Year-End Hassle-Free Shopping at the Comfort of My Home

New Year's Eve Preparations

Last day of the year! This morning had been busy going to the market and buying stuff for New Year’s Eve celebration. Our local market was buzzing with excitement as residents competed for the best meat cuts and freshest produce. We’re having Chicken Parmigiana, Tuna Enchiladas, Smoked Salmon on Focaccia and Double Cheese Platter (instead of the usual three, I only bought two kinds). On the side, I’m preparing Chicken Poppers and Pesto for the boys. Though, I’m still thinking whether to make the old festive Fruit Salad or Fruit Platter with chocolate ganache.

Almost done with my “To Do” backlog for 2010. Still on the list: buy an affordable and decent mobile phone. I lost 2 mobile phones this year and, during the past few days, was left with nothing to use. My friends kept telling me to get a cheap Cherry because they’ve been trying to text me since Christmas Eve. But I’m not an impulsive buyer. Instead, I try to do my research first so that I don’t regret buying later. I canvass online before doing the legwork.

Before I had kids, I used to buy tons of irrelevant and expensive stuff. It takes some effort and discipline to stop myself from splurging on things that are not essential. I learned from the masters that one of the keys to being wealthy is to control your expenses. I am trying hard to follow that philosophy. Yesterday, I got one of the old phones fixed. But when I woke up to charge it this morning, it wouldn’t turn on!

I made it a point to check out AyosDito for new posts of mobile phones. I badly need one. I scanned until the 3^rd page and was surprised to see some HTC phones and the new Samsung Galaxy. I like seeing variety when I shop. The other day, I checked out an online auction site and didn’t stay too long after seeing so many imitation phones and repeat posts of the same item. It’s tedious having to sort through the maze of duplicate posts. Imitation phones are just not worth my time. I can’t settle for something I know will disappoint me later.

Garmin Nuvi GPS Navigator

I saved 3 phones that I would like to get in January. I am considering my purchase as an investment to increase my efficiency and productivity. While browsing the phones and gadgets section, I also saw some very interesting gadgets, such as the Garmin Nuvi 250W GPS Navigator. It was loaded with the Philippine road map. The description provided technical information and user-friendly features. Awesome and handy! Too bad I saw this after Christmas gift giving. But I saved it for future reference.

Because I also like to look around for ideal properties, I checked the Properties section. I saw a lot of updated information, from apartment for rent to condominiums for sale. I saved 2 which I considered good value for money. I usually stumble upon friends who are looking for properties to rent or buy. Maybe I can help by referring them to this site.

I better wrap-up to start New Year’s Eve preparations. Wishing all my readers a blessed and prosperous 2011!

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Christmas in the Philippines: Keso de Gallo at My City of Birth

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Filipinos are very sentimental about celebrations. What makes celebrations special, aside from the candid and bonding moments with family and friends, is the preparation and variety of food served in Christmas parties and, especially, during the Noche Buena.

Taking from Eden's Misa De Gallo 2009 celebration of 9 mornings with 9 Filipino festive dishes, earlier this year Eden has launched the Sarap ng Pasko 100 Days of Christmas inviting 100 towns to come up with 100 unique recipes. This places the Philippines on top of having the longest Christmas celebration ever! A nationwide vote made way for the top 9 dishes to be shared with the community in a Keso de Gallo feast.

This unique celebration brings Filipino culinary creativity and food tourism to the next level. Ms Anna Sapitan, Kraft Eden's Senior Brand Manager, shares that she is very happy that the event "unified the nation as a whole and made the Philippines proud with this campaign."

Every Filipino family knows how meticulous food preparation gets for Christmas Eve dinner. For some, the celebration starts a few days early as guests arrive from other cities/regions or overseas. This year our family is staying home to celebrate our Christmas dinner together.

I started the day early with a visit to my hometown: Mandaluyong City. Two years ago my family and I went to Policarpio Street to see the enchanting holiday display of the neighborhood. My son enjoyed looking at the house adorned with different versions of Santa Claus. This year, I returned to visit the memorable San Felipe Neri Church.

After Simbang Gabi, churchgoers were greeted by the live broadcast of Umagang Kay Ganda at the Church grounds. As part of Eden's Keso de Gallo celebration, the last of 9 winning entries to the Sarap ng Pasko contest was awarded. Ms Gloria Sevilla, who came up with the recipe, won the 9th place with Trio Cheese Delight.

The recipe is a healthy and unique alternative to the usual Turon we see in almost every local community. It is made richer with vegetables and added with cheese as an additional source of calcium. My son will definitely like this!

Nayon ng Kabataan kids and staff

Ms Sevilla, being a Mandaluyong resident, chose the beneficiaries for the feeding program: 12 families and 130 children from the Nayon ng Kabataan (NK). NK is an orphanage where exploited, abandoned, and neglected children, 7 to 17 years, are brought by the DSWD. According to Ms Eva Lawas, NK's center head, the facility currently houses 160 children who were mostly aged 11 to 14 years old. Ms Lawas was thankful for having the children partake in this festive event. She further encourages others to share a few hours with the children. This means a lot to the kids. They were surprised to be part of the Umagang Kay Ganda live broadcast here at the San Felipe Neri grounds.

NK kids with their Kraft giveaways

Alex Tacderas, Kraft Category Marketing Manager, gives insight on Kraft's future plan for next year's Christmas celebration. He says they may have a different twist "depending on what meaningful need we see next year." They were "more importantly moved by the community spirit" when they visited the different towns who participated in the contest. "We were touched by people we do not even know who were giving help in terms of performers, venue, and food. This is more than we were looking for." The winners coordinated with charitable institutions to identify beneficiaries for the Keso de Gallo feast, which served as a feeding program.

I have always enjoyed spending time with kids. Once again, this was an enlightening experience to see the simple joys of children. I hope that even after Christmas, more will share their blessings to our kababayans. Let's help each other grow and together be enriched with God's bounty. Merry Christmas!

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Is Health Insurance Necessary?

Health Insurance as an employee benefit seems to be a thing of the past. Well, maybe not for all. Due to the global crisis, many private businesses have resorted to outsourcing and some taking in contractual employees to cut costs on employee benefits. Fortunately, there is Philhealth. Businesses in the Philippines are required to contribute to employees' health plan via Philhealth. Philhealth provides basic healthcare (minimum member contributions apply) for medical emergencies of members and a member's declared dependents.

Although, during the second half of 2010, Philhealth runs the risk of being sued by private hospitals for the reported delay in remitting payments. I hope this does not lead to the institution's foreclosure because many low-income Filipino families depend on this crucial protection.

Philhealth covers hospitalization costs, medicine, emergency and laboratory fees. Out-patient and dental care is not covered at all, although there has been a plan to expand the services covered. Perhaps, one great value is that Philhealth covers hospitalization related to maternity. Most standard private health insurance exclude maternity-related medical care. Unless you get the executive plan or avail plans with a big group, maternity medical care is not covered.

It is interesting to note, however, that 9 out of 10 Philhealth claims come from private hospitals. It can only mean two things: the poor and low-income earners do not know that they are entitled to medical reimbursements even when they seek medical care in government hospitals. A study shows that misconceptions and perceived difficulties in claiming member benefits lead to the underutilization of healthcare benefits. Or the poor and low-income families are not Philhealth members, thus they can not avail of Philhealth's benefits.


Private healthcare, on the other hand, remains to be the preferred choice for those who can afford. Inpatient services are comprehensive and expand to higher maximum coverage of up to Php 1 Million. Moreover, out-patient services include consultations, out-patient medical procedures and annual medical check-ups. Medicine and immunizations are billed separately, on the account of the patient. Many private health plans can include dental services for an extra on the premium.

During my elementary and highschool days, me and my sister hardly took advantage of my dad's HMO benefit. We would only feel obliged to visit the clinic or affiliate hospital (the old Medical City) to have our annual medical check-up. Mom, on the other hand, made frequent trips to different hospitals. It was only in highschool that I was able to take advantage of my health coverage.

I remember going to the ER for an out-patient procedure.  I had this small accident at home when someone called to tell me good news. In my excitement, I jumped and my finger got caught in a splinter. Great news, huh. I had to get my pinky nail pulled. It was no big deal, really. Nevertheless, I was scared to see the tools they were about to use. I could have fainted if they did not administer anesthesia. A lot of blood spurted as the doctor jerked the nail out of my pinky. Poor little pinky!

My first year as a mom made me realize the true value of health insurance. Since we were advised about my son's health condition, we started to window shop for HMOs and health insurance. As a general consideration, when buying insurance (home, business or travel insurance) keep in mind that it is a means to prepare for something you do not anticipate. Anything expected, cannot be insured, that was how our family insurance adviser, Mr John Suedad, simplified it.

We were out of luck. Basically, we wanted to get health coverage for my son's maintenance, treatment and, possibly, his operation. We were disappointed to discover that we had few options, all of which were very expensive, to get medical care for my son's congenital defect. Since most of our hospital visits entailed out-patient services, there was no way we can get medical reimbursement for laboratory and consultation fees.

My husband and I used to think that we are lucky to be in the pink of health. We thought we would never need elaborate medical attention. Because we were healthy, we never expected to have any problem with our newborn. Now that the family is growing, it deems to us that we need more protection than before. It is also beside the realization that we won't stay as healthy forever.

Good health depends on a number of factors. It is unwise to think that good health is only manifested in physical appearances. Perhaps, I will sleep better when I know there's Plan C, when A and B fails. So is health insurance necessary? Yes, if you want to sleep better.

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University Physicians Medical Center

I am a practical woman. Though I believe in pursuing rights and privileges, I try to weigh things and lean towards worthwhile, feasible and efficient options. I find the conversion of the old Dispensary Building (former location of the Out-Patient Department of Philippine General Hospital) advantageous. More than an answer to local brain drain (highly competent professionals being lured by private companies for obvious reasons), the University Physicians Medical Center (UPMC) answers the need of middle class Filipinos for quality healthcare facilities and services.

UPMC Lobby

Despite the government's effort to provide medical assistance through Philhealth, many still can not afford the services of top-notch medical providers holding consultations in Makati Medical Center, St. Luke's Hospital, Asian Hospital and The Medical City among others. For the middle class, these services can only be accessed through the power of one's plastic (the credit card). Though health insurance is widely available, buying a health plan is not so popular. It's even more difficult for those who have to pay cash. Ironically for a third-world country, the Ipad is more widely sought than most basic needs.

UPMC Pharmacy

Going back, I went along the Blogger's Tour of the rehabilitated Faculty Medical Arts Building (FMAB). Some doctors have started holding consultations in the facility, but it will only be officially inaugurated in January 2011. Interested to grab an office in the FMAB? You have to be a UPM faculty member. The Daniel Mercado Medical Center (DMMC), managing fiscal and non-clinical operations of UPMC, estimates around 300 physicians out of 700 University Physician practitioners will be holding clinics at the renovated FMAB.

UPMC aims to provide quality health services 25% lower than top Manila-based hospitals, pegging consultations around Php400 to Php500. With 11 Departments, the multi-specialty outpatient facility is a one-stop shop for healthcare needs. They will start offering Executive Check-up Packages that cater to clients with different health conditions based on health history. With a centralized HMO processing (all physicians are accredited), the facility provides easier access to diagnosis and treatment of top causes of mortality in the Philippines like heart disease, colon and breast cancer (with painless and non-invasive diagnostic equipment such as Virtual Clonoscopy), and diabetes is available at the facility. Help can be obtained from experts in allergies, scoliosis, and injuries incurred in sports among others. The center is equipped with 64 slicer CT Scan, 1.5 T MRI, Digital Fluoroscopy, Mammography, and Radiography.

I am looking forward to getting my son checked for the possibility of a Seminoma in his chest. Though, I am hoping that by then he no longer needs an operation. The Pediatrics Department is a comprehensive resource of child-care specialists.

UPMC President and CEO Edwin M. Mercado, MD, demonstrating how specimens are sent to the laboratory

UPMC features an ambulatory surgicenter where after recovering from surgery, patients can go home and arrangements (in cooperation with the UP College of Nursing) will be made for home service post-surgery care. This will immensely remove associated hospitalization cost. I wonder what the rates are for home service arrangements. Healthcare at home has been popular for some time in the states and I am glad that we're catching up. This means more local opportunities for Filipino qualified nurses and caregivers. Aside from the elderly, the disabled and patients who need critical care can now get medical attention from the comfort of their home.

UPMC Reading Room

UPMC will provide healthcare incentives to UPM and PGH employees. As with the trend of national brands, they are working on loyalty programs to encourage more patrons. I hope they can extend some incentives to UP Alumni to maintain loyalty and support for the UP system's programs and services.

Controversies and system-wide outrage have haunted the UP System since plans of privatization had been laid during the 90s. UP, despite complaints from different factions that it badly needs rehabilitation and upgrading, continue to fight for students' rights to free/subsidized education. As an aspiring entrepreneur, I think it's about time the administrators push for independence despite the government's responsibility to allocate sufficient funding for its operation.

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World Aids Day

Despite developments in healthcare, UNAIDS and WHO reports that over 7000 people get HIV every day. Of the total HIV patients, 40% are between the ages 15 and 24. I find it unbelievable that people with HIV are getting younger. According to UNICEF, HIV cases in the Philippines alone continue to increase.


The culprit, ignorance.

What is being done about this locally? Back in junior high, I can't remember being taught what HIV is. But there were rumors of men going around sticking infected needles on inattentive passersby. So my parents would, for a time, restrict us from going to crowded spaces. We'd be stuck home playing Mario Bros. or Carmen Sandiego until the rumors die. Interestingly, I stumbled upon a questionnaire on student health. This was given to children 11 to 16 years old, or students between Grade 5 and Fourth Year High. There were only 6 questions (there were  drug-related questions) that determine whether the children were being taught about AIDS/HIV in school or at home.

Even with efforts to increase awareness, studies show that people do not know how they can get HIV. A local survey in 2003 reports that only a third of respondents knew how HIV is transmitted. Do you believe that HIV can be transmitted by sharing food with a person with HIV or by getting bitten by bloodsuckers? I hope not.

World Aids is trending now among Twitterati in an effort to promote prevention mechanisms aimed towards diminishing, eventually eradicating, HIV around the globe. In their own way, people are trying to call on friends and their respective communities to get tested. It amuses me to find HIV/AIDS information being widely retweeted in different languages.

The global crisis strained local economies further challenging countries to wisely use valuable resources. By promoting the prevention revolution, we can save resources and save lives. Changes in availability and access to information should at least push us to learn more about HIV today. Pass information to the most vulnerable: women and teens. Young children can only depend on their parents. Do teens and young adults today know how HIV is transmitted? How open can parents talk to their teenage children about HIV? Yes, it is possible that your children will ask about sex since it is one of the ways HIV can be transmitted. Are you prepared to answer them?

I have a teenage sister and we realize that she is on her way to maturity. We are currently deliberating how to open the discussion about boys and sex. For Filipinos, this is a highly sensitive issue that often remain unspoken, only to result in early / risky pregnancies. Being a modern mom, I believe she deserves to know soon to make her own that responsibility when her time to decide comes. Me and my other sister were brought up the old-fashioned way, a few decades obviously make a difference in perspectives. And we worry a lot about our teen sibling. We worry so much we want to brief her and give her as much reference as we can.

Many are still prejudiced to the point of discriminating people with AIDS, often associating AIDS with promiscuity. For all we know, they were also victims. In some parts of the world, people found to be a source of HIV are penalized. Nevertheless, the number of HIV infected still shoots up, particularly among the younger generation. I think the number continues to soar because even the infected are not aware they have HIV. So lets help our family, friends and each other from becoming victims by being aware, submitting for a test and seeking immediate treatment if found positive.

In this age of information breakthroughs, ignorance should not be a reason.


Helpful Resources:


An Invitation to Health: Personal Health Self-assessment and Health Almanac: 2010-2011 Edition

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Pasko 2010: Pasko ng Pamilyang Pilipino sa Makabagong Panahon

Celebrate Christmas 2010 with Sulit.com.ph, the leading online classified ads and buy and sell website in the Philippines.

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