Play to Learn at Hope Christian High School‘s Pre-School Program

We tend to think of pre-school education as nothing more than supervised play, but  pre-school education has lasting effects. According to research done by W. Steven Barnett, Ph.D. at the National Institute for Early Education Research Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in  2008: “Well-designed preschool education programs produce long-term improvements in school success, including higher achievement test scores, lower rates of grade repetition and special education, and higher educational attainment.” 

At Hope Christian High School’s Preschool, it’s more accurate to call it intelligent play.  Children learn cognitive skills and concepts through play activities.  Young children develop their big muscles and gross motor skills through indoor and outdoor play. Play experiences also allow children to learn cooperative play, sharing, taking turns, and to follow rules and instructions among others. Math and Science concepts are learned through manipulative materials, self-discovery and exploration of their environment.

Educational Field Trips are also part of the curriculum and expose the children to learning and discovery outside the classroom. For example, children get to experience life at a farm and see farm animals up close.  Preschool programs should be designed to develop all aspects of a child’s social and emotional development.

Hope Christian High School’s Pre-School puts a strong emphasis on Christian values and follows an international curriculum. They have seven learning centers that use both English and Chinese instruction. They keep the teacher-student ratio small to be able to attend to the needs of individual students. The school boasts of fully air-conditioned classrooms and facilities, an outdoor playground and an indoor playroom, a gymnasium, and a daycare program.

Apart from acquiring the basic skills in reading, writing and arithmetic, the school believes it is never too early to teach values of love and respect for one’s parents, respect for the feelings of others, and to develop healthy habits.

The foundation of a good education starts with play.

Visit their facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/Hope.Christian.High.School. For more details and information, please visit the website at http://www.hchs.edu.ph.


Hope Christian High School is located at 1242 Benavidez St., Sta. Cruz
Manila, you may contact at (+632) 310-8071 to 75.

Priva partners with the ChicDriven Women Empowerment Expo

Priva Assistant Product Manager Karole Santos, Chic Driven Co-Founder Issa Litton, blogger Denise Heredia, Tessa Prieto-Valdes and Phoemela Baranda at the Priva booth

It was an afternoon of fun and information as Priva partners with ChicDriven Women Empowerment Expo last July 16 and 17 and gathered a powerhouse cast of women, like Sharleen Cu-Unjieng of Mustela, Aisa Mijeno of Salt, and Go Negosyo Awardee Michelle Fontelera of ZenZest to share their best advice on to what makes women happy in different aspect of their lives. The event was hosted by Ms.Gelli Victor.

The modern-day woman does not settle for anything less than perfect. From her style, to her look, down to every single detail there is to notice about her, she likes to take things up a notch. When it comes to her personal care products, she expects the same level up. Her intimate care needs are no different. In fact, Priva is made precisely for the woman who wants more—and gets it! From the makers of pH Care, the Priva line is the advanced whitening feminine wash used for everyday care of the modern-day woman’s intimate area with added benefits that specifically address her needs.

The expo was exactly the venue that drew Priva women together: the ones who aspire for more and want to level up. With the “chic driven” woman in mind, the expo intended to “share, inspire, and empower women to truly have it all.” Since Priva‘s latest variant, Perfect Care 2-in-1, highlights that same unbridled and uncompromised need of women to enjoy perfect intimate care, it came in as the perfect partner for the ChicDriven Women Empowerment Expo.

Theta healer, makeup artist and life coach NingTadena; athlete, model and doctor Ian Banzon and fashion writer, stylist and Cosmopolitan Fashion Director Donna Pita at the Priva booth

The ChicDriven Women Empowerment Expo was packed with activities, booths, and workshops all intended to help women amplify the awesomeness in their Priva lives. Part of the exciting lineup of FREE seminars at the ChicDriven Women Empowerment Expo wasa special segment “How To Attract The (Perfect) Life and Love You Want” held last Sunday afternoon, July 17. A powerhouse cast of women, like Sharleen Cu-Unjieng of Mustela, Aisa Mijeno of Salt, and Go Negosyo Awardee Michelle Fontelera of ZenZest all shared their top tips for becoming your own boss. This was immediately followed by a detailed Priva how-to with Image Consultant, Theta Healer, and NLP Practitioner Ning Tadena, where she shared her expert insights for manifesting and attracting your dream life…and dream man. Model, triathlete, and doctor Ian Banzon and happily married celebrity fashion stylist Donna Cuna-Pita joined Tadena in running through the requisites for making your dream a reality.

The Priva booth at the expo was equally as exciting. Aside from being able to pick up your own stash of Priva goodies there, the booth also came with an interactive afternoon module that pushed women to step out from the shadows and into their own limelight through an interactive GIF activity. It was a testament to the fact that Priva supports overall women confidence and empowerment.

Priva is able to satisfy exactly what women want and need precisely because it also stops at nothing short of giving go-getters perfect intimate care. Tested by OB-Gynecologists to be safe and effective for everyday use, Priva is formulated with tried-and-tested ingredients that provide noticeable whitening and smoothening results in as early as 7 days. Plus, it has RevitaCoolTM, which provides a refreshing feeling with every wash.

From the ranks of the ultra-popular Priva  Skin Lightening and Cooling Intimate Wash with glutathione (pink) and Priva Skin Firming and Cooling Intimate Wash with collagen and KwaoKrua (blue), comes Priva's most advanced variant to date for the even more meticulous maven. The NEW! Priva Perfect Care 2-in-1 Intimate Wash(gold) is the first multi-benefit feminine wash specially formulated with glutathione to help lighten dark skin areas and collagen to improve the smoothness of the skin. It provides leveled-up confidence because of its multi-faceted approach of addressing these specific and sophisticated intimate care needs. It is definitely made for the “chic driven” woman.Now, women can truly “have it all.”

The NEW! Priva Perfect Care 2-in-1 Intimate Wash is available in 60mL (P69.00) and 150mL (P149.00), and is available in leading supermarkets and beauty stores nationwide.

There's a New Forever Love with Jollibee's Sweet-Spicy BBQ Burger Steak!

What is your favorite food to order at Jollibee? When Im with the kid, my Finn loves (a loyalist,actually) Jollibee Chicken Joy and Pineapple Juice as his to-go drink.  Mine is palabok and large fries. Best food partner ever. Try it with their chocolate sundae. I know I have weird taste buds to begin with. When Im super "tom jones"(hungry)   I always order for Jollibee Burger Steak with spaghetti, sarap araw arawin since it was endorsed last year by #TeamReal #JaDine.

The good news is that there’s a new Forever Love that will capture the hearts of Burger Steak fans and Team #JaDine fans as well, as they have the new TVC rolling on July 16 with the NEW Jollibee Sweet-Spicy BBQ Burger Steak!

The NEW Sweet-Spicy BBQ Burger Steak is made with 100% pure beef patty topped with Sweet-Spicy BBQ sauce and  corn kernels. Served with steamed rice.


The Jollibee Burger Steak has always been a hit among Pinoys of all ages and has included numerous celebrities—such as hot young stars James Reid and Nadine Lustre—among its fans and loyal endorsers.

“The NEW Sweet-Spicy BBQ Burger Steak is just one of the product innovations we are launching this year,” said Francis E. Flores, Jollibee Global Chief Marketing Officer and Philippine Head of Marketing. “We always strive to develop products that represent the myriad of flavors that Pinoys love.”

This new product innovation is a result of Jollibee’s commitment to create better dining and flavor experiences to its customers.

Product is officially available in all Jollibee stores for dine-in, take-out, drive-thru, and delivery starting Friday, July 15, 2016.





The NEW Jollibee Sweet- Spicy BBQ Burger Steak is available for both 1 pc solo at P50 and 1 pc value meal at P55. Jollibee is also offering this new product with 2 pc Solo at P80 and 2 pc Value Meal at P85 (prices may vary according to store location).

Join your favourite HISTORY stars at the HISTORY Con

Mark your calendar as HISTORY Con, A+E Networks’ HISTORY Asia’s very first-ever convention, will be opening in Manila on August 25. This can’t-miss event is jam-packed with activities and displays that will bring the channel to life and immerse visitors in the HISTORY experience. Like the channel, HISTORY Con will be epic in scale and cover a broad range of genres and interests, with dedicated areas for the paranormal/sci-fi, survival and adventure, motoring, history and culture. The four-day ticketed event will be held at the World Trade Center and will be opened to the public. The convention passes are now available for sale at HistoryAsia.com/HistoryCon.

“We are thrilled to make history with the conception of HISTORY Con, the biggest entertainment convention of its kind, in Manila. HISTORY Con reinvents the way we connect with our local audiences, as an on-ground extension of our brand that offers something for everyone, whether they’re our loyal fans who just can’t get enough of HISTORY, or they’re curious onlookers who are new to our brand. We’re creating an experience beyond the television screen to engage our visitors at a deeper level that allows them to feel, live and see history come alive in an entertaining way,” said Prem Kamath, Deputy Managing Director, A+E Networks Asia.

HISTORY Con will feature a star-studded lineup of popular HISTORY personalities who will make appearances, sign autographs, host talks and conduct workshops. Fans will have the opportunity to meet and mingle with ANCIENT ALIEN’s Giorgio Tsoukalos; STORAGE WARS’ Brandi and Jarrod; GANGLAND UNDERCOVER’S Damon Runyan; PHOTO FACE-OFF’s Justin Mott; and the cast of CELEBRITY CAR WARS, which includes several Filipino celebrities like KC Montero, Joey Mead King and Marc Nelson and professional car driver, Gaby Dela Merced. The latter is HISTORY Asia’s brand-new original production that follows celebrities as they compete in automotive challenges.

Each booth at HISTORY Con will have its own distinct theme that showcases HISTORY’s most popular series, including ANCIENT ALIENS, SWAMP PEOPLE, STORAGE WARS, ALONE, PAWN STARS, COUNTING CARS, LEEPU & PITBULL, RIDE N’ SEEK WITH JAIME DEMPSEY, PHOTO FACE-OFF and CELEBRITY CAR WARS. HISTORY Con will also include the large rally of automobiles from cars, motorcycles and boats, featuring restored classics and customized rides. For history buffs, there will be a section dedicated to historical characters, a Philippines Presidential limousines display, and World War II exhibits.

In addition, visitors can take a 3D experience into our Solar System at the virtual reality booth with Oculus Rift, flex their muscles and take on other strongmen and women at arm wrestling, or get a ringside seat at Muay Thai and boxing demonstrations. Visitors will also be eligible to participate in raffle draws to win fabulous prizes. For the first time, fans will also be able to catch exclusive screenings of premiering HISTORY shows.

Event-goers are also invited to make history by participating in three world-record-breaking attempts at HISTORY Con. One of the Guinness World Records that HISTORY aims to break at the Convention is the record for the longest TV-watching marathon – currently set at 94 hours!



In conjunction with HISTORY Con, local middle school and universities in Metro Manila have been invited to take part in the HISTORY Bee Inter-school Competition, where the winning school will be crowned HISTORY Bee School Champion in Manila. HISTORY will also launch a talent search for HISTORY’s next Digital Host. A separate announcement will be made with further information and entry requirements.

Tickets for HISTORY Con are priced from Php200 onwards and are now on sale online at HistoryAsia.com/HistoryCon. More details and updates about celebrity appearances and other activities will also be available on the HISTORY Con website.

Running is always better with a partner at the 9th Robinsons Supermarket’s Fit and Fun Wellness Buddy Run

Why do we run? Why do more and more people sign up for those expensive fun runs? Why can we wake up very early on a Sunday race day all perky and excited but unable to do so during workweek?

During the prehistoric times, running was a necessity because man has to hunt and chase after our food. You don’t run, you don’t eat and you die.

Before automobiles I guess our ancestors also had to run a bit to get from one place to another—and maybe faster during the wartime to survive.

But nowadays when we can have food without even standing, or just use our fingers to order just about anything we need, is there still a reason to run?

So why do people do something that’s physically and mentally challenging, and occasionally painful, when no one is forcing us and there’s basically no reason why.

You’d probably answer for health reasons but there are a lot of ways to stay healthy and other exercises which you can do without waking up before Mr. Sun does

It was a constant thought that was “running” around my head as I walked, trotted and ran sporadically during the 9th Robinsons Buddy held a couple of weeks ago at the BGC area.

When Robinsons held its 9th Robinsons Supermarket Fit and Fun Wellness Buddy Run, I immediately signed up with a buddy and partner. I remember joining last year with a blogger friend, and ran for 5K.  It was the best fun run yet because I got to the finish line without me realizing it, sweaty but energized.

I was watching all the other runners around me. There were families who were alternating stroller duties to push their sleeping babies along the track, couples who still looked very sleepy and were clearly just forcing themselves to run so as not to disappoint their partner, there were friends who took more photos than steps, and there were also a lot of older people who were probably thankful they could even walk and stretch their legs.

I had my own motivations-- to fit into my old pants and small size dresses again, and maybe shed a few pounds--- although I know that just one run wouldn’t probably do any miracles. 

But as we saw the last 1 km marker and neared the finish line, I realized that while there is no real necessity and while we are not forced to do it, running has become a social activity of sorts, a rather liberating way of escaping the sometimes monotonous and often stressful work schedule.

Thousands ran in pairs for Robinsons Supermarket’s (RSC) 9th Fit and Fun Wellness Buddy Run, held recently at Bonifacio Global City. The annual run hosted by the country’s largest health and wellness supermarket chain was not only attended by recreational runners taking on the journey to a healthier life but also celebrity advocates of the active lifestyle.

The Fit and Fun Wellness Buddy run is testament to RSC’s steadfast commitment to promote a healthier lifestyle among Filipinos.

Power couples graced the run, with Gretchen Ho and Robi Domingo hosting the event, and Coaches Jim and Toni Saret leading the warm-up and post-run cool-down exercises. Around 4,500 runners joined the 5K and 10K races, including triathlete and 28th SEA Games Gold Medalist Nikko Huelgas.

Top finishers each took home exciting prizes. The 2nd and 3rd placers of the 5K run received P8,000 worth of Robinsons gift certificates, while 10K runners  got P15,000 worth of Robinsons GCs. The 1st placer of the 5K run won a 3D/2N trip with accommodations for two to El Nido, Palawan and the 10K winner received a 3D/2N trip for two to Bali, Indonesia with accommodations.

The 9th Fit and Fun Wellness Buddy Run was made possible by RSC’s wellness partners, Nestle Philippines, Johnson & Johnson, Nivea and Fonterra, among others, all of which share RSC’s mission to provide more health and wellness options to Filipinos.

Take on a health and wellness journey with Robinsons Supermarket. Like it on Facebook www.facebook.com/RobinsonsSupermarketOfficial or visit its official website at www.robinsons-supermarket.com.ph to stay updated on the activities that it has in store and learn more about the #ILoveWellness campaign.

Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific draws 3,000 participants from 43 countries!

Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships launches on July 7 at The Shangrila The Fort BGC. Celebrity triathlete Ironman finisher himself, Matteo Guidicelli hosts the event. SEI president Wilfred Uytengsu Jr. and World Class,  Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza and Renowned Filipino industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue graced the launch together with celebrity triathletes.

Kenneth Cobonpue

Close to 3,000 participants from 43 countries, led by very strong lineup of pros, will converge in Cebu on August 7, 2016  for the Cobra Energy Drink Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships presented by Ford at Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa. 

Titleholders Tim Reed and Caroline Steffen will banner a world-class field of 35 professional triathletes that will also feature 2,869 equally determined competitors in the Filipino elite, CEOs, age groups and relay divisions.

Excitement for the prestigious event has been high since it was first announced that Cebu will be the hosting the 2016 Asia Pacific Ironman 70.3 Championship event. The event sold out 2,900 slots in 28 minutes when registration opened in October 2015.

Matteo Guidicelli

Produced and organized by Sunrise Events, Inc. and backed by Cobra Energy Drink as title sponsor, the tournament will offer the biggest prize money ever in the Philippines at $75,000 and the highest points earned.

Piolo Pascual

“We are truly honored to be chosen as host for the Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship, marking the first time that this elite event is held in Asia, outside of Australia and New Zealand,” said SEI president Wilfred Uytengsu Jr.

“On its 5th year in Cebu, the Province will be ready to welcome all the participants and their families with the traditional Cebuano warmth and festivities.” Atty. Mark Tolentino, Provincial Administrator of the Province of Cebu.

Dyan Castillejo

Bubbles Paraiso

At the same time, 50 slots to the 2017 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Chattanooga, Tennessee will be up for grabs, giving participants extra motivation to vie for top honors.

Apl de Ap

Gilbert Remulla

Among the celebrites expected to see action at the Cobra Energy Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championship include Piolo Pascual, Matteo Guidicelli, Paul Jake Castillo, Dingdong Dantes, Gretchen Fullido, Kim Atienza, Apl de Ap, Dyan Castillejo, Ivan Carapiet, Bubbles Paraiso, Xander Angeles, Anthony and Maricel-Laxa Pangilinan, Sara Black, Gilbert Remulla and Wilfred Steven Uytengsu.

Paul Jake Castillo

Kim Atienza

World Class and Renowned Filipino industrial designer Kenneth Cobonpue will once again be crafting the beautiful medals and trophies for the winners.

The event will be aired for the first time via live streaming in 120 countries to over 2 million viewers on www.ironman.com courtesy of Globe Telecoms.

The event presented by Ford, Globe Telecom, Philippine Airlines, Summit Water, 2Go Express (official courier and logistics partner), Asics, Gatorade, Prudential Guarantee, Oakley and Timex and Mactan Resort and Spa, in support of the Department of Tourism, Tourism Promotions Board, Cebu Province, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu City, Mandaue City, and Talisay City.

Ivan Carapiet

Matteo Guidicelli

Other sponsors include, Alaska, David’s Salon, Intercare, Gu Gel, Kenneth Cobonpue, Megaworld Mactan Newtown, Sun Life Financial, and TYR.

Media partners are The Philippine Star, ABS-CBN Sports+Action, TriLife Magazine, AsiaTri, Finisher Pix, and Xurpas as technology partner.

Official hotels for the Cobra Iron Man 70.3 are Shangri-La Mactan Resort and Spa, Be Resorts Mactan, Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan, Waterfront Hotel and Casino Mactan, Movenpick Hotel Mactan Island Cebu. Official registration partner is Active Network.