SM Kids' Fashion Denim Media Launch

Our favorite fashion brand for kids, SM Kids' Fashion added another trend for our kiddos! They're not only affordable but can be a trendsetter as well. Our kids will surely love the latest SM Kids' Denim line! Who said that denim is for adults only? The denim style for our kids is just as stylish too. You can create as many ensembles as you want when you pair a denim item in their wardrobe. 

SM Kids' Fashion held their Denim media launch at SMX with celebrities Andrea Brillantes and Gimme5! These local celebrities team up with the kids’ fashion authority for the latest campaign.

DJ Delamar hosted the event.

TV drama sweetheart Andrea is a regular on the popular show Annaliza, while Joaquin Lucas Reyes, John Immanuel Bernardo, Grae Fernandez, and Brace Henry Arquiza of Gimme5 have hit it big as the hippest boy band in the country. Together, the stars danced, posed, and had tons of fun in the SM Kids’ Fashion Denim collection at the photo shoot. The young stars were all eager to discover the latest from a brand they have known and loved.

“SM Kids’ Fashion is my favorite and I wear it all the time. I’m always excited to find out what they have at the store,” says Andrea. “It’s great that they have new denim selections now. It’s very comfortable and I’ll be able to use it every day.”

Gimme5 also shared their excitement about the brand’s big denim collection, “We move a lot during practice and performances and SM Kids’ Fashion Denim is great for that,” the boys shared. “There’s a lot to choose from, not just jeans but shorts and shirts too,” they add.

In tapping some of the country’s hottest young faces, SM Kids’ Fashion Denim hopes to inspire their young followers to create their own brilliant outfit combinations. As Andrea and the Gimme5 boys put it, the secret to staying ahead of the rest is finding out what the latest trends are and making them work for you. Following in the footsteps of the new brand ambassadors, youngsters can explore SM Kids’ Fashion Denim and create get-ups that were made to standout. 

Andrea Brillantes in SM Kid's Fashion ensemble

Andrea with my super cutie patootie Sofi

Sofi in her denim japorms! :)))

Visit your favorite SM Malls and check out the latest denim style at SM Kids Fashion! 

For more news and updates, follow SM Kids Fashion on:

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Thank you SM Kids Fashion for having me and Sofi! Congratulations on the launch! :)

Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp 3

It's time again to let our kids shine and hone their talents! And this is what Promil i-Shine is all about! I believe that every child has a talent whether it's singing, dancing, sports, arts and many more and it's up to us as their parents to believe that they can do it, to start nurturing the gifts of their children. If we believe them, they'll believe it too. This kind of venue help us parents to encourage our kids to stand out and be proud of what talent they might have. Parents play a key role in nurturing their child’s potential, especially when it comes to giving them the encouragement they need and proper nutrition so they can pursue their interests.

Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp is back on its third year with a bigger and better production, as Wyeth Nutrition and ABS-CBN go beyond the studio walls and expose the kids to real talent institutions that have nurtured and developed similar talents – of dancing, singing, and acting – throughout the years.  

For over 25 years, Promil Pre-School has been advocating the development of the Filipino children’s talents with the help of their parents, proper care and proper nutrition. In line with this advocacy, the i-Shine Talent Camp aims to help exceptionally talented preschoolers develop their full potential.  Aside from the extensive workshops, the roles of parents and proper nutrition will also play a big part in nurturing the preschoolers’ gifts to mastery. 

 Current Promil Pre-School Ambassador, as well as Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp Year 2 Top i-Shine Singer, Nathan Bautista treated us to a dance performance during the event.

And here they are! The top caliber mentors were also revealed – fierce mom and the artistic director of G-Force, Georcelle Dapat-Sy; Multi-platinum artist and the country’s music icon, Zsa Zsa Padilla(not in the picture); and critically acclaimed and world-class television and movie actress, Angel Locsin. These mentors will guide the i-Shiners through a series of workshops, sharing their knowledge as experts in their various fields. In the duration of the camp, the chosen preschoolers will be guided and given the opportunity to strengthen their talents.

Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp Year 3 TV hosts Dimples Romana, Matteo Guidicelli, and Xian Lim were present during the event. All three hosts shared their memorable experiences in the past years, as well as their excitement for what’s new for the third season.

Previous Promil Pre-School grand i-Shiners Lukas Enrique Magallano in 2012 and Yesha Camille in 2013 have received numerous television appearances for their talents in singing and acting. Lukas was able to appear in Kapamilya shows such as ASAP, Little Champ and Muling Buksan ang Puso while Yesha is currently shooting for an upcoming series with her i-Shine mentor Piolo Pascual. These kids, having continuously shown much promise, are now on their way to become icons through the help of the i-Shine Talent Camp.  

This year, the audience was given the chance to vote for their favorite i-Shiner through the Wildcard voting. A shortlist of 30 finalists was revealed on the Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp microsite. The audience chose their favorites through online voting – one for singing, one for dancing and one for acting.  The three finalists per category with the most votes will join the nine finalists selected by Wyeth Philippines and ABS-CBN, and complete the top 12 i-Shiners. 

These 12 i-Shiners will be taken to different institutions that played significant roles in nurturing the gifts of some of the country's icons for a series of workshops. The Grand Finale will stage a grand performance by the i-Shiners with the help of their moms and mentors. Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp is also giving away over Php 1 million worth of prizes, and a contract from ABS-CBN and Promil Pre-School to the Grand i-Shiner who will be receiving the highest score.

#TeamIShine3

i-Shine! Thank you Promil for having me! :)

Know more about Promil Pre-School i-Shine Talent Camp here! 

The biggest reality talent camp will start tomorrow, June 28 at 10AM only on ABS CBN. 

Good luck to all i-Shiners!

Children of Multiple Intelligence

When speaking of “intelligence,” most people only think of academic aptitude, such as readiness towards schoolwork or getting high grades. Thus, parents say their child is “smart” when he or she lands the top of their class. But with the advent of ‘multiple intelligence’ – the simplistic definition of intelligence no longer holds. Now more people are realizing that true intelligence covers a broader spectrum of an individual’s capabilities.

A new context of ‘smart’

The concept of Multiple Intelligence was first introduced by Dr. Howard Gardner, an educational psychologist at Harvard University who explored the topic in his book Frames Of Mind. Dia Kagaoan, psychologist, licensed teacher, entrepreneur and SPED educator, trained under Dr. Gardner himself when the latter came to the Philippines in 1985. Dia explains that according to Gardner’s theory, there are multiple ways that a child can be smart, and to date has listed nine categories of intelligence. “From the standpoint of early childhood development, the most relevant types on this list can be narrowed down to three: Brain Smart, People Smart, Body Smart,” she says.

Dia says a child has the capacity to achieve holistic development if provided with suitable instruction, encouragement, and nutrition.

Not settling for one

From an early age, Margaret Maraña has exhibited a predisposition towards advanced development. She mastered the concept of numbers up to the thousands at the tender age of 3. In less than ten days, she was able to memorize the multiplication table at the rate of one table a day. She loved poetry and story books. By age 5, she could easily point out places like Pretoria or the tiny Pacific and Atlantic islands on the world map. She was also a competent dancer who responded well to choreography. Today, aged 6, she handles academic material two levels advanced.

But it turns out Margaret had another strength which will actually lead to further developing her other smarts. Early on, her mother Lila noticed that her daughter had the ability to hold people enthralled. “She actually developed conversational speech late. What I didn’t get was how she was able to make friends so easily without saying a single word.” Everywhere they went, Margaret would always come away with two to four new friends. Once, at the beach, Lila was shocked to discover upon returning to their cottage after a brief errand, that everyone in the vicinity already knew Margaret by name. “I saw her playing in the sand with kids I hadn’t met. Some people were assisting her and buying a cone of ice cream for her. I don’t know how she does it.”

Lila observed that as Margaret became more sociable, she participated more actively in her dance classes showing more confidence with the way she moves. It was also mentioned to her that Margaret had become more participative in class. As a mother, Lila came to realize that developing one smart can help enhance other smarts and with this, she continuously makes an extra effort to further support her child’s growth.

As a motivated mom, Lila shares that she truly invests a lot in Margaret’s overall development – she gives her only the best. She enrolled her child in the one of the best schools in the metro and even got her child involved in different extra curricular activities during the weekends. “When I saw that Margaret showed interest in dancing, I enrolled her to one of the top dance class studio recommended by my mommy-friends.” To add, Lila admits that when it comes to purchasing products for her child, she is the type to always go for the superior quality products especially if recommended by credible personalities that she looks up to. “I make decisions thinking that I have to make sure that my child becomes her best. And the way I see it, the more I invest in superior quality things, the more returns both my and my child get.”

A valuable player

Dia’s first son, Jiad Arroyo, showed a predisposition towards physical activities early on. “He was always running outdoors and moving around. At 5 or 6, he was already insisting on playing basketball with the adults.” Once when he was 4, Jiad jumped into the deep end of the pool and failed to surface that his aunt had to pull him out. “While most kids would be upset and crying, Jiad’s response was: ‘Why did you pull me out? I was already swimming my way up!’” 

To provide an outlet for this unlimited energy, Jiad’s parents bought him a bicycle. While other kids his age drove precariously on trainers, Jiad had his uncles remove the training wheels and rode his bike with such gusto that his mom had to cut socks into tubes to make him elbow and knee pads to protect him from the rough and tumble. As he got older Jiad qualified on a baseball team based in Alabang. Later he also tried Taekwondo, and won gold medals for his efforts. Eventually, Jiad got a scholarship as a basketball athlete.

With an athletic scholarship, Dia told her son that as she supports him in his journey as an athlete, he should not forget that he is a student first before an athlete thus he should put as much effort in his academics as he is honing his skills in different sports. “Jiad used the discipline he learned in sports to perform better academically.”

“His friendliness and easy going attitude got him a lot of influential friends. His coaches and sponsors were always opening new opportunities for him because they liked him. As a supportive mom, I would always remind him that opportunities and blessings will keep on coming as long as he values them and as long as he is consistently good in school as he is good inside and outside the court.”

Harness the power of multiple intelligence

According to the theory of Multiple Intelligence, genetics, culture, and how the child is raised influence intelligence.  Dia says, “Good nutrition is vital to the holistic development of the child.” 

Lila couldn’t agree more. “I don’t believe a person’s success is dependent on good grades. That’s just one part of it. All the other intelligences – like the way they respond to people or using their bodies to communicate competence are all equally important.” One of her commitments is making sure that her daughter limits junk food intake, eats more fruit, greens and protein, and drinks the right milk. “Our pediatrician only recommended Progress Preschool Gold. At first I had thought that all milk formulas were the same – I was wrong.”

The new Progress Preschool Gold now comes with its best ever Gold Biofactors System (vs previous formulations) that comprises higher DHA, Lutein and choline- to help build a child’s multiple intelligence. For Dia, whose kids, including Jiad, were also raised on Wyeth milk products, educating parents on the role good nutrition has in making a child ready for multiple intelligence is very important.

 “We should train up a child in the way he should go,” Dia says. “And if you are a smart mom, you should know that with a competitive environment, it is best to support a child’s multiple intelligence because if your child excels in all smarts, then he will always be steps ahead from the rest.”

About Wyeth Nutrition

Wyeth Nutrition, formerly Pfizer Nutrition, is part of Nestlé S.A. Wyeth Nutrition develops premium-quality nutritional products scientifically-designed to meet the needs of infants and young children, as well as pregnant and lactating mothers. As pioneers in infant nutritional science, our mission is to provide the best nutritional support for future healthy outcomes. For nearly a century, Wyeth Nutrition has leveraged clinical rigor, scientific research, world class manufacturing and product safety standards to drive scientifically-sound solutions that offer parents confidence, help nourish children and support their healthy futures. 

Ban Kee Trading's Toys and Baby Products

After Mother's Day, my celebration got extended until tuesday of last week thanks to Ban Kee Trading's invite. We had an intimate lunch at Cravings, Shangri-La Mall with good food, delectable desserts and sweets and companies of mommies and kids enjoying and learning more about Ban Kee Trading. 

Established in 1986, Ban Kee Trading, Incorporated is a leading distributor of toys and baby products in the Philippines. Ban Kee currently represents companies such as TOMY, INTEX, GRACO Children products, The First Years, Bandai, Zhuzhu pets, Chuggington, and Speed Stacks toy line.

Their vision is to be the leading distributor of toys and baby products serving all retail trade categories. It is also to bring in quality toy and baby product brands and to ensure that they sell through by formulating and implementing sound advertising and marketing plans. Lastly, it is to instill a level of confidence among the consumers that they can get the latest, and most popular toys at competitive prices at their favorite local retail outlets.

Super cute lalaloopsy bubbly mermaid. Her hair actually makes bubbles when you squeeze it.

For mommies and babies. One of my fave brands when Sofi was still a baby. :)

Chill factor. I waaaant this!!! You can make your own slushy drink. How cool is that? Perfect for this weather.

Perfect toys for toddlers. It will help stimulate their minds at early age if you expose them in reading and writing materials. 

I won this in the raffle. Yay!!!!

The loom band invasion! Sofi and I enjoyed making lots and lots of loom band bracelet and it's one of our fun activities this summer! Choosing the style, color combination, naku deep discussion na yan. haha! :D It's easy lang and it was Sofi pa who taught me. hehe. 

And Ban Kee Trading now offers a shimmer n' sparkle cra-Z-loom! You can buy the complete set where you can make different designs and they also sell loom bands lang.

Yes, nagcoconcentrate! hahaha!

You may check all Ban Kee Trading complete list of toys and products here. They're available in all major toy stores and department stores nationwide! :)

Thank you Ban Kee Trading and Ms. Monica for having me! :)

Little Miss Solane 2014 Press Launch

It was my 1st time to attend a beauty pageant for kids and tweenies and wow! I was so amazed that these kids really know how to pose, walk the runway, smile and be courteous to people who wants to take their pics and answer the q&a from the media (and some are difficult questions too!).

Little Miss Solane held a media presscon for bloggers and media people where we got to know the contenders up-close.

After a long yet exciting search throughout the country, Little Miss Solane 2014 presents the 24 girls with the most promising wits and abilities. On its second year, Little Miss Solane is a talent and personality search where young ladies can discover, develop and nurture their potentials at an early age to help them grow into empowered, responsible and successful women in their own right.

Little Miss Solane 2013 winners and runner-ups

Unlike other children’s competitions that focus merely on physical attributes, Little Miss Solane 2014 endeavors to enhance talent and potential and build character and personality. By giving them a good sense of accomplishment this early, the pageant aims to mold these young misses into successful women who create positive change in the society. Little Miss Solane 2014 is an avenue where young misses can meet new friends, learn new things about themselves and more importantly, improve their talents, skills and well-being. 

Little Miss Solane 2013 cuties category. She sang Let It Go for us. And yes, na LSS na naman ako. haha! :) Good job to this kid! Galing!

Little Miss Solane 2013 teenies category also gave us a special number. She's now a talent artist of GMA 7. Congrats, girl! :)

These young ladies will represent their respective regions and compete during the national pageant set on May 17 at the SMX Aura Convention Center, Taguig City.

Judges will choose one winner for each category and will crown them as Little Miss Solane 2014 Cuties and Little Miss Solane 2014 Teenies. As grand winners, they will each bring home P50,000 cash plus P50,000 worth of scholarships and developmental programs. The title holders also will have the privilege of joining Solane activities like outreach programs, trade shows and client appreciation events where they can further showcase their talents. 

Meanwhile, the first and second runners-up will take home P30,000 and P20,000 cash, respectively. Aside from these titles, finalists also stand a chance to get a sash and P5,000 cash prize for the following special awards: Best in National Costume, Most Elegant, Most Beautiful Child and Most Beautiful Teen, Little Miss Talent, Little Miss Sporty and Healthy, Little Miss Intelligence, Little Miss Bestfriend, Child of the Year and Teen of the Year, Solane Mom and Daughter of the Year, and Darling of the Press.

The cuties category (6 to 10 years old)

The contenders for the teenies category (11 to 14 years old).

Made possible by Solane, the country’s leading LPG solutions company and the organizers of Mrs. Philippines-Globe, Little Miss Solane is sponsored by Monde MY San Corporation, Peerless Marketing, Mister Donut, Oishi Bread Pan, Fres Candies, Yupangco Music Academy, Tiddletots, Ozar, Island Rose, and Dayzinc Vitamin Syrup.

For more details, like Little Miss Solane on Facebook (www.facebook.com/LittleMissSolane) and for ticket inquiries, log on to www.smtickets.com or call SM Tickets at 470-2222 or email us at littlemisssolane@eventvisions.com.ph. This pageant is organized by EVI Marketing Communications.

Good luck girls! You are all winners for making this far! Just have fun and enjoy every minute of it. :)

Pigeon's Happy Cycle, Happy Babies

Bringing a child to the world, all we wanted to do is to give that child only the best. The best care, the best love, best attention and provide the best baby needs. We want our babies to be secured and healthy. While I was still pregnant with Sofi, I was very particular with what baby brands to use. I researched, asked fellow mommies, read parenting magazines and books. I came across Pigeon while reading Smart Parenting magazine. I thought expensive sila since the brand looks like it. So, the 1st time I saw Pigeon at SM Department Store, I remembered checking them and found out that it's not really expensive like other brands. So I ended up buying some Pigeon stuff like feeding bottles, pacifier, bottle brush, wet ones and some essentials. 

Through the years, since I last used Pigeon, they've not only grown but also introduced a lot of products that are going to be helpful for parents and parents to be. 

I had a privilege to attend Pigeon's intimate lunch at Kumikatsu, Shangri-La Plaza. And I'm happy to share that Pigeon now reaches in helping moms in giving babies basic needs, and that is mom's breast milk!

Pigeon’s system of care products ensures every mother a Happy Cycle of looking after the baby’s health and comfort. “Babies are truly bundles of joy, and Pigeon enhances this beautiful experience through the Happy Cycle,” says Maye Yao-Co Say, Chief Operations Officer of Richwell Phils. Inc., the exclusive distributor of Pigeon in the Philippines.

Through Pigeon’s line-up of baby feeding essentials, mothers and babies can now experience what the brand calls the “Happy Cycle.” “Taking care of your baby starts when you give him one of his most basic needs: your breast milk,” begins Yao Co Say. And Pigeon, she says, makes this moment a remarkably convenient and comfortable experience through easy-to-use products that are designed to meet the “happiness quotient” of both mom and baby. 

Developed more than 50 years of research and study, Pigeon Peristaltic PLUS Technology enhances every mother and baby’s feeding experience through the PERISTALTIC PLUS NIPPLE that helps your baby avoid nipple confusion, which occurs once your baby starts to shift from breastfeeding to bottle-feeding or vice versa. 

160 ml/240 ml PPSU or Polyphenylsulfone Bottle (BPA-free. Yellow lid)

It is easy to grip and has a Peristaltic PLUS nipple, the softest and thickest nipple that helps avoid nipple confusion. It has a high degree of heat resistance and is very durable, making it safe to sterilize even through boiling, steaming, or microwaving.

160 ml/240 ml PP or Polypropylene Bottle (BPA-free. White lid)

It is easy to grip and has a Peristaltic PLUS nipple, the softest and thickest nipple that helps avoid nipple confusion. It allows for safe sterilization through boiling, steaming, or microwaving.

Expressing—the act of taking milk from your breast naturally—is the first step to the Pigeon Happy Cycle. “From the moment you breastfeed your baby, Pigeon is already there to support you and make the process more comfortable,” points out Yao Co Say. Indeed, Pigeon breast pumps and other breastfeeding accessories allow you to extract your milk securely and with ease. 

Your choice of breast pumps that will perfectly fit your needs:

Manual breast pump

The Sealing Air Cushion fits your breast perfectly by softly enveloping and gently stimulating it, allowing for comfortable and successful milk expression. Pumping can be completely adjustable to imitate baby’s suckling pattern for a faster let-down. Its One Hand System and ergonomically-designed handle makes it easy-to-use. With its independent one-way milk flow path, you never worry about backflow.

Portable breast pump

As it is weighs only 200g, you can express milk with ease anytime, anywhere. It is portable and easy to operate with just one hand. Its Unique Push Lever allows complete control over the adjustable pumping cycle to imitate baby's suckling pattern and encourage milk flow. It includes a hassle-free breast milk storage component that you can simply attach to the bottle cap after expressing before storing into refrigerator or freezer.

Silent electric breast pump

The Silent Electric Breast Pump uses a silent motor that allows you to express milk without disturbing your sleeping baby. The soft, round edges of the Advanced Sealing Air CushionTM provide an airtight seal over the entire areola, allowing for steady expression of milk with only a light suckling sensation. The Adjustable Suction Strength Dial with a five-pressure level settings and a Suction Cycle Speed Controller for regulating the speed of suction and customizing the pressure and speed, allowing you to express milk comfortably.

The Happy Cycle then continues with the proper storage of expressed milk. With Pigeon storage bags and containers, you can simply put away and store your milk so your child can still have it later on. That way, no amount of milk from you is wasted, and its nutrients and freshness are kept intact. In addition, Pigeon boasts the most complete collection of breast care accessories: breast pads, breast care gel, soft silicone nipple shield, and nipple care cream.

This storage bag is already pre-sterilized with gamma ray, and has a convenient pour spout for transferring breast milk without spilling. It includes a waterproof "write-on" tab for mothers to label the bags, plus a unique double zipper seal for extra security. For ease of use, the storage bags are self-standing and milk can also be thawed easily by storing them flat in the freezer.

Breast milk Storage Bags (BPA-free)

Breast milk Storage Bottles

These are designed for longer and safer storage, and convenient for breast milk storage in the refrigerator or freezer.Milk can be expressed directly into these bottles.

A complete set of feeding bottles and liquid cleanser is a must have.

Put these in your checklist when shopping for baby needs.

Pigeon sterilizers are also convenient, durable, and easy-to-use, syncing well with every parent’s busy and fast-paced lifestyle. 

Using Japanese technology, this product sterilizes bottles in just 6 minutes, killing harmful bacteria effectively. Safety standard-tested, durable in design, and not using chemicals, this sterilizer can accommodate 5 to 6 bottles, and shuts off automatically when done. It’s detachable from the heater for easy cleaning, and includes a large, convenient accessory tray.

Electric Steam Sterilizer

Cleansing and sterilizing, the last but equally important step in the Happy Cycle. “Because babies have yet to strengthen their immune systems, they are more prone to disease or discomfort that may be caused by germs and bacteria,” says Yao Co Say. To boost baby protection, Pigeon liquid cleanser is 100% food grade to ensure maximum safety

Liquid Cleanser 

This 100% food grade, antibacterial cleanser kills 99.99% of bacteria, but is gentle to the skin. It is safe for cleaning baby bottle nipples and other feeding accessories, as well as fruits and vegetables.

With fellow mommies at the event. 

Thank you so much Pigeon for having me. I really had a great time exchanging stories and informations with fellow mommies and people from Pigeon. I really learned a lot and brought back a lot of fond memories of being a newbie mommy back then.

For more information on Pigeon products, call 441 1717 or customer hotline 990-5437.You may also visit the website at www.pigeon.com, or the Pigeon Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pigeonphilippines.