Philippines Vacation and Long Term Stay

by Charles Bolanos August 2014 is a wonderful month for me because its the month of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. My birthday falls on 8 December, so I always have reasons to celebrate. 1. August 15 is the Feast of the Assumption. This is typically celebrated in my family with prayers...and yes, my mom cooks special. 2. For Moms, August is sale month. Sometimes August is known to be a slow down business, but not for moms, its the best time to buy your upcoming Christmas Holiday gifts. 3. August is also the cool month in the Philippines, sunny and rainy at the same time. August is the best time to visit rivers and falls, because there are lots of water. The rivers and falls are almost dried up during summer time. So here are some nice places to visit:     a. Pagsanjan Falls, experience the river trek, and enter the falls...you will feel how it is to be inside the     falls. You may eat at the stop overs and reminisce the beauty of the hills. From the furnished apartment in Novaliches Qu

by: Ronan Vergara Local and foreign visitors love coming back to the Philippines due to the famous sceneries and the warm, hospitable Filipinos. This holds true during the summer. What if they come during the rainy season? There's nothing to worry about because there is still a lot to enjoy while staying in the Philippines. Whether you are staying in the city or in the provinces, you will notice that there are shopping malls in the area. Nowadays, malls are like mushrooms - they keep coming out and their number is growing. It is one indication that Filipinos have grown fond of going to malls especially during the weekends. Shopping malls are often filled with people anytime, summer or rainy season. However, malls are even busier during the wet season because visitors prefer to go shopping than get wet through the rain. Mall hopping is what most visitors love doing since they can choose from a wide range of boutiques, restaurants and movie houses. In Metro Manila, one gets fascina

by: Anton Perez Pogi Tips: Diet? What Diet?! The typhoon season is unbelievably tempting. While the strong winds and heavy rains ground you in your place, you grab the chance to snuggle in bed all day long while munching on all the food in your pantry. Yes, it might be stormy, but when you couple it with no work,  it can be bliss – the next best thing to a cold and cozy winter day. Before you totally indulge, remember that something else might become too heavy aside from the rain – that’s you. With nothing much to do, you tend to over-relax, oversleep and overeat. And lest you forget, do keep in mind that eight hours is enough for a healthy sleep, three full meals is enough to perk you all day long, and you still got a body to flex a bit. Resist sleeping longer than the usual and preoccupy yourself with other things that don’t need any reclining. I tried oversleeping once and I got nothing but an aching head and a fuming wife. Idleness is the devil’s workshop so be an angel and wake up

Getting caught in the middle of the typhoon is one of the strangest things that could ever happen to you in the Philippines, primarily because a typhoon is very predictable. After a series of destructive typhoons that passed by with unforeseen strength, PAG-ASA (the local weather bureau) has been extra keen in forecasting the weather. Through technology, a typhoon can be detected even weeks before  it enters the Philippine area of responsibility, and just recently, the bureau has updated its rainfall detection gadget, which hopefully will prevent any rainfall-induced flashfloods from ravaging an area without any early warning. Okay, so typhoons might have an erratic nature, and some of your  planned activities can never be postponed, and you risk your safety in the middle of the storm for a cause. Just in case you chance upon any of these, the least that you can do is to prepare yourself  for one wet and uncomfortable adventure.                                          Weather Channel

by: Ronan Vergara The rainy season isn’t an exception when it comes to fashion. The fashion police won’t let you pass just because it’s raining for in this world, fashion is a rule and no one can ignore it. Rain Coat in the Philippines Photo Reference:  http://www.drafthorseclothing-bigandtall.com/bigandtallcarharttpvcraincoatgreen-p-12.html Wearing old boots and using a freebie umbrella may get you out on the rain all dry but by looking all “fashion-disaster,” being wet and being dry won’t have an obvious difference. By simply going to department stores, you can already see a million umbrella designs. Matching your umbrella with your outfits shouldn’t be too hard. A black umbrella is also advisable since black can look good with almost anything. On the other hand, white umbrellas won’t be a good idea for purchase since white gets dirty easily. It might look like a rag with just one use.  Boots are also a must since Leptospirosis and other diseases commonly enter in our feet. Though bo

by: Alvin Bolanos Typhoon Glenda will enter the area of responsibility of Metro Manila tomorrow, between 9 to 10 p.m. All are requested to stay home, best to have food supplies, battery and extra clothes in case of the need for evacuation. 

by: Mrs. Aileen Soriano Casual Attire: 1. Maong Pants (in different colors if you like) 2. Smart Casual Cotton T-shirt (in different colors and designs) 3. Great loafers for walking or slip ons like Islander Sandals. 4. Rubber Shoes 5. Rubber Slippers 6. Walking mid shorts. Avoid using super short shorts for girls and ladies...remember we have pesky fierce mosquitoes in the Philippines. Make sure you apply insect repellent. 7. Cotton Socks Semi Formal Attire for Family Gatherings 1. Elegant Slacks or Skirt (brown, black, or your favorite color) 2. Blouse for ladies, casual barong for the men. 3. Stockings 4. Sandals 5. Make Up for ladies; toiletries Formal Attire 1. Coat and Tie for the Gentlemen     Modest Elegant Dress for the Ladies 2. High heeled or semi-heeled shoes 3. Make Up Swimming Attire 1. One piece suit. Two piece is not advisable because of jelly fish attach that can hit your navels. Check the local maritime guards if there are jellyfish on site. 2. Sun block 3. Water proo

by: Mrs. Aileen Soriano Upon arriving in the Philippines, the weather is both rainy and sunny at the same time this month. Make sure you bring an umbrella all the time which will protect you both from the heat of the sun and the rain. Take advantage of checking the weather at http://www.accuweather.com before embarking on a mountain hiking adventure or swimming to deep sea water. Three consecutive sunny days is actually a treat. When its sunny in the morning make sure hit the beach or the swimming pool, because in the afternoon there can be lots of rain. The country is typically tropical. The good thing is that its not as hot as summer, so you are lucky now if you find yourself in the Philippines. Just make sure you check the weather before going to a far away trip to the beach or any water forms in the Philippines.

by: Aileen B. Soriano Moms are 24/7 duty bound. If you are a working mom like me, I know what you feel.  Your boss requires the whole department to work because of an urgent job to finish. Here are some proven tips so as not to go crazy without that Sunday break for week. 1. Make sure that when you get home tonight, you have to talk to your children about the urgent work needing to be finished. 2. Project how much time will the urgent days be careening towards "THE DAY". Forwarn your family members. 3. Hire extra help if there is a need. Moms are in charge of the house no matter what. Hubbies have their own roles, but you have  to be on top when it comes to the household. 4.  Ask the help of your older children, like washing the dishes, cooking, and cleaning the house if help is unavailable during weekends. Together plan the morning Sunday, then make sure that you have that funny movie in the evening with popcorn  and a cold drink. 5. Sleep early on a Sunday after watching a