These Little Wonders

On October 11, I bought a pouch at National Bookstore, SM Aura, and when I paid for it, I received a 150ml sachet of Domex . The pamphlet states, "By receiving this Domex sample, you have contributed your pledge for clean toilets!" At the back, the following are printed:  "You are now one with us in the Domex 1M clean toilets campaign. P5 has been donated on your behalf towards support of the UNICEF sanitation program." Apparently, Unilever , through its brand Domex, has launched the One Million Clean Toilets Movement. The campaign came to be due to the rising cases of diarrhea, the fourth leading cause of deaths among children under  5 years old. According to their study, over 90% of households in the Philippines don't realize that there are still germs in their toilet that may lead to diseases like diarrhea.  Through the One Million Clean Toilets Movement, Domex aims to educate and help Filipinos develop the habit of proper toilet hygi...

Before going to the airport for my birthday journey , I first went to the biggest business-to-blogger event at the SMX Convention Center, SM Aura. Since I had limited time, I already planned my "itinerary." The first thing I did when I arrive was to look for my friend, Mars. I found her and Ray at the Krispy Kreme booth. While I was waiting for them to finish designing their own doughnuts, a beautiful lady approached me and asked me if I could pose for Canon. I visited their booth, had my photo taken, had the camera registered, and got my own gift pack full of goodies. :)  Next booth we visited was Chooks To Go where Mars and I participated in their Kwelavan and won a bucket of chicken! :D  Then, Ray, Mars and I visited Ace Water Spa and Ace Hotel's booth where we also had our photos taken and got several goodies as well including a GC! :D  At that time, Mars and Ray had to leave so I was left to explore on my own. Here's a complete list...

Since RB Lodge is just near the cathedral, I had the chance to attend the Sunday mass before I traveled to Iloilo. I didn't know the schedule of the English mass so I watched the TV mass first. I arrived at the cathedral a little before 7am and the mass hasn't started yet, but the commentator was already reading the intentions for the mass... in English. :)  The Gospel at that time was about the wedding feast where many were invited but only a few responded. And among those who responded, still there came one who was not dressed appropriately for the feast. During the homily, the priest said that the Kingdom of God can be likened to the wedding feast. All of us are invited, a few accepts the invitation, but only the chosen ones, those who responded properly and those who came prepared, are worthy to stay.  After the mass, I decided to walk around the cathedral until I found the shrine of the Sto. Nino in Kalibo where the famous image of Ati-Atihan is enthroned. ...

A day before I left Manila for my week-long vacation, I called up RB Lodge in Kalibo to ask if they can still accommodate me. I searched for the cheapest place to stay in Kalibo and among the results listed, it has the best reviews.  The guy on the other line (sorry, I forgot his name) answered in his soft Visayan accent which I found very comforting. He said they still have a room and when I asked if they accept walk-ins, he said I'd better reserve the room just to be sure. He didn't require me to deposit any downpayment but he already reserved a fan room for me.  I inquired if they also offer service from the airport to their place. He said he could arrange for a tricycle that can pick me up from the airport. He just asked for my flight details. I gave him my schedule and told him I would just send a text message once I have boarded the plane. (I paid Php100, by the way, and that's already cheap considering the distance. I remember being charged Php100 in anothe...

God has prepared me well for the worst that could happen. On my way to Iloilo, He pampered me and filled my heart with so much joy and gratitude. He filled my love tank to the brim because He knew I would be needing all the love, joy, peace, and sense of gratitude for what was bound to happen on my 28th birthday.  Unlike in the previous years, I never had any cake this year, I wasn't surrounded by friends and there wasn't really a birthday feast. It was just an ordinary day in the province. I spent most of the day beside Lola Rosa, praying for and with her, singing songs of praise and worship, reading the Gospel, and some chapters of the book, The Fifth Mountain .  After lunch, I cooked spaghetti and went back beside Lola. She was struggling to stay alive. She was barely breathing. I knew she was already tired of fighting for every breath, but she seemed not ready to go yet. Mama and I spoke to her as we witness how her nails turn to violet. I whispered in her ear h...

I couldn't think of anything else to say but THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU, TOO, LORD ! ♥  He prepared everything for me and made sure this journey would be as smooth and as comfortable as possible. :)  Let's start with Friday or rather Saturday. :D I got out of the office a little past 12 midnight, after finishing all my deliverable for the day. I made sure everything is properly endorsed as I won't be around for the whole work-week next week.  When I got home, I was already too tired to fix the things that I would be bringing to Iloilo. I woke up early on Saturday to pack and prepare. I figured I would need a sako  bag so I went to the nearby market with Php100 thinking that it wouldn't cost me more than Php50. When I finally saw one, I was surprised to know that it actually costs Php120, and that's already the cheapest. I asked the vendor if he sells any other quality at Php100 because that's all I had. He told me he doesn't but he was kind eno...

Hooray for tomorrow! :)  It will be my second time to attend Blogapalooza , the biggest business-to-blogger event organized by Our Awesome Planet and When In Manila . Last year was a great "first-time" experience for me. I so loved it I didn't want to miss this year's edition. That's why I really thank the Lord that it did not push through last September 20. Otherwise, I won't be able to make it because we were still waiting for the flood waters to subside at that time.  And so it will happen tomorrow, October 11! Below is the schedule and the list of reminders for the registered bloggers. (Originally posted on the event page .)  Anton Diaz also came up with his tips on how to maximize your Blogapalooza experience . Read on and prepare for Blogapalooza 2014! ♥  Schedule 11:00 am       -           Musical Performance by Climax 12:00 nn        -           Break 1:...