Simbang Gabi

One of the longest and most popular traditions especially among Filipinos is the Simbang Gabi or the Misa de Gallo. It is a nine-day novena to the Blessed Mother. The novena begins on December 16 as early as 4:00 o’clock in the morning and ends on Christmas Eve which is to welcome the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. It is a significant moment because it strengthens relationships among family members most importantly it will intensify our faith to God. It doesn’t matter if you complete the nine mornings novena or not but what is important is the disposition of the person who receives the blessing of the Lord. Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year to All.

Healthful Facts About Tomato

A tomato slice could help prevent a heart attack, stroke and even cancer. The yellow, jelly-like material surrounding the seeds helps make the blood less sticky which inhibit the formation of dangerous blood clots that trigger heart attacks and strokes. Heart and stroke patients should benefit from eating 2-4 raw tomatoes a day according to some health experts. So, eat your tomatoes now to slow down or prevent strokes and heart attacks.

Happy Feast Day!

December 8 is the Feast of the Blessed Virgin’s Immaculate Conception. It is considered the most solemn celebration of which the church celebrates during Advent season. It is celebrated by Roman Catholic Church and other closely related Christian churches.

As part of the Christian community let us honor and give thanks to Mary for being the Mother of Jesus.

Happy Feast Day to all!

Eye Care Tips

Our eyes is one of the most important parts of our body. It works with the brain to provide us vision. It is the window of the soul. Nothing can make us aware the wonders of the surroundings and the opportunities to appreciate the beauty of God's creation without our eyes. But sometimes we tend to take for granted our eyes through unhealthy practices. We rub them and expose to the sun. We do not eat vitamins for the eye. We sleep late and too much exposure to computers etc.
For those who are working with computers, we can avoid eye strain by doing the simple tips.

* Adjust the distance of the monitor by at least 18-24 inches away from you and 16 inches below your eye level.

* Increase font size by at least 14 while working on it.

* If possible use large monitor.

* Set your monitor to high contrast and medium brightness.

* As much as possible, go for a natural lightning from the light of the sun because too much light from the bulb can create glare on the screen.

* If natural light is impossible, use glare screen to reduce glareness.

It's Christmas!

Christmas is the most awaited celebration of the year. Some people even started celebrating in the month of September (with and ending sound of “ber”). Why we celebrate Christmas? How do we celebrate Christmas?Christmas is a holiday generally observed and celebrated every December 25. This is to commemorate the birth of Jesus. The date is not known to be the actual birthday of Jesus, but it may have been initially chosen to correspond either the day exactly after nine months whom Jesus was conceived. Christmas is not only celebrated by Christians but is widely celebrated by non-Christians. We can see different Christmas decorations hanging in every home and establishments to symbolize celebrations and happiness of the holiday season. Of course when it’s Christmas everybody is in a rush in going to the malls to buy new things for themselves and for others. People do not mind if there is economic crisis as long as they can celebrate this special day even in a simple way. Since it is a celebration for Jesus, we should not forget to attend mass and offer our thanksgiving for a good year He gave. Merry Christmas to all and I hope that each of us will have a prosperous year to come.

The Maguindanao Massacre A Year After

It’s been a year since the massacre of 57 civilians in Maguidanao shocked the whole world wherein they are brutally killed and dumped in a mass grave on a hillside above the town of Ampatuan. The whole country commemorated the so called Maguidanao massacre which until now, the families of the victims waited for the final justice of their love ones. On November 23, families of the 57 victims will participate in a motorcade that will start in General Santos City and end at the crime site, in hilly Sitio Masalay in Barangay Salman, Ampatuan town.  Aside from the motorcade, the Nov. 23 Movement will also plant 58 trees at the crime site in honor of the 58 victims of the massacre – the 58th being Reynaldo “Bebong" Momay, a photojournalist for the Tacurong City-based Midland Review whose body has yet to be recovered.

I hope that the present government will deal fairly about the case, punished the people who were involved and mastermind of the brutal killing. Let justice prevails!

Happy Id al-Adha to Our Muslim Brothers and Sisters

It is the the day of sacrifice. It is considered as the great ‘Id in comparison to ‘Id al FUr (lesser ‘id). As on the day of ‘Id al-Fitr, it is observed with special prayer in the morning and the distribution of the flesh of animals (slaughtered as sacrifice) among relatives, neighbors, and the poor. This day is locally known as the Hari-raya Hajji. This is commemorated on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijjah.

Manny Pacquiao Got His Eight Crown -The WBC Super Welterweight

Hello everyone! How was your weekend? I guess everybody was all happy and proud of the 8^th World Boxing Title of Cong. Manny “pacman” Pacquiao. The whole world was truly amazed of the power he showed during their fight with Margarito. That was really a good fight and everybody was enjoying watching it.  Even though Margarito has a height and reach advantage against Pacquiao but he was not able to turn down the strength of the Filipino fighter. Pacquiao dominated the fight from round 1 to round 12 which obviously giving him a unanimous scores from the judges. Congratulations to Manny Pacquiao! We are truly proud of you.

Boost Up Your Site - Submit to Link directory

Christmas is very much near. It is the most waited time for everybody especially for children wherein they are expecting gifts coming from their parents and relatives. But it is hard to choose what to buy especially when you are short of your budget. As we are talking with my friend we are sharing some ideas on how to make money online. She shared that if I own a site, it can be a good source of income. To make my site visible to diverse areas of the world I must submit it to different Link Directory. Link Directory can be of great help to all site owners to promote their products and services to different areas of the world. That is why I am encouraging everybody who owns a site to submit it to Link Directory.

How to Create Your Own Halloween Pumpkin

The Halloween pumpkin, also known as Jack-o-lantern, is a good Halloween tradition. There are different varieties of pumpkins but the famous and widely use is the Orange Smoothie or in the Philippines it is a squash. They are fairly small and most weigh less than 5 pounds. The flesh is edible and can be baked when you are through decorating. The story of the Jack-o-lantern is an Irish Folklore about a man that tricked the Devil twice. Unfortunately, he was left in the everlasting darkness after his death. He had not been nice enough for heaven, and the Devil was so mad at Jack after being tricked, that he would not let him in. The only thing the Devil would let him is a coal, that he put into a turnip. So I will give you the steps on how to make a Halloween pumpkin. You don’t need to be very skilled in order to make your own Jack-o-lantern, but it takes time to carve a pumpkin. But it is worth the effort, and let trick-or-treaters know you will open the doors for them. The inside of the pumpkin can be turned into good food.

1. Buy a large pumpkin in any shape that you like. The larger the better. It should be fresh.
2. Draw a circle on the top of the pumpkin around the stem. This is to mark the hole to be cut. Make sure the opening is large enough to let your hand go through it.
3. Cut the opening carefully with a sharp knife. Hold the knife in a 45 degree angle, to make the top as nicely cut as possible. The round part that you cut off the pumpkin is supposed to work as a lid on top of the Jack-o-lantern after the carving is done.
4. Scoop out the seeds and the pulp from the inside with a large spoon. Save the seeds. They are excellent snacks.
5. Clean the pumpkin well. To make the pumpkin hold a little bit longer, the pumpkin can be soaked in a solution of water and bleach for a couple of hours. Use a very small amount of bleach.
6. Draw a funny face on the surface of the pumpkin. The more inexperienced you are, the easier the face should be. Use a thick felt-tip pen. Make the face details large enough as this makes it more easy to cut the face right and gets the proportions of the face vs. the pumpkin right. A small face will not get the same effect.
7. Cut according to the drawings right through the pumpkin.
8. Place a candle inside the Jack-o-lantern. When lit, the top of the pumpkin should be opened up.

For first timers, you can search in the internet some patterns to follow.

Habits That Would Affect Our Brain

Staying healthy is very important. We should be vigilant in all the foods that we intake and the practices that we do because it might affect our health. Below are the habits and practices that we should not do. And if you are doing it, you better stop and change your lifestyle now before it's too late.

1. No Breakfast
People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.
2 . Overeating=2 0
It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.
3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4. High Sugar consumption

Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.
5. Air Pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our 20 body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.
6 . Sleep Deprivation
Sleep allows our brain to rest.. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells..
7. Head covered while sleeping
Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.
9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.
10. Talking Rarely
Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain

Buy and Sell Online at AyosDito.ph

Internet is one most used means for marketing. Everybody is been using this as a tool for buying and selling goods and services. By using the internet the use can view all the items he wanted to buy without spending so much time, money and effort in going to the place. There are lots of internet sites for this kind of activity. One of these is Ayosdito.ph. It is a localized buy and sell activities throughout the whole region of the Philippines. Firstly, I really don’t mind this site whenever I saw them on Google ads, on blogs and other sites. Feeling curious about it I click on the site and it prompted me to different buy and sell activity in the Philippines. It’s a great opportunity for me to find this site since I was planning to buy a new cellphone this Christmas, so I clicked on the cellphones for sale. I was prompted to the list of cellphone sellers with different models to choose from in an affordable price. As a buyer I will be able to contact directly the person because they have provided their numbers.

Since my friend was looking for a new house, I also tried to click the house and lot for sale category. Just like all the other categories, I was prompted to the list of houses and lots for sale. What is nice here is that you can have the choices of what region to display. So there's no hassle of browsing more results to choose from. Therefore if you are engaged in buy and sell activities, I highly recommend AyosDito.ph to be your advertising tool of your business wherein you can also link this to your social networking sites like facebook, friendster and twitter accounts. Advertise now and see the overflowing clicks of your ads.

Second Annual International Outsourcing Summit in the Philippines

Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) is one of the top sources of employment anywhere in the world. They have a wide range of opportunities to choose from, which does not require high standard qualifications as long as you are fluent in speaking English language. When BPO companies, established outsourcing to the Philippines, they lessen the rate of unemployment. They also offer a high rate of compensation and benefits compared to ordinary jobs. According to one of my friends who are working as Human Resource in one of the call centers in Davao City said that they processed at least 200 applicants everyday which will undergo training and deployment to different places in the Philippines. That is why as part of their campaign they visited schools and even hold and joined job fairs to inform the public that they are hiring people.

To understand more on what will be the future of the BPO industry, they will hold the second annual International Outsourcing Summit on October 26-27, 2010 at Sofitel Philippine Plaza. They have approximately 300 executives coming from fifteen countries who will attend to the three day conference. The agenda for the summit will highlights the long success of BPO industry and they will be discussing the new challenges they will be facing in the future and how it will affects the industry of outsourcing. For more information about the summit you can use the Search profile Index for browsing the said event.

4th Media is a media sponsor

Get Protected and Earn As Well At Club 100

There a lot of networking business around the corner. They offer of course good and fabulous benefits which everybody are inclined to joined the business. But the problem is they are having a very high investment. I've already attended several business opportunity meetings and found it good and even joined some of them. Due to its high monthly purchase requirement in order to earned I was not able to get any payout.
Luckily, I was invited by my office mate to joined this business, actually not just a business but an insurance as well. You are insured and at the same time insured with a minimum investment of P100.00 a year. Not bad of course!. Being a member you will have the benefits of:
P25,000- accidental death and disablement
P5,000-unprovoked murder or assault,
P1,000-accident reimbursement,
P2,500-burial assistant
Aside from those benefits as member you have the opportunity to enjoy the rewards program they have which is the direct endorsement reward point system up to the 6th level. All you have to do is to invite people and encourage them to sign up. I was happy to say that I withdraw my first payout last October 20, (not really that huge amount) but less effort exerted I just invited one person and that person invited also, that is why I generated points with an equivalent peso value.
For more information you can leave your comment here for further details of the business. So I am inviting you to join Club 100 and get protected while earning as well.

The Importance of Mobile Marketing in a Business

Cellphone is one of the most important gadgets that every person is in possession right now. It becomes a necessity for some people because they cannot detach themselves from their cellphones. They cannot go out without having their cellphones inside their pockets or bags. Technology is so fast, cellphones are not only for texting and calling but all the activities which can be done in the internet can now be done through a cellphone which can be of great help to people engaged in small and large scale businesses. That is why Cellit Mobile Marketing comes in and develops mobile programs for people in the business world. They will install programs and tools on your phone to create easy and fast conversation between clients and owners. Some of the applications that they are providing to their clients are the mobile app, mobile coupons, mobile marketing, mobile phone marketing, sms marketing, text message crm, text message marketing and mobile crm, where of course depending on the need of the clients. Through this programs, the business owners can monitor sales, generate reports, and can think of possible strategies to increase their sales in a short given period of time.

Cellit Mobile Marketing is a member of the Mobile Marketing Association and they are manned with highly expertise engineers. They began creating more programs and platforms which are now use by global firms like, IKEA, For Rent Magazine, heart Corporation, Subway, KFC, Zumiez, the city of Las Vegas and many other companies in the world. The company keeps on developing more mobile platforms and custom solutions to mobilize customer to better served their clients and achieved customer satisfaction of the programs. Recently, they develop the CouponZap. This is a mobile campaign system for restaurants, bars and nightclubs. This will enables company owners to launch mobile coupons, schedule mobile campaigns and send appointment reminders or text alerts directly to the customer. The system is easy to use and the users are provided reporting tools to show the effectiveness of the campaigns and how much is the return of investment upon using the mobile marketing tool. Another useful system they have developed was the house4cell or the text-for-info real estate system. The system will send details on the details of the property like the pricing information, square footage, and photos directly to the homebuyer’s cellphone. Buyers are even given the opportunity to receive flyer through email or fax or to be contacted by the real estate agent directly.

To know more about Cellit Mobile Marketing, they are located in Chicago with sales and support offices in Phoenix, AZ, St. Louis, MO and soon they will have their new office located at Bentoville, AK. Company owners are invited to try this latest innovation in running a business through mobile marketing. Grab this chance to increase sales and monitor profit in just a click.

Steve Grandeza - New World Kickboxing Federation Super Welterweight World K1 Champion

Winning pose

DAVAO City’s very own Steve “The Red Knight” Grandeza defeated Al Hassan “Ghanna Van Damme” Okine via unanimous decision after seven rounds of their World Superwelterweight Championship fight at the Chi Garden, The Lodge, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Saturday night.

Grandeza, said: “I am very happy, of course, with humility and pride to have represented the country, Davao City and the Philippine Moo Duk Kwan Soo Bahk Do, Inc. Winning the championship title is extra special for me.”

Grandeza, a 10-time National Open Blackbelt Battle of the Champions Tournament champion, said he used a combination of power and technique to beat Okine with the guidance of his brother-trainer Bryan and coach Edgar.

“I was the underdog during the fight as everyone was cheering for him (Okine). But when the fight started, I felt I was already in control `coz I can see his kicks and punches. I was also able to take his power,” he recalled.

Steve Grandeza was my schoolmate at the University of the Immaculate Conception and we graduated of the same year. That is why when he was featured on TV last night for winning as champion in kickboxing it overwhelmed because I know him and he brings the name of Davao City. To you classmate- CONGRATULATIONS!

Fighting Actions!

Devotion to the Holy Rosary

It’s October once again and this month is devoted to the Holy Rosary in contemplation to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Praying the Rosary is the most powerful prayer at all times. It has been treasured in the church for many centuries. The Rosary is a summary of Christian faith in language and prayers inspired by the Bible.
The devotion of the rosary originated during the 13th century in Spain by St. Dominic. He founded the order of Preachers, or Dominicans. He went to France as a missionary to convert some people. One day, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Dominic, holding a rosary in her hand. She told him that the devotion of the Rosary would convert sinners and obtain great graces from God. She said “This is the precious gift which I leave to you “. From then on, St Dominic taught the people how to say the Rosary. Later, at Lourdes, France, in 1858, the Blessed Virgin appeared to Bernadette and said the rosary with her. At Fatima, Portugal, in 1917, she said the rosary with the three children to whom she appeared and said: “I am the Lady of the Rosary, and I have come to warn the faithful to amend their lives and ask pardon for their sins. People must not continue to offend the Lord who is already so deeply offended. They must say the rosary “.
The Rosary is sacramental. It calls to mind the most important events in the lives of Jesus and Mary. These events are called the Mysteries. I believe in the saying that goes “The family that prays together stays together”. Below are the four Mysteries of the Holy Rosary. I hope people will devote this month in praying the Holy Rosary for the conversion of sinners and world peace.

The Five Joyful Mysteries

1. The Annunciation
2. Visitation
3. The Birth of Jesus
4. The Presentation
5. The Finding of Jesus in the Temple

The Five Mysteries of Light

1. The Baptism of the Lord
2. The Wedding of Cana
3. The Proclamation of the Kingdom
4. The Transfiguration
5. The Institution of the Eucharist

The Five Sorrowful Mysteries

1. The agony in the Garden
2. The Scourging
3. The Crowning with Thorns
4. The Carrying of the Cross
5. The Crucifixion

The Five Glorious Mysteries

1. The Resurrection
2. The Ascension
3. The Descent of the Holy spirit
4. The Assumption of Our Lady
5. The Coronation of Our Lady
   

The Essential Benefits of Vitamin C

While doing my daily routine in the net, I happened to click an article about rheumatism and vitamin C. So I decided to read it because I wanted to know how vitamin C can help for patients with rheumatism since my mother has that kind of illness. Studies show that Vitamin C, one of the major and healthful components of orange juice and some veggies is good for arthritis and rheumatism. It helps protects against arthritis and rheumatism which can work best if you combine it with B- complex vitamins.

How does it work? Since rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis make capillaries lead blood cells into the joints, the immune system responds as if these blood cells were invading bacteria, triggering a painful inflamed in the joints. That is why vitamin C is essential for manufacturing collagen, a protein needed to form the soft tissue in bones and joints. Several studies also show that vitamin C can reduce cataracts, minimize allergies and reduce the risk of gallbladder disease.

So what are you waiting for- stock up your vitamin C now!

Durian, Durian, Durian!

abundant supply!

open up!

so yummy!

The province of Davao is known throughout the world as the capital city of durian. Visiting Davao is always a treat. It never ceases to amaze every visitors coming because of the fruits it served. People here are so delight because of the unending supply of the durian fruit staring from the month of June up to the present. You can see everywhere and anywhere in the streets people who are selling durian fruits which are so affordable. This year is the most blessed year because of the abundant supply of the fruit that ranges from P15-30 per kilo depending on the variety. Have you tried tasting it? Well, they say “Once you have tasted durian, you will never leave Davao” That seems to be true to people like me who find joy in eating the pale yellow flesh with creamy custard like texture and very sweet taste that comes from the hard thorny rind. Others even said that “It smells like hell but tastes like heaven”, which is true because it is even banned in hotels and public transportation like airplanes because of its foul smell but to tell you once you tasted it you will crave for more.

If you don’t like to eat the fresh, people in Davao created various recipes with its main ingredient is the durian flesh. They are already available in the market like durian candy, durian pie, durian ice cream, and durian cappuccino. There is a secret way to wash away the smell of your hands after eating durian. You wash your hands with the durian seed to get rid of the smell.

Eat Your Fish

It is really hard when somebody in the family is sick. Everything is affected especially on the kind of food to eat. Recently my mother is claiming for pain on her both knees. The doctor said it was arthritis. We know that arthritis has many don’ts when it comes to food. That is why we only served fish in every meal which sometimes feels I don’t like anymore but when I read about the benefits that we can get from fish, then I’d rather go for fish than meat. When it comes to nutrition, fish is deemed more healthful. Fish can lower the rate at which the liver manufactures fat. It reduces the tendency of blood to clot. It repairs the arteries which are damage by the lack of oxygen due to fatty deposits. Lowers blood pressure and lower the risk of oral and digestive tract cancer by as much as 40% and esophageal cancer by 30%. It also reduces tumor growth. It is proven beneficial to rheumatoid arthritis. Fish oil can lower joint swelling, ease morning stiffness and lessen fatigue in people. Good thing about fish is it blocks breast cancer because of the omega 3 fatty acid which boosts the immune system’s ability to respond to develop tumors. Fish has Vit. A, C and D, iodine, phosphorus, calcium and copper which are essential for our health. So don’t ignore your fish now. Eat a lot of it instead of meat.

What It Takes To be a Housewife?

I would like to share this very inspiring story about a husband complaining about his wife who is not working and only stays at home. I hope this will change the concept of every husband towards their wife, instead admire and love them more after reading this story. This is an emailed story from a friend and it is already circulating worldwide but for the sake of other people who have not read. This is the story and you can also share this to your friends especially the married man.

A man was sick and tired of going to work every day while his wife stayed home. He wanted her to see what he went through so he prayed:

"Dear Lord: I go to work every day and put in 8 hours while my wife merely stays at home. I want her to know what I go through, so please allow her body to switch with mine for a day. Amen.

God, in his infinite wisdom, granted the man's wish. The next morning, sure enough, the man awoke as a woman. He arose, cooked breakfast for his mate, awakened the kids, set out their school clothes, fed them breakfast, packed their lunches, drove them to school, came home and picked up the dry cleaning, took it to the cleaners and stopped at the bank to make a deposit, went grocery shopping, then drove home to put away the groceries, paid the bills and balanced the check book. He cleaned the cat's litter box and bathed the dog.

Then it was already 1 P.M. and he hurried to make the beds, do the laundry, vacuum, dust, and sweep and mop the kitchen floor. Ran to the school to pick up the kids and got into an argument with them on the way home. Set out milk and cookies and got the kids organized to do their homework, then set up the ironing board and watched TV while he did the ironing.

At 4:30 he began peeling potatoes and washing vegetables for salad, breaded the pork chops and snapped fresh beans for supper.

After supper, he cleaned the kitchen, ran the dishwasher, folded laundry, bathed the kids, and put them to bed. At 9 P.M . he was exhausted and, though his daily chores weren't finished, he went to bed where he was expected to make love, which he managed to get through without complaint.

The next morning, he awoke and immediately knelt by the bed and said: - "Lord, I don't know what I was thinking. I was so wrong to envy my wife's being able to stay home all day. Please, oh! oh! please, let us trade back."

The Lord, in his infinite wisdom, replied: "My son, I feel You have learned your lesson and I will be happy to change things back to the way they were. You'll just have to wait nine months, though. You got pregnant last night."

The End of Ramadan

Eid-il-Fitr as known to the the Christian majority and other non-Muslims as "Wakas ng Ramadan" or End of Ramadan. It has been recognized by the Filipino Government as a regular holiday by virtue of Republic Act No. 9177 signed into law last Nov. 13, 2002. The law was enacted in deference to the Muslim-Filipino community and to promote peace among other religions in the Philippines. For this year, September 10 is declared a special non-working holiday by Pres. Aquino in giving tribute to the end of the Ramadan of our Muslim brothers and sisters.

Happy Feast Day!

Happy Birthday Mama Mary!

[Glitterfy.com - *Glitter Words*]

Search Engine and Social Media Marketing Workshop

Internet Use, Search, Social Media Statistics Philippines 2010 from Janette Toral on Vimeo.

Nowadays, most of the people who are engaged in small or big corporations gain access from the net. They make their business known by having a website wherein people from throughout the world can access to it. Well, that’s how powerful the internet is. It is done by simply typing to the search engine the word that you are searching, click the word search, and then automatically displays all the related sites. But there are still questions regarding on how search engine and social media marketing works. How to be on top of the searches in the internet? That is the work of the Search Profile Index which will be discussed online on September 9, 2010, 10:00-11:00am. It is entitled “Search Engine and Social Media Marketing webinar”. If you are interested to join the said event feel free to send a message so that you will be given a webinar link to use to login to the site. They also set a three days workshop entitled “Sales Tactics Using Engine and Social Media Marketing workshop” from September 28 to 30 at Room 207, Ateneo Graduate School of Business, Rockwell Drive, Makati City. This workshop will give the participants the tools on how to use the search profile index in monitoring social media activities. Search engine and social media marketing are very important because it will the business owners the strategies of how to be on top of their competitors. That is why this coming workshop is important because a lot of exciting and interesting topics are prepared for the participants, so come and join on the said event.

Search Profile Index Service by 4th Media

View more presentations from Janette Toral.

Search Profile Index

Something Fishy

Fish is the most preferred viand in every meal because it has a great source of protein and contains healthy fats that will help reduce cholesterol and improve health. It has omega 3 fatty acids that help keep the heart and even improve the mood of every person. That is why it is important to know the different ways of preparing fish and enhancing the flavor or creating a new way of cooking it. Though I’m not an expert cook but I see to it that the fish is tasty. I drop some herbs and mix together with sauces. Just tips for everybody, if the fish is not really fresh, add some lemon, lime or apple juice. Put some lemon juice on the fish or put a small amount of wine or vinegar to enhance the taste of the fish. If you are going to marinate a fish, you should always keep the fish in the refrigerator while it is marinating. The marinated sauce of the fish can be cooked as sauce of the fish. Fish can be fried in many ways. Try adding both butter and oil to vary the taste. Dust the fish with flour or breadcrumbs as in my case I put some ground garlic before frying or dip in beaten egg and sprinkle some herbs such as parsley.

Enjoy eating!

Who Is Maria Venus Raj?

Maria Venus Raj was born out of wedlock in Doha Qatar.Upon separation of her parents, Maria Venus Raj was taken to Bato, Camarines Sur as an infant and was registered by an aunt as Philippine-born to Roman Catholic parents. Her mother was a former tenant farmer and dressmaker who brought Maria Venus Raj up as a child. Maria Venus Raj lived in a nipa hut made of wood, bamboo and anahaw leaves with no electricity in the middle of a sprawling rice field in the rural Bato town for more than twenty years. She allegedly used rice paddy dikes for her early training where she eventually developed her distinct catwalk. The youngest among five children, Maria Venus Raj started joining local beauty pageants at 17 years old. She also joined oratorical contests at San Vicente High School where her english teacher served as her coach. With her victories in major contests, Venus Raj had started to buy land on installment basis for her mother as a means of improving their livelihood.

Maria Venus Raj obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Communications Arts, major in Journalism, at Bicol University in Albay, with Latin Honors (Cum Laude). She graduated through the scholarship that she received from Francis Papica Foundation. Back in the Philippines, she works as an Information Assistant for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region V. She also works as a part-time fashion model.

Venus competed with more than 80 stunning ladies and received overwhelming support not just from the Philippines but also from the Filipino community in Las Vegas. To recall, the 21-year-old Bicolana was briefly dethroned after Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Incorporated (BPCI) discovered inconsistencies with the information she disclosed to the organizers and the papers she submitted for the competition. But later on the BPCI retracted their decision and reinstalled her as the representative to the Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas. And finally Venus make it to the top five and bring pride to our country being the 4^th runner of the recently held pageant in Las Vegas. The Filipinos are really proud of you. Congratulations!

Jimena Navarrete was Crowned Miss Universe 2010

Congratulations to Miss Mexico for winning the Miss Universe 2010 but most of all congratulations to our own Miss Venus Raj who garnered the 4th place in the pageant.

The top five contestants with their answers to the questions.

First up, Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete: What effect is unsupervised Internet use having on today's youth? Through an interpreter, she says the Internet is an "indispensable, necessary tool" and we have to make sure kids are using it according to family values.

Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell: What role should the government play in regulating potentially offensive clothing? "One of the greatest things we have is the freedom of choice...I don't think the government should have any say in what we wear."

Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps: Is the death penalty acceptable and why? "I believe that life is a gift...I believe that none of us as humans have the right to take a life."

Miss Ukraine Anna Poslavska: How do you feel about full-body scanners in airports? Through an interpreter, she says, "I think it's a very important question of security...if that helps us to save the lives of people, than I'm for it."

Miss Philippines Venus Raj: What is one big mistake you've made and what did you do to make it right? She says she hasn't made any major mistakes, then gives a shout-out to her family. "Thank you so much that I am here."

Mernadeth Sicutan from the Ata tribe Won the Hiyas Ng Kadayawan 2010

Mernadeth Sicutan won as this year's Hiyas sa Kadayawan during the coronation night held last August 20, 2010 at the Davao City Recreational Center or Almendras Gym. She studied at Rizal Memorial College taking up Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education. She was a crowd favorite during the pageant because of her authentic beauty, charm and intelligence despite of her petite appearance. She was proud to represent the Ata tribe. She won PhP 50,000 cash plus other prizes from the sponsors for being this year's Festival Gem.
Among other winners were 1st and 2nd runners up winners are Jalma Bete Mohamad from the Kalagan tribe and Fatima Sharine Jadjuli from the Tausug tribe, respectively. Mohamad won PhP 40,000 cash plus other prizes from the sponsors as this year's Hiyas sa Kauswagan (Gem of Progress).Meanwhile, Jadjuli won PhP 30,000 cash plus other prizes for being this yesar's Hiyas sa Tingusbawan (Gem of Fulfilled Promise).

Kadayawan 2010

Below are some of the special events during the Kadayawan 2010. Everybody is invited to witness the said activities prepared for enjoyment and one way of showing our thanksgiving for the abundant blessings we received throughout the year. Let's party and enjoy!

1. Agri-Trade Fair
2. Hulagway: Faces and Places: Davao
3. 1st Mayor Inday Sara Duterte All-Women Aero Marathon
4. Katingalahang Kalingawan sa Kadayawan
5. The Best of Sayaw MindanawShowcase
6. Opening of Kadayawan Activities at SM City Davao
7. Panagtagbo: Multi-cultural Performances

8. Hudyakaan: On the Street Food and Entertainment

9. Kadayawan Tabo: Mag-Negosyo Ta Day Fair Trade
10. Kadayawan sa Apo View Hotel
11. Hiyas sa Kadayawan: The Festival Gem

12. Deca Cup Wakeboarding and Wakeskating Competition

13 Kadayawan Tiangge sa Chinatown Opening
14. Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan
15. Pamulak sa Kadalanan

What is Kadayawan?

What is Kadayawan means to all Davaoneos?

Kadayawan" is derived from the Mandaya word "mandayaw" The term "Kadayawan" is derived from the Mandaya word “madayaw”, a warm and friendly greeting used to explain a thing that is valuable, superior, beautiful, good, or profitable.

Long time ago, Davao’s ethnic tribes residing at the foot of Mount Apo would converge during a bountiful harvest. This ritual serves as their thanksgiving to the gods particularly to the “Manama” (the Supreme Being).....

Various farming implements, fruits, flowers, vegetables, rice and corn grains were displayed on mats as villagers give their respect and thanks for the year's abundance. Singing, dancing and offerings to their divine protectors are the highlights of this ritual.

Although times have changed, this practice of thanksgiving or “pahinungod” is still very much practiced by modern day Dabawenyos. This tradition flourished and evolved into an annual festival of thanksgiving.

In the 1970’s, Mayor Elias B. Lopez, a Bagobo, initiated tribal festivals featuring the lumad and the Muslim tribes of Davao City where they showcase their dances and rituals of thanksgiving.

Later in 1986, a program called "Unlad Proyekto Davao" was initiated by the government which was aimed to unite the Dabawenyos after the turbulent Martial Law era. At that time, the festival was called "Apo Duwaling," a name created from the famous icons of Davao: Mt. Apo, the country's highest peak; Durian, the king of fruits; and Waling-waling, the queen of orchids.

“Apo Duwaling” was meant to showcase the city as a peaceful destination to visit and to do business after 1986 EDSA Revolution.

Finally in 1988, City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte renamed the festival as "Kadayawan sa Dabaw" to celebrate the bountiful harvest of Davao’s flowers, fruits and other produce as well as the wealth of the city’s cultures. To this day, the festival continues to honor the city's richness and diverse artistic, cultural and historical heritage in a grand celebration of thanksgiving for all of Davao City's blessings.

Food Tips

I love cooking and it is already my passion to try new recipes I got from the net. But in the process of cooking I discovered minor difficulties in the preparation of the ingredients which somehow affect the length of time. I would like to share some simple tips to make food preparation easy.

Peeling garlic cloves.
For a quicker peeling of garlic cloves, you must have to microwave them first for 10 seconds. They will pop out of their skin instantly.

Storing of apples and carrots.
Don’t store apples and carrots in the same compartment inside the refrigerator because apples emit a gas that makes the carrots bitter.

Easy way to steam veggies.
Simply place a colander over a pan of boiling water, pour prepared veggies in and put a lid over the top for 10-12 mins. The veggies will be cooked and crunchy but be careful in getting the veggies, because the strainer will be hot!

How to cut meat into thin slices.
When cooking beef or pork which required to cut the meat as thin as possible. You must have to cut it while it still partially frozen.

Tips for cooking beans.
When cooking beans, when you have any additional ingredients, such as acidic substances, like lemon juice, vinegar, tomatoes, ketchup or wine, it should be added at the end of the cooking time, since acid makes the beans firm.