Living safe during this difficult time of the pandemic is very challenging. Not everyone has the luxury to stay home. Most of us have to venture outside the safety of our homes to earn a living, get family essentials, and just to continue living.

It is very easy to be defeated by fear and give up, but should we? For parents like me, this is not even an option, there are children who depend on me. Beyond that, there are my responsibilities as a servant leader of our community and this continues more so because there is a pandemic. With such responsibilities, I need to be safe for me to be able to do what I need to do.

Staying Safe and Healthy During the Pandemic

Basic precautionary measures have to be practiced. This includes wearing of face masks, observing proper distancing, and avoiding unnecessary activities that require face-to-face interaction. Another important safety measure is to have disinfecting products at hand such as Defensil.

Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol enables Filipinos to continue their lifestyles during the pandemic, allowing them  to still do the activities they love while staying safe and healthy. 

As the rubbing alcohol brand recommended by the Philippine Society for Microbiology, Filipinos can  live safe wherever they are with Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol – whether commuting to work, doing essential  errands such as buying groceries at the supermarket or palengke, or even working out outdoors or  shopping online – since it starts to kill germs on contact and kills 99.9% of common germs and  bacteria, while providing up to 12 hours of protection upon constant use. 

Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol is also hypoallergenic and has moisturizing properties so you can sanitize  as much as you need without having to worry about your hands drying. 

About Defensil 70% Solution Isopropyl Alcohol 

One way to prevent the spread of germs is regular disinfection of hands and high touch surfaces using a  rubbing alcohol.  

To provide a higher level of defense against germs in the new normal, the Philippine Society for  Microbiology is recommending Defensil 70% Solution Isopropyl Alcohol. 

Defensil 70% Solution Isopropyl Alcohol  

• Kills 99.9% of germs to give people the peace of mind that they are well-defended

• Starts to kill germs on contact 

• Will provide up to 12 hours of protection with constant use 

Defensil 70% Solution Isopropyl Alcohol is also a pharmaceutical grade alcohol, which means that it has  passed the strictest quality standards of the Philippine Food & Drug Administration (FDA). 

Defensil is available in Robinsons, Puregold, and other leading supermarkets. 

My Say

Having Defensil in my bag or within my reach is protection that is real. It is impossible to know for sure where we can pick up the virus. Our hands are the usual point of contact so it is always best to kill them before it reaches parts of our body where we are most at risk.

These are trying times indeed. With the continuous evolution and mutation of the Covid-19 virus, the threat remains and increases. That said, we need to LIVE SAFE NOW.

Several days before All Souls' Day, my father would pack us all in our family van to visit our departed loved ones at the cemetery. This was an annual obligation to fulfill. I remember as a child seeing my father talk to an old woman, giving her instructions for the flowers and candles we brought to be placed on our relatives' grave site on the actual date for All Souls' Day.

As time passed, this woman was replaced by a younger relative. Soon after, I took over my father's corresponding responsibility when he became terminally ill. The arrangement between us continued in this manner. From then up to now, I have learned to appreciate the sense of hiring a reliable grave caretaker.

Year-Round Care for the Grave Site

It is impossible for many of us to visit the final resting place of our dearly departed as often as we would like to. Having a grave caretaker provides regularity in cleaning the site and not only during All Souls' Day. Of course, it would be best to hire someone you can trust to do his/her duty without you discovering for yourself about actual negligence when you decide to make a surprise visit.

Special Care Under Extraordinary Times

This pandemic gives us a glimpse on what could happen if physical conditions prevent us from traveling. Grave sites are often neglected all year round. More so, if the annual visit still cannot be made. Hiring a grave caretaker can address the need to put the area in order while prayers for the dead can still be done wherever we are.

Updated Information for Unexpected Change in Cemetery Policies 

It is a no-brainer that cemetery management should contact lot owners of any major change in policies. Making contact however, is an all-together different reality especially in the Philippine setting where turnover to the next generation is almost always informal and cemetery management is rarely informed. The grave caretaker can help provide needed information.

My Say

There was a time my own family and I braved the sea of humanity trekking to cemeteries on All Souls' Day. I wanted them to understand that our ancestors deserve to get at least this annual visit from us. That said, I'm sure they'll understand the limitations we have now and know that they will always be in our hearts.

The Dengue season is again upon us. Has anyone else noticed how more persistent the mosquitoes have become in clinging to human skin? They're literally everywhere but it's a good thing I've discovered how to drive mosquitoes away in style. 

Granted that basic safety precautions are observed, the use of mosquito coil to repel mosquitoes is economical and safer to use than most insecticides. One concern in its use is the rather unattractive appearance while being used. It is not something that you would like your guests to see while visiting your home.

Reinventing Katol 

Katol nowadays can be bought in scented form aside from their original formulation. Thanks to more recent stylish innovations, you can actually keep it lighted even in the presence of visitors. The usual metal stand can now be replaced with beautiful holders that look like decorative pieces.

I bought four pieces of retro-iron mosquito coil holder in gold and the design just perfectly fit our home. My online search led me to other options for katol as well as holders. Smokeless katols seem to be a good choice and so are the beautiful holders shown above. 

My Say

For the longest time, I have been hiding katol while in use. That said, with the recent innovations in formulation and holder style, I don't see any reason to do that anymore. Let's drive away mosquitoes in style. 

The connection between culture and food has long been established. In fact, talking about a country's culture without mentioning the food is impossible. Food has helped shaped many cultural identities around the world.

The stories on how the simple champorado evoked memories that remain in my heart flowed effortlessly. It helped that my daughter was asking questions like who cooked the champorado when I was young, did my parents prepare it the same way I was presenting it to her, was the same ingredients used, and so on. I distinctly remember the smell of cooking cocoa tablea, the manner of announcement that the champorado was ready, and how my siblings and I would rush to the table and had our fill of it. It was almost like a ritual made more special if my grandmother was in the mood for telling stories.

Ways of Preserving Traditional Food

To make the analogy simpler, I will attempt to answer this in the context of a very simple traditional Filipino food - the champorado.

Make it relatable to the younger generation

Champorado traces its history in Philippine cuisine during the country's Spanish colonization. The cocoa tablea may be alien to many young people but they can certainly relate to chocolate. While champorado is traditionally enjoyed warm with dried fish, it can be served chilled with choco shavings and choco bits.

Combine with other local staple crops

Ube is an indigenous staple crop of the Philippines. Its possibilities as a flavoring for many food items have been explored extensively and with great success. Candy, ice cream, cake, bread, and now with porridge, have all been received positively by Filipino consumers. 

My Say

Doing the laundry during the rainy season can be the bane of many homemakers. It is not uncommon to end up rewashing many clothes after being in the clothesline for several days due to non-stop rain. This of course wastes so much precious time as such time can be used for other household tasks that are equally important.

Here are my 5 Top Laundry Tips During the Rainy Season:

1. Prioritize Laundry Items to Wash

Since it would take a longer time for newly laundered clothes to dry during the rainy season, this means limited hanging space for the next laundry batches. Prioritize which clothes to wash first according to the need for them. It would be helpful for family members to consider using particular clothes such as denim pants more than once before throwing into the laundry basket so as not to create an unnecessarily big pile.

2. Invest in a reliable dryer

During the rainy season when outdoor drying of clothes is a guaranteed game of hit and miss, owning a reliable dryer is a definite time saver. Having to dry clothes indoor is extremely difficult if they are dripping wet. Make sure to adjust the heat level on the fabric.

3. Use a fabric conditioner

Drying clothes indoors may result to musty smelling clothes. Using the right fabric conditioner can resolve this concern. Downy Kontra Kulob is my preferred product for this purpose. 

4. Set up a Portable Clothes Dryer

Newly laundered clothes should have a place for hanging even if already passed through through the dryer. They still benefit from some time hanging on a clothes dryer with sufficient space in between. This is best done in an airconditioned room or at least a room with a fan or slightly opened windows, if possible.

5. Iron almost-dry clothes 

My grown-up son was going through his childhood toys one day when he was cleaning his room. He wanted to have more space for his school things now that it appears his dorm days will not be back just yet because of the pandemic. I detected a sense of melancholy as I watched him. Not sure though if it is coming from me or him. So do we keep his toys or not?

Keep the Toys that...

1. Have specific sentimental value

Be selective as it will be very difficult to choose. Let's face it, every piece has its sentimental value. You have to choose or else you will end up keeping everything.

2. You like to pass on the next generation

There are toys that can be passed on like family heirlooms. Make sure that its condition and make can last through time. Otherwise, it might be a good idea to have another child play with it today unless of course you have abilities to preserve it and good reason to keep it.

3. Younger kids in the family can play with now

Consider if you have younger kids who can play with the toys. In this case, it will just be a question of transferring the toys to another room. 

My Say

You may have other reasons to keep your kids' toys and that's fine. The memories they represent are yours. That said, if you feel you can give them to other children who can still enjoy them, do so. Memories will remain with you and you will be happy knowing other kids are enjoying them like your kids used to. 

Joy Philippines gave mothers all over the country the Panalong Lasting Challenge to see if a single Joy Kinsenas Pack can last for 15 days for regular home dishwashing needs. I was one of those who joined. Let me share with you the results.

I bought the Joy Kinsenas Pack for P10.50 per sachet. Frankly, I was in doubt whether the contents would actually last for 15 days. Nevertheless, I proceeded as I don't back out from challenges that would be helpful to our household. At times like these, I believe all households have become more careful with their expenses. Thus, any opportunity for savings is greatly appreciated.

Seventh Day

My family loves eating so you can just imagine the amount of pots, pans, plates, and utensils we have to wash daily. From day 1, I followed the instruction to mix a 25 centavo coin-sized drop of Joy Dishwashing to Liquid to 1 cup of water. Although I saw how bubbly it was, I still wasn't sure the Joy Kinsenas pack would last as promised.

Fifteenth Day

The day for the final verdict came. It was truly a surprise that it did last enough to manage our dishwashing needs for 15 days. I'm happy that my doubts were put to rest and gained a lot of savings in the process.

My Say 

It is really true that we should not judge before even trying. If I just relied on my initial thoughts that a small pack cannot possibly last for several days, I would not have discovered how budget friendly the Joy Kinsenas Pack is. That said, this challenge will be a daily routine in our household.

For the average Canadian, thinking of Calgary brings to mind cowboys on horseback and modern players playing hockey.  Although this rugged energy is a tradition that the city prides itself on, sitting at the oil capital of Canada: people are never really sure what to expect when they arrive.

School awards have made schoolyear endings fulfilling or disappointing to many parents and children. Whether the resulting feeling will be the former or the latter depends on whether a recognition was awarded or denied. The impact of school awards is undeniable but should it be so?

Signals of Approval

Whether or not parents voice out their expectations on their children bringing home school awards, the pressure is there. It is but natural that parents feel proud of their children's accomplishments, no matter how small. Recognition of such accomplishments by teachers and peers fulfills to a certain degree the human need for acceptance and validation.

Awards can serve as signals of approval and receiving them feels good. Does it follow then that not receiving one represents disapproval? Of course not, but it may sometimes seem so especially to young children who may relate getting an award to their "worth" as they perceive it. 

Sibling Comparison

What should parents do when one child excels in school and another is not doing as well? Should they dim the light of the academically successful child to pre-empt possible feelings of jealousy and resentment? It might be construed by the other child as creating pressure to up the ante. 

Should they "celebrate mediocrity" as others would call celebration of seemingly trivial achievements to avoid assumptions of playing favorites? Let us try to look at this based on standard measurements of success. After all, there is no such thing as small achievements for parents when it comes to their children. 

My Say

Wanting to get awards is not bad, actually not at all. It only becomes so when it becomes a major basis for parental approval. It becomes bad when it is the sole goal of students, regardless of how it was obtained. 

That said, awards should not be the only reason for doing our best. It is simply a bonus that we get along the way of reaching our dreams. In the family, we celebrate achievements and acknowledge failures. Like it or not, awards have a big impact in the family and it is up to its members to make sure that it will not be a source of pressure, or basis for measurement of value.

A debut or coming-of-age celebration for men is not as common as those for women. At the age of 21, men usually mark this day with less formal celebrations or none at all. This does not make it any less special though.

Why 21 and not 18?

Considering that the legal age in the Philippines is 18, one might ask why the celebration of the male debut comes at 21 years. The celebration of debut in the Philippines has much to do with Spanish influence. It is of note however that 21 is considered the age of independence in several countries. It is possible that this might be the reason for the designating male debut at 21 years.

In the United States, the age of 21 signals the freedom to purchase alcohol or firearms. A deep connection to the rituals of knighthood is said to be the basis for celebrating the 21st birthday of men in the United Kingdom. Some countries see the 21st birthday of both men and women as special

How Are Male Debuts Celebrated

If female debutantes have their cotillion balls, male debutants have their equivalent in beautillion balls. Very few male debutants though look forward to such formalities. Most would choose to celebrate in other ways.

Suggestions include:

1. Organize adventure activities with friends 

2. Make it a Road Adventure 

3. Photo Session with Friends and Family

4. Sports Activities

5. Community Service 

There are no hard and fast rules in celebrating. Celebrants can be as imaginative and practical as they can be. Making it a "Me time" is another great idea.

My Say 

My son just turned 21. Many years ago, we planned to make it a special celebration by traveling. The current pandemic condition totally removed that option.

That said, we still hope to push through with this plan when circumstances permit. None the less, today is still a happy day for my son and our family. 

Surreal...that was how it felt when I received a call from my lawyer that the registration of the trade name Ambos Mundos Restaurant is finally back under my name. The many years of disappointments left me unprepared to hear news favorable to my cause. More than twenty-two years after I filed a case to get back what has been wrongfully denied us, which is the very use of a trade/business name established and built by my family, it is back. The worse may be over but the real work of rebuilding is just beginning. 

Food Delivery as a Way for Restaurants to Adapt 

With majority of the customers now choosing to stay or work at home, restaurants had to find a way to bring the food to them. Food Delivery is now a major factor in the restaurant survival equation. All too suddenly it seems, the question is no longer how cozy the ambiance or how popular the name is. From the unlimited food choices offered online, the customer's main question is "Do you deliver?"

Ambos Mundos Restaurant PH for Ambos Mundos Restaurant Food Delivery

As Ambos Mundos Restaurant rebuilds itself in the midst of the pandemic, a physical store may have to wait a little longer. Food Delivery via Ambos Mundos PH is here from now up to that time when the physical doors of the restaurant again open to welcome customers. For all we know, food delivery will remain necessary even after the pandemic.

My Say

We invite everyone to call us at 09683034729 for your orders. You can also order online via Ambos Mundos Restaurant PH. Rest assured that we are working hard to complete our menu list as soon as possible. This goes as well in our efforts to widen the scope of areas where we can deliver. We hope to serve you soon.