Who would have thought that after two years of being inside our homes because of the pandemic, we will have the courage to go out and see our friends with our loved ones face to face, to mingle and watch a movie together?

For this year’s Mother’s Day, Mommy Bloggers Philippines chose to celebrate this milestone of having the freedom (at least within the boundaries of the safety protocols) to see each other and watch a family movie with our kids.

Last May 7, 2022, at Cinema 1 Vertis North Ayala Malls 12:00 PM, we had the opportunity to see one another with our kids and family members and watch Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness movie. It turned out that it was the perfect movie to watch with the plot of the movie focused on one of the main character’s quest to be with her children (Wanda/Scarlet Witch) by means of using her evil superpowers and traveling to a different universe. This quest entailed battles between forces of good and evil and eventually, the mother’s love prevailed.

Present in the block screening event were cosplayers Doctor Strange and Scarlet Witch and they hosted the trivia question segment wherein prizes were given to lucky attendees who were able to answer quickly.

Special thanks to all the sponsors of this event as it made the event a great success with all the moms bringing home these gifts, with the good memories of being friends and families, ready for next day’s Mother’s Day celebration.

Lanie Lluch of TweenselMom and Mommy Bloggers Philippines

Bedalyn Aguas of MamiBedai

Mary Rose Castillo of MerryMommyMay

Jennelyn Ersando of MommyKulasa

Dianne Salonga of CurlyDianne

Berlin Domingo of MomiBerlin

Erica Redrico of EricaRedrico.com

Shalene Rivera of PurplePieces

Jinkee Umali of LiveLifeFullest

Gail Bufi of Momof4SC

Evelyn Marfa of NanayMoments

Sharon Joyce Valdez of AllAroundPinayMama

Daryll Villena of Deiville.com

Rayrose Camille Samson of ItsRayrose

Angelyn Demo of MommysMagLife

Sarah Estebar of MommySeyrahCady

Margaux Hemady of WanderWomom

Nessly Hamoy of Tribobot.com

Tina Quines of Mrs.Cloverleaf

Janice Lim of MommyPlannerista

Meg Mortega of NocturnalMomTalks

Jessica Tinio of NanayJecka

Dane Relente of MisisNiAndres

Mommy Bloggers Philippines was established in December 2013. This group was created to gather mothers who blog all over the Philippines but is also open to Filipino bloggers from the rest of the world.

As of 2022, there are already 600+ members within the community. Most of these members, though belonging to different blogger categories, are active in blogging and social media. This makes Mommy Bloggers Philippines one of the most active blogging communities in the country.

Richard and Sarah, who got married in a solemn ceremony earlier this year, celebrated their new life together in quarantine. While being stuck at home was an opportunity for them to spend more time together as a family—planting, painting and playing all sorts of games, they also needed to go through a lot of adjustments as a family. 

One adjustment that they had to do was to look for better ways to protect their family against germs, with the threat of the virus still continuing up until now. They found their newest ally in Defensil 70% Solution Isopropyl Alcohol, which promises a higher level of protection against germs and viruses. 

“We believe in innovative products. Not only does Defensil come from a company we trust, Defensil 70% Solution Isopropyl Alcohol is also recommended by experts,” said Sarah. 

“And since we use alcohol more frequently to sanitize, I also like how it not only kills germs and bacteria, but also has moisturizer to not dry our skin,” she added. 

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.

Created by Beauty Elements Ventures Inc, Defensil 70% Solution Isopropyl Alcohol kills 99.9% of germs to give Richard and Sarah’s family the peace of mind that they are well-defended. It starts to kill germs on contact and upon constant use, provides up to 12-hour protection.

Celebrating the holidays is surely going to be different for the Gutierrez family this year. For Richard and Sarah, social distancing is something that they’re keeping in mind as they celebrate the holiday season, along with making sure that everyone sanitizes and disinfects using Defensil. 

The family wishes to go on a local holiday trip with family bringing their new ally, Defensil. With this, Sarah shares three simple tips to fellow parents on how to keep their family safe from germs during the holiday season. 

First, social distancing is a must. Second, always wear a mask. It is important for parents to teach their kids the importance of wearing masks, which help to prevent the transmission of the virus. And, lastly, always disinfect with an alcohol that makes sure you and the family are well-defended— like Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol. 

To know more about Richard and Sarah’s newest ally, Defensil 70% Solution Isopropyl Alcohol, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/defensil.philippines. 

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I am not a panicky type of person. I always keep calm and cool whenever being subjected to an unpleasant situation and unforeseen circumstance. I believe that in order for me to think properly and find the right solution to a problem, I should keep my composure and believe that every unpleasant situation shall pass.

However, I remember a few years ago when there was an instance that Kuya would religiously go back to the emergency room or being admitted in the hospital twice or thrice a month due to his very sensitive tummy. It was not an exaggeration. If that was not the case, he would still have a visit to his pediatrician for a check-up to get a prescription medication or sadly, being admitted again until he would recover in his acute gastroenteritis.

Until now, when I hear him say that he has a headache and a bad tummy, I have the tendency to worry too much. It is very hard for me to see Kuya suffer due to unbearable tummy pain. Him being sick can disrupt the family routines and my husband's work schedule. We have no one outside of the family to look after our sick member except any of us. We don't have a helper. Sickness, therefore, builds a chain of consequences--- emotional stress and physical strain due to taking care of the sick family member, disruption of the usual family mechanics, financial instability due to buying medicines and other hospital needs, unreliability in performing our work-related tasks, and a lot more.

At this point, Kuya's immune system is stronger but it doesn't mean that he can stay at ease. Acute Gastroenteritis comes unexpectedly most of the time. As a mom, guiding Kuya in making the right food and drink choices, changing his sedentary lifestyle by encouraging him to be active in a sport that he likes best, and taking the best supplements can keep himself from having frequent Gastroenteritis attacks and hopefully, none at all.

In line with this, I am very excited to hear the news that Erceflora, the reputable brand that helped Kuya improve his digestion and other gastrointestinal integrity while he was ill, has now a food supplement version in tablet form called PROBI BEAR.


By just eating one tablet a day, this easy to eat vanilla-flavored probiotic bear-shaped tablet helps in the enhancement of intestinal ecology and lactose malabsorption, improve digestion, and aid to the enhancement of natural resistance to intestinal infections. What makes this tablet safer is the absence of preservatives, gluten, trans fat, and nuts. Of course, this Kosher and Halal Certified brand is a product of Sanofi-Aventis, one of the world's pharmaceutical leaders. I am sure that Kuya and even us adults (My mom had an Acute Gastritis last week. Probi Bears are now part of her daily diet.) can depend on Probi Bears to have a healthier tummy and intestines every day! Iwas sakit, gastos, at alalahanin. Ang galing!

Erceflora Probi Bears are available in all leading drugstores nationwide. Just a tip from Mom, keep the Probi Bear pack refrigerated to make it easier for you to take out the bear tablet quickly from the foil pack.

Whenever I visit Araneta Center-Cubao, I always drop by Shopwise. Why? Because there are products that I need that I can only find there. Like for instance, my mom would always ask me to to go there to buy her Aveeno Soap which I couldn't find in common supermarkets. Shopwise is the only supermarket that offers more stocks of that hard-to-find Aveeno Soap. When I go there, I usually buy in bulk because I am not sure when I can come back. There are also Human Nature products readily available in Shopwise that are normally available online or can be bought via the company's official distributors. It saves me additional fees intended for shipping. What a nice way to save money!

Aside from the different beauty and hygiene products, Shopwise is the best place to shop for its exclusive food, janitorial, and pet items because it offers a wide range of high quality local/homegrown and international brands available at low, low prices. 

That's why just recently, Shopwise The Big Cook-Off, an event to showcase its exclusive products through a cooking contest between bloggers and culinary students kicked-started last weekend.

I, together with my friends from BKS Moms, were blessed to witness its second leg that was held yesterday, July 20, 2018, through the initiative of Mommy Bloggers Philippines.

Heavy rains didn't stop Shopwise's 2nd leg of The Big Cook-Off to push through which had "Asian Fusion" as its theme. The competitors were composed of three culinary students from Apicius and three respectable Food Pinoy bloggers. The aim of this event was for us to witness the amazing showdown of cooking skills using world-class ingredients from Shopwise. It was hosted by the dynamic and good-looking chef, Steven Silva. The judges were headed by celebrity chef, JP Anglo.

Miss Meg of Shopwise was confident as she discussed that the company could offer "Best Value" products outsourced from different parts of the world. Those best quality products were made affordable for all. 

Moreover, we've learned that Shopwise has 30 exclusive brands that are reasonably priced, even up to 20 to 30% off. Shopwise also has weekly promos where we can get a lot of freebies and discounts. 

Now let's move to the contestants and contest proper.

The APICIUS CHEFS (SCHOOLERS) were composed of the following talented student chefs:

Jobert Diaz is s a 22-year-old guy who loves to eat and cook adobo.

Winning Dish: Stuffed Salmon and Prawns with Teriyaki Sauce

Arlujan Sansano is 19 years old. He joined this cooking contest for the very first time and promised to do his best to share his abilities.

Dish: Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Ginger Star Anise Sauce

Arvin Fernandez is a 21-year-old guy who idolizes the first chef who has taught him how to cook, Chef Calvin Ayagan.

Winning Dish: Pan Shred Honey Lemon Chicken Combination with Assorted Vegetables

Those three talented young gentlemen are from Mondragon, Northern Samar.

The Apicius Chefs' FOODIE BLOGGER contenders were the following:

40-year-old Lea Domingo a.k.a. Mommy Lelei specializes in Filipino dishes. She is not really a blogger but a constant user of Instagram and Facebook. It was her first time to join a cooking competition.

Dish: Tuna Meatball Sliders with Asian Jam

Nathaniel Uy a.k.a. Thehungrychef.ph is one of the famous food bloggers in the Philippines with 15,700 followers on Instagram. 

Winning Dish: Prawn Halang-Halang Ramen

Jinkee Umali is a lifestyle and IT consultant by profession who loves cooking to relieve her stress from work. She blogs to de-stress. She always thinks of her kids and husband when she cooks.

Winning Dish: Thai Bagoong Rice

The criteria for judging were the following:

25 %- Utilization of Shopwise products

25%-  Taste

25%-  Originality and Creativity

15%-  Presentation

10%-  Audience Impact

A total of 100%

Two winners came from the Apicius Group and another two winners from the Food Blogger Group. Winners will join The Grand Big Cook-Off on August.

Among the dishes, I only tasted the ones cooked by bloggers Jinkee Uy and Lea Domingo. Both tasted really, really good. I didn't have the chance to taste the other dishes but one thing's for sure--- all the contestants were able to utilize all Shopwise products efficiently. How creative!

In my opinion, all the dishes were cooked with love and utmost dedication. I saw clearly the difference between how culinary students and bloggers executed their cooking prowess. The students where more technical and strict with their standards while the bloggers were obviously cooked the "home" way.  Despite the difference in execution, all contestants cooked with their hearts' delight. Furthermore, the judges chose the winners not just for the foods' taste or "what's on the plate" alone as Chef JP mentioned but also based on the above-mentioned criteria and of course, following the theme "Asian Fusion". Indeed, following the rules and instructions was very, very important. The stories behind the winning dishes also added an impact on the judges' decision. Like for instance, Miss Jinkee Umali was thinking of her kids while cooking her Thai Bagoong Rice. Every component of her dish was tailored fit for each of her kid's favorite. It was prepared with love which coincided with one of the benefits of cooking- altruism.  She was filled with bliss while doing the endeavor, making it more fruitful and meaningful because of the fact that she was doing it for someone dear to her.

The cook-off was not only intended to know the best of the best but also it became the venue to commit mistakes and learn from them. This statement of Chef JP struck me the most while he was telling it to Arlujan Sansano, "Joining a contest like this is a venue for you to learn. You committed mistakes now but it should not be the reason for you to stop. As you go on, you'll commit so many mistakes. Like me, I committed a million mistakes in the past which made me worthy to sit here right in front of you. Keep it up and we expect to see more from you."

A world-class venue for a world-class learning event utilizing affordable world-class products, that is Shopwise! In Shopwise, you can have a good life that you can afford! In Shopwise The Big Cook-Off, practical life lessons can be learned!

To know more about the next Shopwise The Big Cook-Off and what Shopwise Supercenters offer, you may like Shopwise on Facebook. 

I already miss baking with my boys. Baking with them is so much fun and has a lot of benefits.

- It teaches kids Math skills like measurement, addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, estimation, and time from start to finish. 

- Kids learn Science concepts like Chemical Reaction, Mixtures, Solute, Solvent, and Senses.

- Kids develop values like patience and perseverance.

- Kids' fine at gross motor skills can be practiced by choosing and mixing the ingredients.

- Kids can create fun memories with their parents that can be added to their memory.

That's why Kuya and I enjoyed The Maya Kitchen's Mommy and Kid Baking Workshop. On the following day of the said workshop, we taught Bunso and Kuya what we learned. We enjoyed the activity very much! 

Here's one of the two recipes that we've learned:

PEANUT BUTTER & CHOCO CHIP CUPCAKES

Cupcakes:

1 1/2 cups Maya Cake Flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Chocolate Buttercream:

1/2 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup milk

3 tablespoons whipping cream

PREPARE CUPCAKES. Preheat oven to 350 F/177 C. Line two 3-oz. 12-hole muffin pan with cupcake liners. Set aside. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Alternately add dry ingredients and milk, ending with the dry mixture and beating well after each addition. Pour batter into prepared pans until 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes or until done. Cool completely before frosting.

PREPARE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM. Using a mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add sugar and cocoa powder at low speed. Add milk and beat at medium speed. Lastly, add the whipping cream and beat until light and fluffy. Pipe or spread on top of cool cupcakes.

YIELD: 14-15 cupcakes

You may eat the cupcakes without frosting and still tastes good. :)

Enjoy your weekend! I encourage you to bake with your family. It's so much fun! Here's the link to our The Maya Kitchen baking experience: 

A Day to Remember: Mommy Bloggers Philippines and The Maya Kitchen Mommy and Kid  Cupcake Baking Workshop

As parents, we want our kids to have a productive summer break. Aside from having more time to bond with family members and being taught with activities of daily living like chores, we are eyeing for the best place to enroll our kids for summer camps.

Summer camps and classes are being offered by schools all-over the country to keep our kids more productive while having fun. These venues are also intended for kids to discover what they really want to pursue, may it be sports, academics, music, dance, or arts. These summer camp academies or schools offer amazing and enticing packages. We are thinking that the more in demand the program is, the more expensive it is.

But that idea is not always the case. Some summer camps offer the best courses without breaking the bank. If you live near Araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City and if your kids dream of becoming a prima ballerina or famous hip-hop dancer someday, Ali Mall is offering SUMMER RHYTHM: Hip-Hop and Ballet Dance Classes for Kids in partnership with Dance Plus Philippines, The Studio Without Walls, that has been launched in April 10. To have a feel of what's in store for our kids, members of Mommy Bloggers Philippines and their kids, including me, my son, and his best friend witnessed and joined it!

Kuya and his best friend are drummers in their school's band and joining the hip-hop class is something new to try. They have attended three sessions already and so far they have the feel if they are going to pursue hip-hop or not. But one thing is for sure, since the class is being held in Ali Mall Activity Area, a dance studio without walls, their confidence in performing in front of strangers other than their teachers and school mates are being developed.

Ali Mall Activity Area was jam packed with kids ages four to fifteen years old during the hip-hop class.

Kids listened and followed attentively as the dance teacher gave instructions and executed the dance steps.

Warming up and cooling down were part of the one hour session.

If your kids love dancing, they will definitely have fun when they join. Here's how:

1) For every ₱1,000 single receipt from any establishment in Araneta Center Cubao (Gateway Mall, Gateway Tower Mall, Ali Mall, Farmers Plaza, Farmers Market, Novotel, Coliseum Circle Restaurants, KIA Theatre Arcade, Telus Arcade, Cyberpark Tower 1, Shopwise Arcade Restaurants, Araneta Center Bus Station & Busport, Manhattan Parkway, and Parkview & Heights Arcade) or availling FOUR CINEPLEX TICKETS at Gateway Cineplex 10 or Ali Mall Cineplex 4 entitles the customer's child companion to ONE FREE BALLET DANCE CLASS & ONE FREE HIPHOP DANCE CLASS at ALI MALL ACTIVITY AREA.

2) All you need to do is you must present your receipt at the concierge booth located at the ground floor of Ali Mall to claim your free dance class stubs.

3) It is strictly one transaction per receipt only. For receipts exceeding ₱1,000, only a maximum of ONE free Ballet Dance and ONE free Hip-Hop Dance Class stubs will be given.

Yes, I found my tribe four years ago and love them hard!

It was December 13, 2013 to be exact when I was invited by the ever loving and kind, Mommy Lanie Lluch, Head Admin of Mommy Bloggers Philippines to be part of the group. Mommy Bloggers Philippines is one of the leading and sought after blogger groups in the country. Up to date, more than 500 mommy bloggers are under it and new members come each year making MBP a home of Pinay mommy bloggers from different parts of the world, ages, genres, and niches, making this group more holistic, well-rounded, and trusted by different brands. My blogging experience would never be the same without MBP. 

Every year, the admins of #MommyBloggersPH, Joy Gurtiza of Joybites, Louisa Mercado of Art of Being  a Mom, and of course, Lanie Lluch of Tweensel Mom, organize a one of a kind major event where members convene to relax, enjoy, and catch up! The get-together is a sort of a time to have "chika therapy" amidst their very busy schedule due to wearing so many hats at the same time. The event is always intimate, although it becomes bigger and hopefully becomes open for all its members in the years to come.

L-R: Lanie Lluch, Joy Gurtiza, and Louisa Mercado, Admins of Mommy Bloggers Philippines. (Courtesy: Louisa Mercado)

Last Saturday, December 9, Mommy Bloggers Philippines' A Christmas in Bloom Party was held in Vanilla Cafe near the premises of ABS-CBN, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. It was the only chance that we could be together as one so isinabay na rin ang baby shower ng aking first photography teacher and favorite food blogger na si Joy Gurtiza.


It was such a light and fun party! No pressure at all. Just pure bliss and non-stop chikahan!

#MBPChristmasParty2017 is a venue where moms of MBP find time to do their "chika therapy".  (Courtesy: @thesuper.momma)

Sabi ko nga kay Mommy Lanie, sumakit ang panga ko sa kachichika at kulang ang tatlong oras sa mga naipong kwento ng mga nanay na minsan lang magkita in person sa loob ng isang taon. We also had our simple "exchange gift-giving". Ganyan lang ka-simple pero enjoy na enjoy kaming lahat!

In MBP, we became close through the years. From online friends, we became offline friends too. It is a group where we could meet like-minded moms and could literally talk anything under the sun without any pretention. Ang saya lang talaga ng feeling! Every MBP member would look forward to an event like this kasi naman very therapeutic. 

As I mentioned, we were chatting the whole time but our bodies were fueled by a scrumptious dinner prepared by Vanilla Cafe. Sa dami ng serving ng kanilang soup, salad, appetizer, and pasta, and meat dish na lahat pagkasarap-sarap, hindi kami naubusan ng energy. Super yummy rin ng cupcakes and iced tea nila, promise! And of course, "Instagrammable" pa ang kanilang cozy ambience!

Vanilla Cafe is oozing with good food and relaxing ambience.

Our three hour, "Day-Off ni Inday"/#MBPChristmasParty2017 memories would be etched in my heart forever. Before I forget, buti na lang may mga #TitaProblem aids ako sa bahay! Sumakit ang braso at likod ko sa dami ng gifts and raffle prizes na pinauwi ng mga generous sponsors!

Our generous sponsors gave their support through giveaways and prizes. You may give them some love by visiting their websites and following their social media sites: