Advocacy

Sponsor a Family’s Noche Buena Through Brand Aid: Noche Buena Para sa Lahat

December 1, 2020 / Filed Under: Advocacy

Christmas is one of the most significant celebrations in the Philippines. And one of its highest points is the Noche Buena, where families come together to share stories of love and hope over their favorite Filipino meal. But this year, Christmas will be different for millions of Filipinos due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is estimated that 7.6 million Filipino families went hungry during the crisis, going below poverty line and experiencing “involuntary hunger.”

Most of these families may not be able to afford to put food on the table or even think of preparing Noche Buena. And because of this, Unilever Philippines, RFM Corporation, Dole Philippines, Century Pacific Food, Inc., and Lazada have come together to offer some respite for Filipino families that are part of this staggering statistic.

Together with Rise Against Hunger Philippines—an international hunger relief organization—the brands are launching an initiative called Brand Aid: Noche Buena Para sa Lahat. It is the first ever collaboration of some of the biggest food companies in the Philippines to spark hope and bring Noche Buena to Filipinos families in need.

The companies commit to work with each other, and together with other sectors of society, to actively advocate for a Philippines that is free from hunger. And through Brand-Aid: Noche Buena Para sa Lahat, they embark on this journey with a pledge of 70,000 Noche Buena kits for Filipino families, including those affected by the recent calamities.

“We see and experience the reality of hunger every day through the communities we serve. In their mission to spark hope through Noche Buena meals for this Christmas, Brand Aid sends a clear message that businesses, the government, and everyday people can come together to rise against hunger. We are happy to continue the fight with them, and we hope to encourage others to support Brand Aid,” shares Jomar Fleras, Executive Director, Rise Against Hunger Philippines.Brand Aid forms part of the group’s support to the advocacy of Pilipinas Kontra Gutom, a movement under the government’s Task Force Zero Hunger led by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles.

The companies behind Brand Aid also bring in their network of creatives, event specialists, media groups, artists, influencers, and social communities led by MullenLowe MARC, Mindshare, Yaparazzi Events + PR, Activations Advertising Inc., Shoppertainment LIVE, Petch & Partners, PHD Media Network, Get Hooked 360, Slingshot Manila, Hit Productions, Film Pabrika Inc., SilverPush, Innity, Passionation, Viva Networks Inc. , Viu Philippines, Philippine Star, Facebook, ABS-CBN, GMA and TV5 to bring the advocacy to more Filipinos who want to be part of this worthy cause.

Other media parteners include Smart Parenting, Solar Entertainment Corporation channels ETC and Solar Sports, Cignal TV, Inc., Sky Cable Corporation, AA Adspace Solutions, and Pitchworks, Inc.

Through Brand Aid, companies and individuals can also sponsor a family’s Noche Buena via special kits available at Lazada for only PHP 300. These Noche Buena kits contain ingredients to create traditional Christmas dishes, helping Filipino families continue a beloved tradition and strengthen bonds despite these difficult times.

Each Brand Aid: Noche Buena Para sa Lahat kit contains: 1 Dole Fruit Cocktail 822g, 1 Angel Kremdensada 410mL, 1 Fiesta Spaghetti Noodles 350g, 1 Fiesta Spaghetti Sauce 500g, 2 Knorr Pork Cubes 10g , 1 Fiesta Elbow Macaroni 400g , 1 Lady’s Choice Real Mayonnaise 220mL

The Brand Aid: Noche Buena Para sa Lahat kits2 are available for donation through Rise Against Hunger
at lzd.co/BrandAid.

PAALALA Interactive Sculpture Mimics the Effects of Dementia

December 5, 2019 / Filed Under: Advocacy, Events

Dementia is a condition that breaks apart more than just memories. Left unchecked, the frustration it causes can drive a wedge into the bond of even the closest of kin.

And two weeks ago, we attended the launch of this interactive sculpture PAALALA at Ayala Mall Feliz.

The silent effects of dementia inspired the creation of Paalala, a mixed-media installation by artist Candice Alipio. Several hundred meters of yarn were used to depict a grandmother and her grandchild bonding together. It’s a familiar sight, especially during the holidays.

Here, the magic lies in the medium. The sculpture begs the audience to pull it apart, as if to mimic how dementia unravels a memory. Once all strands are unraveled, a bright red heart hidden in the core will remain. At this point, the message is clear—in the wake of dementia, memories made with the heart are the ones that remain.

The use of yarn also holds symbolic meaning. Some people even tie a length of string around the finger as a reminder of something important. For Paalala, the string from the artwork serves as a reminder to think of those who have difficulty remembering.

“Imagine forgetting about your spouse, your kids, or even your own self. Imagine living in constant anguish because you’ve forgotten the most basic things, like the use of utensils. Or the fact that you’re in the middle of putting on a shirt.” These were the words that Dr. Rosa Carpio, founder of Noli Alzheimer’s and Elderly Care Center, used to describe some challenges faced by those who suffer from dementia.“At Noli, I have declined requests to take in residents who are not yet in the severe stages of dementia,” recalls Dr. Carpio. “For as long as the patient can still make memories, I always tell the family to spend as much time together as they can!”

“Alaska has been a part of Filipino homes for generations, most especially during the holidays,” says Harvey Uong, Marketing and Business Development Director of Alaska Milk Corporation.“We need to raise the discussion now because this season is one of the most stressful for those with dementia. The lack of awareness can ruin the holidays not just for them, but also for the Filipino family that we’ve grown with over the years,”

Paalala was commissioned by Alaska Milk Corporation in a bid to raise awareness about dementia and its effects.

The sculpture, the film, and the partnership with Noli Alzheimer’s and Elderly Care Center are just the first steps in Alaska Milk Corporation’s effort to raise the discussion about dementia. For details on how you can support the cause, send a message to @AlaskaRedKitchen on Facebook and Instagram.

Pawnshop with Highest Appraisal + Guilt-Free Pawning

June 13, 2018 / Filed Under: Advocacy, Finance, Product Feature

“Wag na wag kang magsasangla.“ Yan ang isa sa kabilin-bilinan ng nanay ko sa akin. She was a good businesswoman and she never pawned a thing in her life. That is why I have such a negative view at pawning. Feeling ko kapag nagsangla ka ng alahas o ng kung ano pa man, masama na.

Bu when I got married, there came a time that we needed money. We didn’t have any choice but to pawn our jewelry. I solved our problem and was able to redeem our jewelries back but I still felt guilty. Maybe because I still have my nanay’s bilin in mind. And I know where that comes from — she was worried that I would never be able to redeem whatever it is that I pawned and that pawning might become a hobby.

Well, I have a kwento for you today that will change the way you see pawning…

Kahit na minu-minuto ay magkaka-chat kaming magku-kumare, ay once in a blue moon lang kami magkita. So may blue moon a couple of weeks ago, (lol) and we had brunch at Tim Hortons followed by dessert at Conti’s.

and there at Conti’s is where we bumped into Doktora Ruth, a blogger friend we haven’t seen for a while. She was going to buy school supplies for the class she adopted in Mindoro. We know how much students in the province need school supplies and we wanted to help out. The problem was we didn’t have money on hand at that time.

We decided to just pawn Pehpot‘s necklace to be able to help Ruth with her project. We tried a couple of pawnshops to know how much we can get for the necklace.

I got curious too and I had my bracelets appraised. On the first pawnshop, my bracelets were appraised with: ₱6,400 and ₱9,700. At Cebuana Lhuillier, they were appraised at ₱7,550 and ₱11,550. That’s a ₱3,000 difference!

What’s nice about Cebuana Lhuillier is that pawning is easier. They have a dedicated lane just for pawning at wala ng pila-pila.

Your jewelries are guaranteed safe. It is sealed and signed by you before before it’s kept. You get it back the same way you pawned it.

HOW TO PAWN AT CEBUANA LHUILLIER

Visit any Cebuana Lhuillier Pawnshop branch and present the item to be pawned.
Advise the branch personnel if you agree with the appraised value and net proceeds.
Sign the pawn ticket on the space provided.
Count the money received and secure the pawn ticket, which is required to be presented during renewal or redemption of the pawned item

Watch the full vlog of my Kumareng Pehpot to know the full story:

Thank you Cebuana Lhuillier for being there…. ALL 2,500 branches of you.

Because of you, we were able to help Ruth in her #projectKKK. Buti na lang sa lahat ng lugar ay may branch ang Cebuana Lhuillier. (Check https://www.cebuanalhuillier.com/ for a branch near you)

And Thank you Ruth for letting the #KumareBloggers be a part of your advocacy. I am very happy that we were able to help and share our blessing with the students in Mindoro.

Realization: Pawning is not something you should be guilty of doing especially if you’re doing it because of an emergency, you have to pay something, or you badly needed money. It’s one way to solve your money problems. Of course, just make sure to pay the interest on your due date or redeem your jewelry on time.

To know more about Cebuana Lhuillier, visit Cebuana Lhuillier Facebook Page or https://www.cebuanalhuillier.com/.