Reminiscing…

Recently, I received several friends’ requests at the social network I am currently active. Most of the friends’ requests I received were from friends, classmates and acquaintances from way back during the time I spent 4 years of my high school in my grandma’s place in Mindanao.

While my high-school years were definitely interesting and colorful, I cannot quite help but feel melancholic about this sudden reminder of my dearly loved yet often forgotten past. Work, career, family and other personal commitments caught up with me and had kept me from visiting my grandma’s place as often as I would have wanted. In fact, I have to admit that since my grandma’s passing more than 20 years ago, I don’t really have any strong motivation to make time and re-visit the place. And so today, I would like to take some time to pause and do as I do now, reminiscing old memories….

I spent a large part of my childhood with my grandmother. Growing up in a quiet, sleepy town in Mindanao, my favorite past time as a young girl was to day dream. Guilty as charged, I did have a Cinderella complex, that is, I would actually imagine having a fairy godmother that would grant me my every whim and desire.

As the eldest grandchild, well, the only child, in my grandmother’s big two-storey house, playing alone by myself didn’t upset me. My pretend playmates in the form of a rag doll, a well-loved teddy bear and a few other prized possessions—gifts from parents and relatives, along with my very rich imagination, were my constant, pleasant companion. I remembered long hours of fun in the afternoon climbing one tree to another, even tall ones like the coconut trees that surrounded our old ancestral home. One day, I am a princess in a beautiful castle, a merchant selling candies made of clay or perhaps a hunter inside a cave. There was never a time that I felt alone or even lonely despite the lack of obvious playmate.

The few times that I did have a playmate were all in the form of our washer woman’s son and having a boy to share dolls and teddy bears with wasn’t a pleasant alternative. Too much of convincing that my doll is not a canon ball is enough for me to relinquish my right to a play date, I definitely preferred being alone than play with a semi-sadistic, snot running little tyke.

I relish the time when I can happily sing and dance amidst the rain fall, thumping on sludge of mud, with not a single care of this world. Time seemed to slow down in the province back then and yes, we do sleep right after dinner and that would be about 8 o’clock in the evening.

I vaguely remembered the night time ritual just prior to dinner of watching any one of the soap operas offered by the only 2 television stations back then. I think the TV series were entitled Flordeluna and Annaliza. I didn’t understand the show and I would always wonder why grandma and several of our neighbors and house helps would discreetly wipe off a tear punctuated with silent sobs from time to time. The puffy red eyes were always a give away after the show and my uncles who were then the classic, naughty teenagers would tease my grandma on end.

Ahh, yes, back then, it was very common for neighbors to come knocking at one’s door to borrow salt or in this case, watch a soap opera on TV. Back then, I think people were much friendlier, more open, more loving….people simply cared.

My grandma’s town is right at the middle of Davao and Butuan City. To get there, one must take a bus from either side. You will know you reached the place when you could hardly feel your butt being there. Three hours of stiff sitting with very little chance of having unshared seats that allows one to a comfortable recline, is enough to get even the most practiced sentry guard complain. Back then, there were also few air conditioned buses so the usual travels to get to the city was quite an ordeal, a sure test of patience and endurance. Being a child though, I get the exception of being able to take a nap right at my uncle’s or any seat mate’s lap for that matter. I usually doze off the whole 3 hours of travel, which is a good thing. Traveling to the city had been one of the things I look forward to as a child although each trip had been far between. Perhaps, the travel torture was too much for my adult relatives to bear.

Perhaps it has been more than 20 years since I last visited the place, saved of course for that measly 2 hours I sneaked to get to Trento a year ago. I was out on an official reconnaissance trip to Butuan City with a group from Dept. of Science and Technology and a few other fashion accessory manufacturers and exporters. Seeing that we were somehow free for the afternoon, I decided to sneak out for a quick, hurried trip to Trento. The travel going there on a bus is far longer than the actual time I got myself seated in the old sofa still currently used by my uncle’s family who now resides in my grandma’s house. My mom once joked that traveling to Trento, we only need to pay an extra P10 fare to get to heaven. I’m sure she would be amused to hear me say this now; she has indeed gone to heaven almost 3 years ago.

Reaching the place, it was like being in a stranger’s house. There had been some changes to the house yet at the same time; there were several traces of the old. Despite the alterations, I do not resent my uncle and his family for renovating the place. After all, the house was largely made of wood and after sometime, wood materials, no matter how strong, tends to wither and aged from elements. It was just proper and quite expected that some of its parts would not last past 20 years.

Nonetheless, I loved the place. It was there that I first witnessed the reddening of the sky just as the mid afternoon sun sets. It was there that I have counted the stars only to get lost by their number or their glitter or to walk the rice paddies of the sea of greens. It was for me, simply a piece of heaven on earth.

Despite the distance and time that has separated me from the place; I am pleasantly surprised to feel the familiar warmth, the tender yet firm tug the place gave on my memories of years gone by.

Little Loves

The holidays are not officially over till the Chinese says “Kung Hei Fat Choi!”. That’s Chinese for Happy New Year!

This year, we are celebrating Chinese New Year on the same day as Valentines Day—February 14, 2010!

With 2 special affairs happening on one single day, I can’t help but wonder what this day holds for us. You see, with 2 very active boys living under the same roof, every day is simply a day for new adventures for us. There is no such thing as a routine or boring moment in our household except, of course, when the boys are in school or if they are sound asleep.

As long as both are present and wide awake, we are all in high gears as if preparing for a siege about to happen anytime soon. I mean this in a good way of course :) I am always reminded of the energizer bunny commercial every time I see my little tikes doing what they do best… jumping, running and kicking around. If you have boys below the age of 10, I think you know exactly what I mean.

Mine are aged 5 and 8, and for me, this is just the perfect age for some top notch raucous! I guarantee you, between my 2 boys; they can start a riot just with their sheer combined energies.

At home, there’s simply no way of telling what might happen on any given hour of the day. It can be as consternating as our adopted feral cats scampering for dear life with my spunky little Karlo hot on its tail OR seemingly docile as mommy’s little trinkets re-born with a twist as our boys take their hands in designing, taking things apart and putting them back on in a totally different way. I must say, each time they’d do this, somehow, there seems to be extra parts that get left behind ready for a new project to be made. I don’t even know where these parts come from. If there is such a thing as multiplication of “bread and fishes” in this time and age, this is our home version.

Innocent, harmless pens get converted to rocket ships; cookie cans becomes valued treasure chests, clothes hangers to swords of knights and kings of York. Karlo would say he is the king and sometimes, the knight or even both and his older brother—Khalil gets to be the jester…Oh boy, and that’s the start of the real fight! And since I have time and time again refused to buy them toy guns, somehow they found a way to make it on their own, using papers and card boards. Origami takes a totally different meaning in our house.

Well, I’d like to think that being raised in a Christian family, Karlo is not really vent on mangling the cats. In fact, when asked why he’d chased them, he’d give you his sweet innocent look and say “I just want to play with them but they won’t have me!” Poor cats, they just can’t see past the danger of getting mobbed and run over by my 5-year old to realize his good intentions. And for my trinkets, well, I can rejoice that somehow my creative genes have wormed its way to my children. What a blessing!

With the 2 boys now able to tinker with their hands and their creative abilities starting to get apparent, no special event pass us by without getting something special from either one of them. Our recent treats were the ones they gave us last December.



Aren’t these just adorable? Whose hearts would not melt when given such symbols of love? The hours of hard work and careful attention is evident by the details they labored into each piece. My husband and I are just overwhelmed and humbled for the care and love shown through these master pieces.

And talking about love, I have included here the list of my 10 little loves which I’d like to remind myself over and over again.

They say, one can count sheep to get to sleep, I’d say, its better to count our blessings. This is in random order as I cannot quite decide which one I love the most.

1.)I love the smell of coffee that my husband brews for me almost all of my mornings.

2.)I love the feel of warm breaths as I wake up to a little jumbled mass of humanity, limbs entwined of our family of 4. The kids have their own rooms but somehow during dawn, they’d find their way into our room and into our bed.

3.)I love to tinker with my hands, creating things big and small. There is a feeling of exhilaration that I cannot quite explain seeing an object transform according to how I envision it to be.

4.)I love spending quiet time with GOD, with myself, with my family, with my closest friends, with my books and with my garden. I find it extremely important to find a place of refuge, my sanctuary when the cares and concerns weigh me down.

5.)I love getting together with friends and family specially those I have not seen for years. It’s nice to recall good old memories and then creating new ones for the future.

6.)I love getting presents specially the ones that clearly shows and represents the giver. I specially love the little gifts that my husband and children prepares for me. My husband is a genius in giving me well thought of surprises.


7.)I love challenging myself to learn new things. I remembered entering the working world not knowing how to type, much more use a computer. But then one month into a typing computer program and guess what? I learned! Sure it was hard as “old dogs are harder to teach new tricks” but this “old dog” is not beyond learning. No grand ceremonies, but I sure felt good inside.

8.)I love anything and everything beautiful and that includes music, art and fashion. I’m not really on the quest of acquiring more but I relish the opportunity to understand how society is transformed through these media. I like the idea that I have something to contribute no matter how seemingly little it may be.

9.)I love anything healthy and worthwhile, may it be in the food I eat, the products I use or the entertainment I indulged myself in. I like feeding my body and my soul with things that gives it life. I am not about to waste the gift of life and salvation that Christ, my Lord and King suffered on the cross for me.

10.)I love supporting a good cause and of standing up for issues and principles that I truly, passionately believe in.

There, I have more to include but these are on top of my list right now. And I am pretty sure that right after the Valentines Day, I have more to add. I am very much looking forward to it right now : )

Kung Hei Fat Choi and Happy Love Day everyone!!!

DON’T QUIT

I came across this poem entitled “Don’t Quit” some 20 years or so ago.

Since my initial discovery, this poem has become a personal mantra for me.

Much like a well worn, ever reliable comfort blanket, this is something I read over and over again specially during times of discouragements and disappointments.

As we go through the motions of life, now like any other, is the right time for us, for me, to re-visit the old familiar verses of this poem and draw strength and inspiration it so reliably and unselfishly gives.

Let me share this with you...

Don't Quit
by anonymous

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest! if you must; but don't you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As everyone of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow;
You might succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a faint and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup.
And he learned too late, when the night slipped down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out;
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt;
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit;
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

Indeed I couldn’t agree more!

As the saying goes, "a quitter never wins and a winner never quits".

In whatever battle you may be in right now, I hope that you too will find inspiration from the simple yet life giving message of this poem.

GOD bless everyone!

My Passions…

The past weeks had been a whirl of product presentations for our new line ARTIZANS Organics.

The more I talk about it and explain to people why we launched it, the more I am convinced that indeed we have made the right decision.

And as if we do not have our hands full already, we have taken the next step, to introduce our nutritional line. To me, this comes naturally as the next step.

While we take good care of the outside of our body through our personal care line--- Human Heart Nature, even more important is the need to take care of what is inside our body. After all, there is not much nice skin or hair to maintain if our body is rotting and going haywire from the inside.

There is no question on the merit of the products we are promoting. We believe that we have GOD-sent products which first and foremost are blessings to us personally as users. This small bit of ambivalence though has nothing to do the with the product line, but largely because our fashion jewelry line---still our main business, which continues to flourish despite the odds.

Now in all of these, timing is the key.

You see, while we are doing all these ARTIZANS Organics presentations, I am also in negotiation with a possible distributor who will open several high-end retail outlets in Canada and Europe for our international brand IMPRESSIONE. This lady I am in contact with is quite amazing as she is currently the General Manager of one of the most recognizable American brands of apparel that has about 1,800 stores all over the US alone. While she is very nice and accommodating, I have to keep in mind that she really knows what she is talking about. She is indeed astute and business savvy with quite an energy that I need to match.

One of the tasks I am suppose to do is to come up with at least 45 collections by September for our launching during Eastern Canada’s premier jewelry fair, the JCK Toronto.

Whoa, this is definitely not a walk in the park considering that we are not only going to launch premium but also meaningful, designer-only collections, in other words, haute couture.

While this is definitely a good project to exercise creativity and a rare chance to partner with the industry’s best, in my heart, I feel the tug to get the message out there for ARTIZANS Organics.

At night, when I think about my mom who by the way celebrated her 2nd year of passing last May, or of family and friends who are desperate for something due to an ailing love one, I know that the more people I can share and tell, the more I would feel better. Not that we claim our nutritional line to bring forth miracles and cure terminal diseases (it would be good though if it does, as some documented instances did) but what pains me most is that there is just so much lack of information. There is so much ignorance and deception brought about by the high flying marketing campaigns of the various commercial products that we see nowadays. Deprived of the chance to be heard, healthier alternative products gets pushed back down, shelved and ignored. People do not make informed decisions on the choices they make, healthwise.

Does anyone even know the sugar content in a 8 oz bottle of soft drinks? Do we know that one of the main ingredients of canned goods is sodium nitrate (yes, go ahead look at the label of the can goods in your pantry), also the ingredients used in explosives?

You see, ARTIZANS Organics has become our passion, our own little contribution to the Filipino community and possibly to the world, as our nutritional line is not limited to Philippines alone. ARTIZANS Organics is also our way of telling our children that we love them so much, we want to be responsible and take care of our bodies.

Will there be a time that I would leave fashion jewelry for good and just work full time on ARTIZANS Organics? I don’t think so.

I sleep, eat and breathe with creativity and art, something I get to exercise with fashion jewelry. To do otherwise is to die a little inside.

My barometer in making important decisions though is based on GOD’s handbook itself---the Bible.

In Proverbs 10:22, it says, "the blessing of the LORD brings wealth, and he adds no trouble to it."

Right now, I have no doubt GOD wants us to continue pursuing our fashion jewelry line.

After all, through this business, we continue to be a channel of blessing to more than a 100 full time employees.

I don’t think we would have all the rare opportunities we now have, if the Master’s intention is otherwise.

But as what is written in Ecclesiastes 3:1, "there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."

Now if you are wondering what our nutritional line is, knowing that there is so much misconception and prejudices about food supplements and alternative products, we would rather give our product a chance to be fully listened to.

We want people to get the facts straight, and for people to have a chance to ask, argue and understand.

If anyone is interested, we are open to individual or group meetings to discuss this in detail.

What we do promise is that at the end of the presentation, anyone can walk away and say “No it’s not for me”. And that’s just fine with us.

We don’t need to launch ARTIZANS Organics. We can opt to just use the products and get the benefits just for ourselves.

We really don’t have to balance our time and resources and talk to people about it, which is not an easy thing to do.

But we choose the other way, in fact, the hard way. We just felt that as we have been blessed, we too should be able to bless others as well.

To do otherwise is to act selfishly and disobediently.

Let me direct you to another article written in the Freeman by a world renowned doctor of Oriental and Western alternative medicine based in San Carlos, California.(Click Here)

There are 3 parameters that ARTIZANS Organics abide when choosing the products that it promotes:

First and foremost is the health benefit of the product.

The product we endorse should be able to stand on its own health merit alone.

The integrity of the product and the company behind it must be intact.

If the product needs glitzy and costly marketing campaigns or it needs arm twisting and convincing, then it is not worth our time and effort.

Second, that it should be affordable or within most people’s budget.

We believe that no matter how good the product is, if we are unable to buy it due to price, it is considered nothing.

Third, as much as possible it should have some type of financial benefit, a possible income generating aspect to it, something we could all use specially at this time.

My passions? Well, it is very obvious isn't it? GOD, Family, Health and Art... exactly in that order.

Right now, the 45 collections of IMPRESSIONE Premium/Haute Couture is looking good. My next articles hopefully detail how this line unfolds.

To know more about ARTIZANS Organics and our nutritional line, contact us at organics@artizans.bz or (032)4223657 or 0922-8021681.

For overseas, we can also schedule for SKYPE conference.

Artizans Organics

Promoting Health
Nurturing Environment
Building the Nation
One Person at a time!

GOOD FRIDAY….its good!

Last holy week, Good Friday to be specific, my husband--Jeff and I did the unthinkable. With a few minutes to prepare and no idea where to head off, we packed our bags and with 2 children aged 5 and 7 in tow, dashed out of our house for an unprecedented, totally unplanned for getaway.

Normally, my vacations revolves around a well-planned schedules plotted months ahead. This compose of mini inventory of my vacation stash and several trips to the malls to make sure my “survival kit” can withstand all major foreseeable disasters, with tsunamis not totally out of the picture. And my husband, he is an epitome of inspector gadget; you can be assured that he always has an extra of something.

I boast of being an extensive planner too, in fact, good enough that I am a member of our production planning team in our office. It was indeed very uncharacteristic of me, so totally against my grain to head to somewhere without so much of a hotel reservation.

Anyway, my husband assured me that it’s going to be fun. So with a long, heartfelt prayer and a 50 watt smile, I gamely gave in to the call of nature unpredictable as we head off south.

Our first stop was a hidden mountain resort whose signage we spotted right by the roadside. It said, 6 kilometers from main road and the picture showed a promising nature adventure, comfortable accommodations and several spring watered pools, we were ready to be surprised! Well, 6 kilometers to our estimate should not be more than a 30-minute drive. In reality, it felt like forever to get there. My youngest Karlo kept saying, ”I think we are lost, we should have a GPS (referring to Global Positioning Satellite)”. I think he had too much of Little Einstein show.

Good that it didn’t rain days before as I could very well see the deep mud tracks that has now hardened and has become deep potholes and humps to contend with. And the surprise, well, we were surprised indeed but not in a good way. Some of the pools look very green, my eldest son Khalil smugly coined it a “toad pond”… he couldn’t be more right!

My spirit was slightly dampened as we head back to highway, but still buoyant, looking forward to the adventure which we don’t really know what yet.

Next stop was a roadside eatery near San Fernando. It was actually a pleasant find as we didn’t expect small outlets to be open on a Good Friday, surprise still to see that they offered pork adobo in their menu, not your usual fare during Lenten season. We packed our own lunch so we only need to buy a few supplements to justify our use of their tables and chairs. The kids ate a hearty lunch and even had a chance to play in the swing nearby… indeed a good way to stretch after a long journey.

At about 1 pm, we traveled onwards still unsure of what the day had in store for us. We marveled at how each town has changed over the years. It must have been more than 10 years the last time we passed by these towns. The former landmarks I still keep in my memory were no longer there. Indeed commercialism has crept in into major town centers with Goldilocks signages now vying for better view over Dunkin Donuts’.

Another stop was the Molave Milk Station for a quick soft ice cream fix, very timely with the sun getting more and more intense. Much to my surprise, the property is owned by the Unchuan’s. So this was the place my friend Marissa (Unchuan) of White Sands Beach Resort was inviting us for several times a few years ago. We have to turn her down since the boys were still very young and their asthma was quite hard to manage back then. The property was very well kept and I saw several dairy cows.

I imagine myself being transported to the typical picturesque New Zealand; I was prepared to see milk maids strutting by. Unfortunately, aside from the small strip allotted for the milk station, the farm is not open to public unless of course you know people in high places like the mistress of the house herself. The family wasn’t around at that time though and with the sun setting, we knew we have to find our hotel soon. We were back on the road in 10 minutes tops.

We then head straight to Club Serena Resort (www.clubserenaresort.com) in Moalboal, working on a lead given by a very picky friend who swears that the place is really nice. Prior to actually reaching the place, we had a few quick stops on various forgettable resorts. I was getting worried, but well, what the heck; I assured myself that these were all part of the adventure.

Club Serena Resort was totally divine specially having eyed several resorts that don’t really come close to it by a mile. We were greeted by the manager on duty which everybody calls Haze, he speaks good English and was very accommodating and knowledgeable of their services and facilities. We had a quick tour of the place, quaint with just 8 single-detached accommodations, a nice swimming pool just right for my boys and a small beach front offering a short walk to reach the crystal clear waters. The manager asked if my husband dives, of which he replied no and pointed to me instead. Well, I had a few scuba escapades in my past life but not anymore. But yes, Moalboal holds a special place in my heart as this is where I had my first dive in Pescador Island holding hands the whole time with my Padi instructor.

My boys had their gelato and pasta carbonara for merienda while Jeff and I had our ginseng coffee and beef empanada with mozzarella cheese. Absolutely wonderful and I very much liked the place that my heart sank several degrees when we were told that they are fully booked. The manager was kind enough to refer us to another resort though and even did the calling and arrangements, service par excellence indeed!

Upon checking the place we were referred to though, Jeff didn’t like it at all and instead, we decided to head off to another strip of resorts nearby. At this time, it was about 4 pm already. The sun was almost setting but we were determined to find a comparable resort to Club Serena. We would probably have been ready to settle for much less except that now, we have a standard to compare all the other nearby resorts with. I was ready to go second rate on several things but not at the expense and comfort of my boys.

If not for the kids, we would probably have asked Club Serena to allow us to camp out at one of the cabanas there. I doubt if Club Serena would allow us though as that would probably be over extending their generosity already.

In a few minutes, we were at Panagsama Beach strip, with rows and rows of resorts on both sides of the road and of which, a few paces leads straight to the beach. The set up is reminiscent of Boracay but the similarity ends there. While I remembered wonderful scuba diving memories in this place, somehow it has lost its magic to me now. Hotel owners did little to improve it or probably driven by constant influx of customers, they have placed little attention to its upkeep. Most of the rooms are full except for one, but with careful thoughts, we decided that it was not worth staying there.

And so with the road now officially dark, we decided to head off back to Cebu but not after spotting a roadside restaurant called Palalong, situated out of nowhere near a cliff in Dumanhug, the town next from Moalboal. I thought I remembered seeing the words “bed and breakfast” but one of the busboys said no when my husband asked if they had a room for the night. I called it divine intervention that I took a few minutes to wash up at the sink as my husband flipped through the menu and found the room rates right on the first page.

Aha! So they did have a room. Apparently, the guy he earlier asked did not really understand the question and conveniently answered “no”. This is something to take note of when talking to somebody, make sure he understands what you are asking…lesson 101 in effective communication indeed!

I was relieved to find the room clean, faucet and aircon running and I must say the view of the Southern part of Cebu and nearby islands from our vantage point were stunning! It was indeed a hidden treasure, that’s not so hidden.


In the morning, we were pleasantly wakened up by the bright sunlight filtered on the window curtain. My little boy still disoriented from the unfamiliar room gave me his sweet smile upon remembering that we were off on a wonderful trip.

Do I feel guilty having spent my Good Friday that way? The answer is absolutely NO.

While I have nothing personal against penance and doing personal sacrifices during the Lenten Season, I have come to realize that no amount of my good works could purchase GOD’s favor and salvation.

In Ephesians 2: 8 to 9, it says,

“For it is by grace that we are saved, through faith---and this is not from ourselves but as a gift of GOD---not by good works so that no one can boast”.

There are days when I do go on fasting and meditation to clear my mind and spend time with GOD. However, I chose not to do it last Friday. After all, I need not please men and conform to their standards and expectations.

And my thoughts on good works? Well, if you have been recipient of the goodness of the Lord, you cannot help but extend the good that you have experienced. Doing good towards others is my way of saying thank you to GOD for the good that He has done in my life. It is never to bribe Him to grant or pardon me for something.

Silver Linings

When America sneezes the rest of the world catches the cold. We have heard this said often enough. But the recent global economic crisis left a lot of proof of this old adage lying around. A lot of Filipinos are definitely experiencing the full blown flu with companies closing left and right leaving several thousands even millions of people jobless. There is a palpable feeling of gloom and doom among the working sector. 

Yet to every dark cloud, there is always a silver lining waiting to be discovered. Filipinos as we are, we are known for our tenacity and resilience. We are the Juans or Juanas who chooses to sell ice candies and halo halo during the El Ninos and Kape at Tsokolates during the El Nina’s. We know how to laugh even during our hardest fall. Our history books have a lot to tell about this, from the World War II, to the Asian economic Crises, to the 20 year regime of a dictator. For those who lived through these decades, they are not only survivors but winners in their own rights. 

Indeed, we do not allow momentary difficulties to hinder us from achieving our goals. We have the innate indomitable fighting spirits in all of us. We have proofs of Filipinos excelling in their chosen field given the right opportunities, such as the likes of Filipino achievers –Lea Salonga conquering the broadway scene, Fashion byword—Monique Lhuillier, Furniture-maker Kenneth Cobonpue or the GenSan hero Manny Pacquaio. 

For some of us who may have the fair share of difficulties brought about by this recent economic crisis, we need not look very far though. We can look deep into ourselves and ask, ‘what can I do today that would change my situation?”

The answer could be as simple as changing one’s lifestyle, simple budgeting or getting an alternative or added source of income. Whatever it is, the important thing is that we do not succumb to fear and allow uncertainties take a hold on us to decide our future.

There will always be a silver lining waiting to be discovered. And as the Source of all wisdom says: “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV)

This fundamental truth will certainly never go out of style.

About Me

I have always been fascinated by fashion. I find it amusing that a lot of people think of it as trivial and frivolous without realizing that fashion actually has a great positive contribution in the society that we live in. Fashion is one of the forces that shapes and forms our economic landscapes. It is one of the driving forces behind many of the multi billion businesses we see nowadays which in turn provide jobs and livelihood. 

Fashion is certainly more than just choosing the right color or the right cut. After all, a well delivered speech would lose its sincerity and impact if delivered by someone who is not dressed appropriately. Nobody would take one seriously if they are dressed like a clown so to speak. Through fashion, passions are rekindled, power deals are closed, and a gloomy disposition is lifted up. In more ways than one, fashion affects us. 

Personally, a big part of my life has been about fashion. I had the privilege to be on both sides of the equation, that of being a consumer and that of a designer and manufacturer. 

As a consumer, I can relate to the exhilaration one feels after purchasing the much sought after “it” shoes at 30% discount or of finding the perfect clutch for the latest acquired mini dress. 

Likewise, fashion has carved a career path for me. Having worked both as Sales and Marketing Manager and Designer for an international fashion accessory company for almost 10 years now, I was also given the rare opportunity of working with established designers of well known brands abroad. It is truly very inspiring to work with some of the geniuses in the fashion industry and get a glimpse on how a certain design takes shape. 

Also, I find it a privilege to have access to the most expensive forecasting tools and of knowing the up and coming trends at least one to two seasons ahead. 

Far from being a fashion expert, these experiences have somehow given me quite a unique perspective which others may find interesting. In the course of these various exposures and influences, I have come to know what works and what doesn’t personally work for me in fashion. 

It is indeed with these varied personal and career exposures that I have decided to put up an online site. I hope to share my knowledge and experiences and hopefully also learn from others with the same interest as I, through this online interaction. 

Early on, I also just want to inform that the opinions expressed in this site are purely my personal opinions or that of my guest writers.