery on the website and via GrabFood. It’s an all-occasion cake that’s sure to delight not just moms but the whole family even on regular days.
But for this Mother’s Day, Conti’s is sweetening the deal with a limited-edition Cradle of Love tote bag designed by renowned Filipino artist June Digan. The bag features a colored illustration of a mother's different stages of love. The bag comes as a complimentary gift with every purchase of Triple Berry Mousse cake until May 9.
Triple Berry Mousse whole cake’s SRP is P1,135 and is also available per slice at P165. Customers may also avail of the Cradle of Love tote bag for P170. To know more about Conti’s Bakeshop & Restaurant visit contis.ph or check out the Facebook (@contisph) and Instagram (@contis_ph) pages. Other pages bearing the name and images are fake. They do not in any way represent the brand.
Outdoor adventure essentials
The summer season is officially here which can only mean one thing: outdoor family fun for everyone.
The hot weather pushes more families to have more quality time while cooling down — enjoying frozen treats at home, watching movies again at the cinemas, going on beach trips, or simply playing with one another outdoors.
But with the pandemic still not over, it’s going to be double the effort for parents as they keep their families safe not only from intense heat, but also from germs. Fortunately, both of these worries can be eased with the Avon Care Antibacterial Cooling Hand and Body Lotion Gel which is perfect for the hot summer season.
The antibacterial Cooling Hand and Body Lotion Gel instantly soothes and calms the skin with long-lasting freshness and cooling sensation against the heat of the season. It also helps to fight 99.9% of disease-causing germs that thrive on the skin, all while retaining moisture with Avon’s Germ Defense + Moisture Lock Technology — leaving the skin moisturized all day long.
For anti-aging, there are Avon's Anew Skin Reset Plumping Shots and Anew Renewal Activating Serum, powered by the brand's patented Protinol technology that promises seven skin benefits in just seven days. These include reduced wrinkles, improved firmness, restored smoothness, uncovered radiant glow, minimized pores, boosted elasticity and enhanced resilience.
Summer styles that inspire
Summer is calling! This season is brimming with excitement as the bright skies welcome everyone to plunge into the fun of summer. More than sun, it’s the time to catch up with friends, disconnect, and dive into the sparkling seas. More than a break, it’s a period of rediscovery as the new normal paves way for a refreshed you.
Women’secret launched collections that are thoughtfully designed to inspire love for friendships, adventures, calmness, and play. Collectively, the range features a broad color palette ranging from powdery sorbet tones to bright, saturated colors on everything from the freshest and most relaxed styles to sophisticated or more relaxed boho looks. Women’secret also further aims to empower wearers to seize each day with rekindled joy by highlighting important values in each sub-collection, thus adding deeper meaning and greater fun to the summer of ’22.
Dive into your next vacation or pool party in style with these resort wear must-haves: Get into a happy vibe with the Capri Collection, which is inspired by the seventies. Expressive and colorful with a retro twist, the collection pieces come in powder yellow, lime green, sorbet blue, and of course the trending color this summer: orange! Balanced with white hues, these colors are mixed in a seventies-era floral pattern and a groovy print. The striking designs match the vibrant spirit of those who bloom in the company of their closest friends.
There’s something fascinating about the freedom summer brings—some days are simply set aside for quality me-time. Instead of clocking in at work, you begin the morning strolling along a flowery field or playing catch with your furbaby by the beach. The Rivera swimwear collection imbibes the summer of play, which is characterized by ruffles and bows with a palette of green. The Riviera collection also features prints with a clear feminine inspiration: flowers and landscape.
Good company, good food, good music, and good vibes create the perfect summer story. For snap-worthy adventures, Women’secret introduces its trendy mix-and-match line of geometric and two-toned bikinis and swimwear. The featured tones in the Kenya collection are black, maroon, and off-white. Available as plain or in prints, it’s made of scrunchie-like fabric for undeniably fun, on-fleek styles.
The Voyage Collection carries the most tropical and sophisticated selection, as it spirits wearers away to dreamy vacations with a palette of green and earth tones. Inspiring sweet escapes from the city’s daily grind, the collection is reminiscent of slow-paced, island mornings with its tropical leaf print and strong color contrasts. It also carries tie-dye styles, which is a current beachwear favorite.
Similar to corals that beautify the ocean with splashes of lively colors, the Dresstination Collection is characterized by two vibrant color palettes: coral and pink, and turquoise and emerald. Designed with a boho feel, both the bikinis and dresses in the collection have crochet details that give them a handcrafted feel. It also stars a retro-inspired scarf top, completing the unique look.
Summer is all about relaxing, and we feel best when comfortable in our own skin. Here’s to those lazy days spent at home, lounging in lingerie or loungewear with a margarita and a magazine on hand. For this range, find elegant satins, lace details, and soft cotton that will let every woman achieve both comfort and allure. True timeless essentials to every drawer, mix and match pieces like bodylettes, robes, bras, boyshort panties, and pyjamas.
Every summer has a unique and memorable story. Make the season bright and sunny with a confidence boost from Women’secret. Intentionally designed to bring smiles and excitement to all kinds of women, it’s time to flaunt a pretty, comfortable, and sexy you, especially as you book your next tropical vacay or pool trip with the gang!
In the Philippines, Women’secret is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is located at Central Square, TriNoma Mall, Rustan’s Makati, Rustan’s Shangri-La, and Ayala Center Cebu. Shop online through Trunc.ph, Rustan’s.com and Zalora. Visit www.ssilife.com.ph or follow @womensecret_ph and @ssilifeph on Instagram or @womensecretphilippines on Facebook for more information.
Summer sun protection finds at The Goodwill Market
Sun’s out, fun’s out! It’s summertime and the weather is perfect for enjoying outdoor activities such as heading to the beach or pool to cool off, or enjoying a nature walk after staying at home for a prolonged period of time.
Of course, whenever you and your family are outdoors, sun protection is a must. Using a reliable sunscreen not only helps to prevent painful sunburn and unsightly peeling, it also protects against skin damage from the sun’s UV rays which can lead to premature skin aging and even skin cancer. What’s more, dermatological experts recommend using sunscreen every day. If you are indoors, they recommend applying an SPF of 15 or higher from sunscreen or other cosmetic products. And if you are heading out in the sun, the recommendation is for an SPF of 30 and up.
SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and the number tells you how long the sun’s UVB rays would take to redden your skin if you apply the sunscreen exactly as directed compared with the amount of time without sunscreen. So, if you use an SPF 30 product properly, it would take you 30 times longer to burn than if you did not apply any sunscreen product. It is also important to choose a sunscreen depending on the activity that you will do, as there are products that are specifically made for swimming and other water activities or for sports that will make you sweat a lot. To make sure that you are well-protected, experts recommend applying sunscreen to your entire body before you get dressed. That way, your skin will be protected even if you move around a lot or if you decide to shed layers of clothing. Reapplication is recommended every two hours.
For any summer activity, The Goodwill Market has got you covered, with a range of sunscreens that are suited for you and your family’s needs. Check out the online store for products from Avene, which provides a full range of hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic skincare essentials to address the needs of sensitive skin. Beach Hut sunscreen products are easy to apply, and help you stay active under the sun without that sticky feeling and unsightly white film. To relieve the discomfort from sunburn and heat rash, Suu Balm helps provide relief with the soothing and cooling power of menthol.
With The Goodwill Market, your summer outing can be worry-free, as all you need to do is check-out your items such as sunscreen and healthy snacks and they will be delivered straight to your doorstep! Visit www.goodwill.market and check out their curated choices of authentic products for you and your family.
Mother's Day offering
Max’s Restaurant, the iconic Filipino restaurant chain famous for its Sarap-to-the-Bones Fried Chicken, is celebrating every kind of mom for the whole month of May. Mother’s Day has always been a special occasion to show gratitude and appreciation to all queens of the family therefore Max’s is extending this celebration with its special month-long offer.
Whether it’s for a birth mom, single mom, grand mom, stage mom, and all other types of mom, the Mother’s Day Bundle can make celebrations an enjoyable one. Each set is composed of Max’s favorites including one Whole Fried Chicken, Lechon Kawali Kare-Kare, Lumpiang Shanghai, Plain Rice (Large), and a Mini Caramel Cake (5-inch) by Max’s Corner Bakery.
The Caramel Cake is a soft and fluffy vanilla chiffon filled with buttercream icing and frosted with rich troubadour icing. It’s making a special comeback for a limited-time only and can be purchased separately for only P499 for dine-in.
For the bundle, customers can even get a free 1L Sago’t Gulaman if they order in advance from April 29 to May 5 for delivery on May 7 and 8, so it’s better to plan early to have a hassle-free feast. Offer is available for dine-in, take-out, and delivery from April 29 to May 31 only. The Mini Caramel Cake is available in Luzon stores except Naga and Palawan. Orders can also be made through delivery.maxchicken.com or 888-79000 (Metro Manila).
For health-conscious moms
Burger King Philippines just announced the launch of Plant-Based X-tra Long Chicken, which offers the same mouthwatering experience as its best-selling original X-tra Long Chicken but without the meat. After the successful launch of the Plant-Based Whopper in 2020, Burger King Philippines extends its plant-based menu options by mirroring the iconic and unmatched Burger King taste that guests crave for.
Currently available in all BK stores within Luzon and will soon be available nationwide by end of March, the Plant-Based X-tra Long Chicken consists of a crispy 6-inch plant-based patty developed by The Vegetarian Butcher, topped with fresh lettuce, creamy plant-based mayonnaise, on soft sesame seed buns. This soon-to-be iconic snack mirrors Filipinos’ favorite X-tra Long Chicken—it looks and tastes like chicken, it is crispy on the outside, and tender and juicy on the inside to recreate the same experience, but in a way that loves the planet back.
The Plant-Based X-tra Long Chicken is BK brand’s treat for the growing population of Filipino eaters venturing into plant-based alternatives. Moreover, with its partnership with The Vegetarian Butcher, it hopes to bring the plant-based chicken closer to meat lovers, flexitarians, and anyone who loves delicious burgers.
“We are very proud to introduce the Plant-Based X-tra Long Chicken and expand our plant-based range with this new icon to our menu,” said Joey Dominguez, General Manager of Burger King Philippines. “The introduction of the Plant-Based X-tra Long Chicken in the Philippines is a response to the demand from guests who are asking for a variety of plant-based options without compromising on taste. We are confident that Filipinos will love our follow-up to the Plant-Based Whopper.”
The Plant-Based X-tra Long Chicken is 100% plant-based, 0% meat is now available via dine-in, take-out, or delivery (BK App, BKDelivery.com.ph, Messenger, #2-22-22, Grabfood, and Foodpanda).
Chill, mom!
Summer is in its final month and it feels like it has saved the hottest temperatures for last! This is why we want to bring relief and refreshment by going back to the basics. For May, Sebastian's is releasing the Fruitsicles, our line of layered frozen Fruit Ice Pops made with real fruit and fruit juice, with no artificial flavors.
We made the decision to layer the flavors separately instead of blending them together because keeping them distinct allows for the complexities of each fruit to shine through. This way you can choose to enjoy the flavors one layer at a time, or run your tongue along the entire Ice pop and get a taste of all the flavors together. Additionally, it makes for a more beautiful visual as well!
And since they are made with real fruit and fruit juice, they are all dairy free and vegan friendly. The debuting flavors are as follows:
- Three-In-One - (Mango, Orange and Strawberry) This was inspired by the classic yellow-and-orange ice pop from the 80s which was one of our head sorbetero's most cherished childhood food memories. This Fruitsicle is his tribute to that, adding his own stamp with a third layer of strawberry to make it a triple treat!
- Citrus Carnivale - (Calamansi, Dalandan, Lemon and Orange) We wanted to do an east-west fusion by matching together Pinoy and Western citrus. By savoring each layer separately you can appreciate the differences between lemon & calamansi, and dalandan and orange.
- Berrylicious - (Strawberry, Blackberry, Raspberry, Blueberry) We've gone on record several times about how berries are our head sorbetero's favorite fruit after mangoes, and this Ice Pop is the latest manifestation of that berry bias. He couldn't decide which berry to use, so he decided to use all of them.
The Fruitsicle Ice Pops will be available at sebastiansicecream.com for pick-up and delivery beginning this Friday, May 6.
Solenn Heussaff recommends Psyllium fiber
C-Lium Fibre, a Psyllium fiber supplement, underscores the benefits of Psyllium fiber in its 2022 campaign that tackles the importance of gut health in achieving overall wellness.
Sourced from the Plantago ovata’s seeds, Psyllium fiber has two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble Fiber helps remove excess fat, sugar, and bad cholesterol, while insoluble fiber gently sweeps them out of the digestive system. With these actions, Psyllium fiber helps cleanse the body of wastes and toxins and relieves constipation. It also aids.in lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and assists in weight management along with proper diet and exercise.
Psyllium Fiber also feeds the gut's good bacteria (also known as probiotics), which support the immune system. Given all these benefits especially to the gut which helps prevent certain chronic diseases, Psyllium fiber plays a key role in achieving overall health and wellness.
Although fiber can be found in natural food sources, it is usually a challenge to get the required 25 grams we need daily. To supplement your daily fiber requirement, there‘s C-Lium Fibre in regular husk and capsule formats. It is made from 100% natural psyllium with no preservatives and no artificial colors. Psyllium fiber is best taken at the start of the day, thus the brand’s message of “starting every day right." It can be taken before or during breakfast.
Fitness enthusiast, artist, and mother of one Solenn Heussaff, who has been taking C-Lium Fibre long before she became an endorser, could not agree more on the benefits of fiber supplementation and on taking it at the onset of each day. The multi-faceted fitness enthusiast said: “Because I am always doing so many different things, I do my best to be healthy." Heusaff added: “Adding psyllium fiber to my daily diet promotes gut care, which is essential to my overall health."
The brand is available in all major drugstores nationwide and at PascualLab’s flagship Shopee and Lazada stores. It comes in capsule and husk formats as well as in flavored variants (mango, dalandan and pineapple).
Good news for moms of fur babies
Did you know that owning a dog in the Philippines roughly costs P12,000 to P50,000 in a year? This means providing the right essentials like food, regular check-ups with your vet, grooming, but also preparing for contingencies. But whether you’re an experienced pet parent or a newly christened one, taking care of another living being can take a big chunk out of your finances. As a responsible pet owner, you need to plan ahead for what your fur baby might need because the commitment to look after them is long term.
But fret not — in a time where one can avail of services with just a tap or a click, you can also keep your pet (and your finances) ready for whatever happens so you have one less thing to worry about. Founded by pet parents with a similar dilemma, Life By Petto is the first app-based, pet health plan service that provides affordable subscriptions to support health and wellness services from partner veterinarians, clinics and hospitals within Metro Manila.
Life by Petto aims to provide preventive and quality care for your pets, especially since there is a gap in the local market for pet health and wellness services—despite the massive increase in pet owners in recent years. For only P1,200 a month, you can get Life by Petto’s basic health plan that covers your pet’s primary health and wellness needs including diagnostics, vaccines, common illnesses and accidents — services that most pets and their owners would greatly benefit from.
Want more customized coverage? My Petto Plan Add-ons also let owners top-up their basic plan to cover additional services including minor to major surgeries like dental or spay/neuter services, cancer treatment, hospitalization, and other non-common illnesses. Life by Petto accepts cats and dogs from three months onwards, no matter the breed (yes, aspins and puspins included!), and as long as they’re in good health upon registration.
Through the app, you can customize the plan you want for your fur-babies (and yes you can get multi-pet plans!), manage your balance, check available vet clinics, and file claims whenever and wherever you are.
Izakaya treat for mom
Mitasu Yakiniku in Banawe, Quezon City offers acoustic music with the launch of Izakaya Nights every Tuesday.
“We want to target the young crowd who wants to drink and who likes music while eating yakiniku and yakitori. We came up with the idea to launch the Izakaya Night which features our own yakitori as well as Japanese ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages and Japanese beers,” Karla Bernales, Fredley Group Marketing Manager shared.
Guests can grill tableside different meats and enjoy alcoholic beverages while an acoustic band serenades them for a relaxing atmosphere.
Bacon goodness
The world is becoming a busier place, and people don’t just want to snack more — they want to snack better. Baken is now in the country to transform your snack and meal-times into an experience like no other.
From quirky product spin-offs to fun recipes, our bacon snacks are the ultimate all-rounder. They are also a perfect medley of sweet, savory and meaty flavors.
It all started because of the company’s love for the best ingredient in the world: bacon. It led them embarking on a quest to create the perfect bacon crisp and, after years of mad experimenting in the kitchen. These are not your typical pork rinds, jerky, or bacon-flavored potato chips. The snack is the real thing — cooked to crunchy perfection, and made with 100% real bacon and no artificial substitutes.
Baken is spearheaded by two empowered female entrepreneurs, Rachel Carrasco and Kelly Parreño who changed the game of snacking - with the intention and purpose of making our lives happier during these trying times.
Spread summer vibes
Made with Ube-flavored shaved ice over nata de coco, langka, and beans topped with leche flan and cornflakes, Kuya J's Ube Halo-Halo is a must-try.
Likewise, available via dine-in, takeout and delivery (www.central.ph/eats, Grabfood, Foodpanda and Pick-A-Roo) is Kuya J's Espesyal Halo-Halo - milky-smooth ice over nata de coco, beans, langka, topped with leche flan and cornflakes.
Melai’s sari-sari store
When actress-comedian and "Pinoy Big Brother" 2009 winner Melai Cantiveros-Francisco was asked at her PBB audition what business she had dreamed to start at her hometown GenSan, she immediately answered sari-sari store. Three years later, Melai has fulfilled an even bigger dream — instead of building her own sari-sari store, she is now empowering these MSMEs as the ambassador of GrowSari.
GrowSari, a tech-enabled B2B platform that supports small physical retail stores in the Philippines, including sari-sari stores, carinderias, pharmacies, and other roadside and market shops, provides these MSMEs access to a wide range of products at distributor prices and equips them with convenient tools to grow and maximize their earnings. The company has completed its Series C funding with global marquee investors, bringing the total funding to USD 110 million to extend its lead in the B2B and MSME space in the Philippines and improve the financial services of the application.
“I had no hesitations at all because maganda ang vision and mission ng GrowSari—to help Filipinos start or improve their businesses in an easy way with extensive digital support. I am proud and honored to be their representative kasi pwede itong maging stepping stone for a lot of Filipinos na magkaroon ng magandang buhay,” Melai enthuses when asked about her partnership with GrowSari.
Growing up in the province, Melai recalls the time she and her family had to resort to buying ingredients for their daily meals from the neighborhood sari-sari store, having nothing to spare beyond the basic necessities at that time.
“Kung ano lang ang kakainin namin sa araw o sa meal na ‘yon, ‘yon lang ang bibilhin namin—pa-isa-isang kilo ng bigas, isang takal ng tuyo, suka, at iba pa,” Melai reveals.
Summer refreshments
Juice brand Tang is giving new meaning to what a snack looks like with the launch of its new Fruit & Veg beverages and Gummies line. These new launches are in response to changing consumer needs due to the pandemic and the new normal. With these exciting snack offerings, Tang aims to further cement its leadership in the powdered beverage category and gain a foothold in the growing gummy snacks segment.
In the wake of the pandemic’s immense impact on the world, consumers are reassessing what snacking looks like, tastes like, and what it means to them in the context of their altered lives. According to the 3rd Annual State of Snacking Report, an overwhelming 79% of people surveyed said that their definition of what a snack is has evolved over the last 3 years. In addition, more people - 89% in fact, say that they imagine there will be more snack options to choose from in the next 3 years.
People surveyed attest that the snacks they are eating now are different from the ones they consumed 3 years ago. The State of Snacking Report is an annual survey conducted by Tang manufacturer Mondelez International, The Harris Poll and Next Atlas. The survey aims to understand people’s changing behaviors around snacking.
Strawberry ice cream for mom
Strawberry Ice Cream is the 3rd most popular Ice Cream flavor in the world, and the original fruit ice cream. From a technical standpoint, it's tricky to work with juice-based fruits because the water content can make the batch icy and recipes have to compensate for it. It's for this reason that we wanted to delve deeper into Strawberries and explore as many preparations as we could.
Enter Sebastian's Strawberry Summer Collection, all made with real Strawberries, no artificial flavors or flavors. The collection is composed of three scoop/Pint flavors (2 preexisting & 1 brand new), a Chilly Burger, a Dive Bar & an Ice Cream Cake. This summer, Sebastian's is turning a delicious shade of Strawberry pink.
Strawberry Ice Cream with a chocolate fudge ripple and miniature chocolate truffles filled with strawberry compote.
A brand-new flavor made for this collection, we wanted to capture the experience of a fresh strawberry dipped in chocolate. The challenge was to get concentrated strawberry flavor in a tiny morsel, so we made a strawberry compote that we froze and cut into tiny cubes, then covered it in milk chocolate. We then layered them carefully into our Strawberry Ice Cream and added a ribbon of chocolate fudge to augment the strawberry-chocolate flavor pairing. Enclosed is a small sample of the miniature strawberry-filled chocolate truffles for you to enjoy!
The brand’s ode to the classic Strawberry Ice Cream, they wanted to do our own version and fit in as much strawberry goodness as possible. We made a rich Strawberry Ice Cream to which we added more strawberries as it spun in the batch freezer and when it was done, layered in a concentrated Strawberry Sorbet to add that bit of tartness to the rich Ice Cream. Sorbet and Ice Cream in one scoop.
The Chilly Burger is their most popular frozen novelty and they wanted to include one into the collection. They made their strawberry cookie by blending in dried strawberries into the cookie batter. The brand adds in some white chocolate chips and garnish it with freezer-dried strawberries on top for color.
For dessert lovers who love Ice Cream bars, they made a layered Ice Cream bar with Strawberry Ice Cream and strawberry compote, which then hand-dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with freeze-dried strawberries. Enjoy frozen strawberry goodness on the go.
The Strawberry Summer Collection is available in Sebastian's The Podium and via sebastiansicecream.com.
Beware of fake inks
With fake printer inks becoming rampant in the market, consumers have become susceptible to buying inks that do not come with assurance from printer manufacturers. Epson Philippines, one of the leading manufacturers of efficient, compact, precise, and sustainable printers in the country, warns the public to be cautious against fake inks as they can ultimately damage one’s printer.
To raise general awareness and help combat the proliferation of non-genuine inks, Epson Philippines has developed a new hologram sticker for its ink bottles that will help customers easily identify genuine inks from fake ones. The recently launched hologram stickers that are installed on the boxes of Epson genuine inks now come with more security features to indicate the authenticity of Epson products.
Customers purchasing Epson inks can now easily verify whether the product is genuine or not in just a few easy steps, made possible through the new hologram sticker’s temperature sensitivity and light source image features. Rubbing one section of the new sticker several times will show it is fading as the temperature rises due to the heat caused by friction. With the use of light, customers can make the word “Epson” appear on a different part of the new hologram sticker.
Boost for moms' immunity
Our battle with the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over even with the recent shift to alert level 1. Just when we thought we had seen the worst with the Delta outbreak, along came the Omicron variant that set record high COVID cases in the country.
Thousands of people particularly from NCR reported flu-like symptoms such as fever, headache, and body pain, causing general alarm with demands for antigen tests and home care remedies reaching astronomical proportions.
Fortunately, the Omicron variant proved to be more manageable as most people were able to recover at home, but that doesn’t mean that we should let our guard down. Even with the lowering of COVID-19 alert level and lifting of restrictions, it is still best to practice minimum health and safety protocols such as wearing face mask and frequent hand washing or sanitizing.
Health experts also advise taking medications to curb the risk of developing severe illness and avoid hospitalization. Good thing Naproxen Sodium (Sarimax) is an over-the-counter medicine that can address flu-like symptoms such as headache, fever, and body pain associated with COVID-19 infection. Naproxen Sodium (Sarimax) is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug that offers relief for fever and pains.
Taking Naproxen Sodium (Sarimax) is advisable since its use had been studied and approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC). In a scientific brief released in April 2020, WHO stated that there is no evidence of severe adverse effects on the use of Naproxen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in addressing COVID-19 symptoms.
Level-up your breakfast with mom
As the first meal of the day, eating breakfast helps kickstart your body and your mood. It has always been an integral part of Philippine culture. Local cuisine is not complete without the Filipino breakfast, with the simple but versatile pandesal as its most iconic staple.
A breakfast prepared by family or a loved one is a sign of love and care. This is because a satisfying Filipino breakfast not only fills your tummy; it can also put a smile on your face and put you in good spirits.
Unfortunately, Filipinos are also recently more inclined to skip breakfast, either due to the heavy demands of day-to-day life or the misconception that a good breakfast is fussy and difficult to prepare.
Preparing a full meal at the start of the day can seem like a task daunting for many, given the responsibilities an average Filipino has to accomplish on a daily basis. This isn’t surprising. A 2021 study has named Manila as one of the most stressful cities in the world, for instance.
Nutella, the popular hazelnut cocoa spread, has always aimed to help Filipinos start their day with happiness. Until May, Nutella will be offering a series of new "Good Morning" label jars.
The new, limited-edition Nutella ‘Good Morning’ packs are Nutella jars with its label replaced with positive and joyful messages to help remind Filipinos to start the day better.
The Nutella ‘Good Morning’ pack phrases—namely, “Tara, Breakfast!”, “Good Morning!”, “Musta?”, and “Gandang Umaga!”—are good reminders for you and your loved ones to start the day on a sweet note.
Available in most grocery chain stores nationwide, the limited-edition Nutella jars are also a good way to greet and express your love, a way to share the gift of a good morning with a good breakfast. It is a perfect gift to friends and loved ones.
To make your mornings even more exciting, Nutella is launching a limited edition Bread box in collaboration with Wildflour Café + Bakery. The box is designed in the shape of the brand's jar and contains copetta packs, a bread spreader, and a number of popular Widlflour Café + Bakery baked goods to help turn your breakfast into a special meal. Sending the bread box to your friends or your loved ones is also a subtle way to let them know you care for them. The box is available at Widlflour Café + Bakery or via www.wildflourtogo.com.
Mother's Day cake
Honeybon Cakes officially launched its Mother's Day cake on May 1. Honeybon’s Pistachio Nougat Cake showcases the brand’s unique way of turning classic flavors into new and exciting creations. It has multiple layers of subtly sweet and crispy-on-the-outside-and-chewy-inside meringue with nougat and crushed pistachios in between two layers of classic vanilla chiffon cake. The cake is then covered with vanilla whipped cream dotter with crushed pistachios. The entire cake is then crowned with even more crushed pistachios for a delightful finish.
It will be available at Honeybon stores in SM Megamall and Festival Mall Alabang, as well as for online orders via www.honeybon.ph.
Buttery biscuits
Popeyes just launched a new product recently — Fluffy Pancakes! Also, if you love the Southern goodness of Popeyes fried chicken, then you know the joys of enjoying it with their flaky, buttery biscuits.
But for the past couple of months, fans of the Louisiana-born fast food chain have been living a biscuit-less existence. While Popeyes’ fried chicken is perfectly glorious on its own, we all know biscuits take the dining experience to the next level. Drizzle some honey on it and it’s the perfect sweet and salty combo that always hits the spot. Its subtle sweetness brilliantly compliments Popeyes’ bonafide Cajun flavors — capturing the irresistible charm of the American South.
If you’ve ever wondered what brought about the disappearance of Popeyes’ biscuits, you’re definitely not alone. Alien abduction? Not likely, unless extraterrestrial beings love buttery goodness, too. Are they using their biscuits to pay for gas? Not impossible, since gas is the new gold. Are the biscuits in recluse, working on their beach bodies? We don’t think so; biscuits know summer is around the corner, but they also adore all shapes and sizes. Or is someone messing with the space-time continuum which affected the biscuit supply in the Philippines?
All Popeyes restaurants are now serving crisp-on-the-outside, buttery-on-the-inside biscuits! Diners can once again enjoy Popeyes’ signature biscuit variants — Honey, White Chocolate, and Hazelnut — for dine-in, take-out, or delivery via www.central.ph or GrabFood.
Prevent nerve damage
"Pamamanhid," "tusok-tusok" and "pangangalay." If you’ve experienced any of these, you’re not alone. 99% of Filipinos in Metro Manila also experience at least one of the three common symptoms of nerve damage or neuropathy.
These were the startling findings from a 2020 consumer study conducted by P&G Health among 240 Filipinos in Metro Manila aged 35 to 65 years old on the symptoms of neuropathy. The survey also revealed that seven out of ten respondents did not know what neuropathy was, and were more familiar with its common name, nerve damage.
Neuropathy is a clinical condition where there is damage to the nerves caused by deficiency of B vitamins. It is most common among those who perform repetitive movements for a prolonged period, and put stress on their arms, hands, legs, or feet. It is also frequent among those with diabetes and other degenerative diseases. Genetics and lifestyle could be predisposing factors.
Majority of respondents started experiencing the symptoms of neuropathy between 36 to 40 years old. Around 94% felt pangangalay or muscle weakness, 90% had that tusok-tusok sensation or tingling, 94% had pamamanhid or numbness on their hands and feet, while 85% experienced all three.
Most of the respondents who had their fair share of the symptoms dismissed these, thinking that these were caused just by tiredness or being overworked.
To relieve their symptoms, most of them did stretching exercises, went for a massage, or took a pill, usually painkillers. Some of them even explored home remedies such as drinking herbal teas. However, 90% of the respondents said that none of what they tried stopped the recurrence of symptoms. There were also those who tried generic B-vitamins, but only 51% said it helped in resolving the discomforts they feel.
Without relief for their symptoms, the respondents had difficulty doing tasks at home, simple chores became much harder to do, and their performance at work were even affected.
This emphasizes the importance of early detection and diagnosis of neuropathy. Under normal conditions, nerves repair naturally through nerve regeneration (Hoke, 2011). However, this is only possible if less than 50% of the fibers of the nerve tissue is damaged. Otherwise, this is called “point of no return” by experts.
Binge-watch with mom
SKYcable brings a world of new discoveries and the wonders of Mother Earth closer to Filipino home viewers as it introduces two new cable channels on its HD Plans with Global Trekker and Love Nature 4K.
Both channels offer engaging and inspiring content highlighting Earth's beauty—from the diverse animal kingdom, series of natural phenomena, captivating destinations to the marvels of human society.
Home viewers are in for a treat with an array of informative and entertaining shows about our world on Global Trekker, such as All The Food In All The World, Eco Eye, If We Built It Today and documentaries about personalities including Adele, Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates. Asia's newest multi-genre factual entertainment channel is now airing on SKYcable HD Ch. 200.
Meanwhile, get closer to nature on Love Nature 4K in crisp high-definition, and in native 4K resolution via the SKY EVO box starting April 1 (Friday) on SKYcable HD Ch. 196. The channel offers a variety of programs like Malawi Wildlife Rescue Season 2, Orangutan Jungle School Season 2, Attack and Defend, and The Accidental Wilderness: Europe's Everglades, capturing every astonishing detail in the highest quality imaginable.
Connect with the world even further and elevate your all-around viewing experience at home with SKYcable's newest additions, Global Trekker and Love Nature 4K, currently available in Mega Manila areas on SKYcable and SKY Fiber + HD Cable TV plans.
Cooling with yogurt
Koomi, Manila’s favorite natural drinking yogurt originating from Australia, officially welcomes the summer season with five new deliciously healthy drinks that will make you want to try them all. Koomikadas are in for a treat as these new refreshing drinks are the perfect way to beat the summer heat.
Their five new yogurt drink flavors, with Koomi’s signature fun and witty names, include Berry Kiwissable, Tropic Like It’s Hot, Lemon Bee The One, It Takes Passion to Mango, and Kitkat You Outta My Head.
Fans of sweet and tangy drinks may enjoy Berry Kiwissable, perfectly made to balance out the strawberry's sweetness with the tartness of kiwi. Want a simple yet healthier option? Lemon Bee The One is the way to go – with the classic lemon plus honey combo.
Tropic Like It’s Hot is a refreshing taste of sunshine made with dragon fruit, apple, and orange. For an indulgent drink, KitKat You Outta My Head is a classic blend for chocolate lovers that will make you want to have a break this summer. Last but definitely not the least, It Takes Passion To Mango is made with passion fruit bits and ripe mangoes, for that perfect sweet and citrusy blend.
Some fun add-ons that you may have with your drink include Koomi’s signature sticky purple rice, chewy sinkers, jelly, fruits, nuts, oats, and many more. You may also customise your drink’s sweetness level.
Salted egg chicken delights
We all love a classic roasted chicken. But once in a while, don’t we just look for an egg-citing twist and flavors to our favorite roasted chicken?
Taste the egg-ceptional newest offering of Kenny Rogers Roasters: Salted Egg Roast, Unfried Fried Chicken, & Unfried Fried Chicken Bun — your all-time favorite Kenny’s dishes, which are elevated with special salted egg flavors to make everyone egg-static with every bite.
Available at all Kenny Rogers Roasters stores nationwide starting April 25, customers can enjoy the rich taste of Salted Egg Roast, which is marinated in special herbs and spices, and garnished with the deliciously addicting salted egg powder and salted egg sauce.
Looking for a healthier option? The new offering also comes in Salted Egg Unfried Fried Chicken, which is cooked through an oven with circulating hot air and is not deep fried! The result: crispy skin, juicier meat and no excess oil used in the cooking process as it used the chicken’s natural oil.
Making it taste even better is the generous coating of Salted Egg powder served with Salted Egg sauce. Have it as a filling snack with the Salted Egg Unfried Fried Chicken Bun: chicken fillet packed with tomato, lettuce, and onion. Fillet is tossed with salted egg powder and salted egg sauce, sandwiched in between two wheat buns.
Brownies overload
Just when you thought you’ve already had the best brownies in town, Brownies Unlimited’s Premium Brownies are here to change your mind. Their classic, regular-sized brownies in various flavors have always been a crowd favorite among Filipino families. And now with a bigger and fudgier premium brownie selection, it becomes the perfect sweet treat for gifting to family or friends — and even for yourself.
The Premium Brownies are double the size of the regular brownies and use a more premium brownie base. It comes in four delectable flavors and real ingredients including the bestseller Strawberry Sherbet, a delicious brownie topped with strawberry-infused chocolate icing and swirls of strawberry jam.
They also have Caramel Pecan which is an indulgent brownie topped with delicious whole pecan nuts drizzled with caramel sauce, as well as the Cookies and Cream flavor, their chewy brownie base layered with Oreo cookies and topped with a mix of chocolate cream and crushed Oreo bits.
To complete the premium collection, they also have Ultimate Fudge which is another, more delicious take on a chocolate brownie. This time, with chocolate filling and chocolate ganache topping and drizzled with dark and white chocolate sauces.
Bonding with mom and Spongebob
Kids are in for another nautical adventure with SpongeBob, Patrick, Squidward, and friends in their fun summer camp journey during their childhood days in the all-new animated series "Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years" on Nickelodeon via SKYcable.
The series is the first original spinoff prequel to the iconic Nickelodeon show "SpongeBob SquarePants," featuring the younger years of SpongeBob and how he became friends with Patrick Star, Squidward Tentacles, Sandy Cheeks, Mr. Krabs, Plankton, and more in summer camp.
Before SpongeBob's cozy pineapple home in Bikini Bottom and the world-famous Krabby Patty from The Krusty Krab, there was Kamp Koral and their wacky summer holiday of building underwater bonfires, catching jellyfish, searching for deep-sea treasure, swimming in Lake Yuckymuck, making new friends, and more exciting summer camp adventures.
Beat the summer heat and dive under the sea with SpongeBob and his friends in their fun summer camp experience in "Kamp Koral: SpongeBob's Under Years," now airing Mondays to Fridays, 5:30 PM only on Nickelodeon via SKYcable Ch. 45 in Mega Manila and Ch. 105 in regional areas.
A mega way to celebrate moms
Enjoy your "Mega" favorites the mega way. Mega Sardines, Mega Tuna and other Mega Prime products such as canned fish, vegetables and fruits; frozen goods, beverages, condiments, noodles and snacks are now available at the new Megamart.ph. The new e-commerce site aims to allow you to conveniently shop for the brand's products at the comfort of your home while making you enjoy special offers and share with communities in need.
Soothe, care and protect your baby’s skin
When it comes to changing your baby’s diaper, you can probably do it with your eyes closed. And while you’ve got the routine down to an art by now, you still wonder if there are solutions to your concerns when it comes to nappy care. What’s causing the dryness or irritation in your baby’s skin, could it be the products that you’re using, or maybe the way you change their diaper?
Last April 26, Bepanthen Baby Philippines held a private media launch to discuss the importance of our babies’ skin health and how to take care of it, given its sensitivity. During the PR Launch, Bepanthen Baby Ointment was introduced as a way to keep your baby’s diaper area soothed, protected and cared for. The event, hosted by mom Roxanne Montealegre, was joined by Vanessa Zamora, Dermatology Marketing Manager of Bepanthen Philippines and Country Medical Lead For Bayer Consumer Health, Dr. Leah Manio along with actress and mom of three, Nadine Samonte and mommy blogger Ciara Magallanes, also known as Mommy Diaries PH.
To start off the program, Dr. Leah Manio spoke about our babies’ skin health. She highlighted the importance of taking care of our babies’ skin health as babies have thinner and more permeable skin barrier because they are still developing. Dr. Leah also shed light on how exposure to wetness and poop for an extended time and chafing from ill-fitting diapers could get babies’ skin barrier damaged and cause skin irritation.
With these challenges, mommy guests Ciara and Nadine were quick to share their experiences in handling skin irritation and how heartbreaking it is to see their babies in discomfort because of this. Mommy Ciara shared that “it’s amazing how our babies taught us how to be a parent” as challenges such as handling skin irritation are always a learning experience for every mom. Mommy Nadine also echoed Ciara’s sentiment, “every day is a learning experience on how to parent your child as each child is different.”
Understanding the challenge, Doc. Leah shared some tips on how to deal with skin irritation in our babies’ diaper area. Nappy care doesn’t need to be complicated. Make nappy care easy and worry-free for you and your baby with Bepanthen Baby Ointment. It has Triple Action formula that soothes, cares, and protects your baby’s diaper area. With the help of Dexpanthenol, Bepanthen Baby Ointment penetrates the skin to enhance the regeneration of your baby’s skin cells.
It soothes your baby’s diaper area, especially if it’s prone to dryness or chafing. As a mom, you would have probably wondered why your child was crying, only to find out that it was because of a wet diaper and irritated skin. When you solve the root cause of the discomfort of your baby, they will hopefully also be less fussy.
It also cares for your baby’s skin, keeping the diaper area hydrated, and lessening the possibility of irritation or skin damage.
Lastly, it protects from irritants in a gentle yet effective way. In comparison to products with Zinc Oxide, Bepanthen Baby keeps friction lower and forms an effective lipid barrier that is breathable ensuring optimal hydration levels in the skin. Products with Zinc Oxide has the tendency to dry out and crack over time, while Bepanthen Baby Ointment's protective barrier stays intact for at least 10 hours* with the flexibility needed for active babies.
Suitable for babies’ delicate and fragile skin, Bepanthen Baby Ointment is fragrance and colorant free and contains no preservatives or parabens. It is also hypoallergenic, making it possible for those with sensitive skin to use it, or lessening the chances of your baby getting an allergic reaction from using it. Try Bepanthen Baby Ointment available in drugstores nationwide and on Lazada and Shopee.
Alice Dixson’s choice
WellGreens, Pascual Laboratories Inc.’s premium and certified organic natural food supplement brand advocates self-love this pandemic by encouraging people to go beyond natural with healthier choices via its 2022 campaign “Go Beyond Natural! Choose Premium and Certified Organic.”
In these times, self-love, specifically caring for one’s health has been key to surviving and thriving. Food supplements, such as vitamins and herbal products, have become the new must-haves in people’s daily nutrition. WellGreens doesn’t just believe in sourcing products naturally but in going certified organic. The PascualLab brand is not only natural, with ingredients found in the environment; WellGreens takes it further as it undergoes stringent processes that subscribe to industry-approved farming and production, and high manufacturing standards, making it certified organic.
WellGreens’ ingredients are mostly derived from one of the largest organic-certified farms in the Philippines, Leonie Agri Corp. (LAC). With EU-based certifying organization Control Union’s stamp of approval, the farm has both EU and USDA organic certifications. Aside from these, LAC is also certified for Good Agricultural Practices by the Department of Agriculture.
WellGreens products which include Sinta, Lagundi – Cuban Oregano, Malunggay, Mangosteen-Malunggay, and Ampalaya are harvested, processed, and manufactured through a stringent 13-step process.
Sinta or Andrographis Paniculata is known in folklore as an herb that benefits type 2 diabetes - the variant caused by lifestyle choices. Clinical studies attest to this and Sinta’s many health benefits – aside from helping reduce blood sugar, it also relieves upper respiratory tract infections.? Moreover, it has anti-inflammatory properties that can help manage certain inflammatory conditions.
Alice Dixson, launched as WellGreens’ brand ambassador last year, reaffirms her commitment to loving oneself through healthy choices by going beyond her comfort zone. Known to live a healthy lifestyle, Dixson is not one to go easy on her routine, and with it she makes sure to incorporate preventive food supplements into her diet.
Dixson said: “I started living a healthier lifestyle as part of self-love so I can pursue more of my passions. At my age, I need to keep myself going by complementing my already healthy choices with food supplements that go beyond their natural goodness."
