Emergency: Please Help Taal Victims

Hi Virtual Family!

As you might have heard, the second most active volcano in the Philippines, Taal, located in Batangas and usually tourists view from Tagaytay city, has errupted on Sunday afternoon, 6PM Philippine Time.

Thousands of families are now in evacuation areas. It breaks my heart seeing babies, elderly and mommies sleeping uncomfortably in evacuation floor, not having enough food and full of uncertainty about the coming days. One thing is for sure. They will stay long in the evacuation areas bec their houses are covered with ashes. I live 50kms away from the area but we experienced terrible ash fall and sulfur smell, what more the people who are in Tagaytay and Batangas areas?

While the government is doing its best to give assistance, nothing is really enough for people in abject need.

They are in need of these basic things:

– Diapers

– formula milk

– Sanitary pads

– drinking water

-canned goods

-N95 and up face masks

– rice

People abroad could send money to Paypal account. Ill get details of trusted groups who are already doing the outreach program on the field now.

I know I have not asked or wish for anything in my page, all I wanted to do was write. But today is different, I want to use this avenue to knock at your generous hearts.

 

Please leave a comment below if you want to help for instructions. In kinds ot monetary will do. Big or small, they will go a long long way. Also, your biggest contribution will be prayers for safety of my countrymen, the animals and that this wrath of nature will end and communities will be able to settle in again soon.

 

Thank you in advance.

P.S :typing in mobile while  in a moving vehicle, excuse typos.

*****

Edit: I finally got a hold of my laptop, so I am editing this post to show some links on how we can help:

These are the following people or groups that are on the field now helping out privately:

Instagram @hershey_official

Hershey is a business woman based in Batangas. She and her brother personally go places to gather funds, buy products and distribute. check her instagram posts for photos.

PAYPAL: hersheyhilado@gmail.com

BANK:
UNION BANK
Acc #: 1093 5089 9990
Hershey Valerie Thompson

 

Here are other details, choose which is aconvenient for you:

From Mindanao Daily Mirror

 

From Brgy San Juan SAn Pablo Laguna FB post

 

Here are a few snaps that hopefully move your generous hearts.

A clip for kababayan abroad:

ABS-CBN Appeals To Overseas Filipinos, Global Communities For Help For Communities Affected By Taal Volcano Eruption

 

Video link From CNN:

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/01/15/asia/philippines-taal-volcano-animals-shelters-intl-hnk/index.html

Photo by @Coffee_Dante

 

Actual photo from Miss Hershey Hilado Instagram – Thats her in the crowd of evacuees who would fight tooth and nail to get Milk formula for their babies.

 

Photo from @Jeffcanoy ( an ABS SBN reporter)

Photo From CNN

 

 

This will forever haunt me, I’m crying inside for animals ( Photo from Abscbn new Instagram)

 

Please help in every little way you can.

 

Thank you.

What Actually Happened on New Year

Happy 2020 guys!!

So, following my New Year’s post, here’s what actually happened on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s day!

You guys! It was full of fun, a little health scare and everything in between!

 

NY Eve – we all gathered as a family, my chef brother was home and did almost all the cooking, so THANK GOD! We ate, said our thanx for the year that passed, picture taking, watched fireworks and ate again! Hahahaa

 

NY Day – Dad had a dialysis session in the morning, we picked him up at the hospital after his session and all we went to my aunt’s house where we always have our New Year’s Day reunion. All our cousins from nearby places came over. Our “Cousins” Group chat has been active since Christmas of all the stuff that we planned to do on New Year’s gathering.

It is during New Year’s Day also when we have our annual gift – giving ( Yes, you would think it’s a little late, but this is when we are all gathered together, after all, Christmas is looooooong in the Philippines, right? )

We were happily updating each other while the oldies sat on their own chitchat corner while watching my brother and aunt prepare for yet another New Year’s Feast!  Cousins were taking selfies, kids running around, singles are updating about love lives, talking about silly things and stacking the gifts around the Christmas tree while waiting for other cousins to arrive, when I heard my aunt called my name – dad was not feeling okay. Luckily one of my cousins is a nurse, she attended to dad and checked on his BP, turned out, post dialysis, his BP spiked to 210/100.

I immediately called his doctor, but she was on a vacation. We called the dialysis center at the hospital and we were advised to give him Sublingual captopril. I did not understand a thing so I handed the phone over to the nurse in the family.

Another cousin who is a police officer was having a good meal but he unhesitatingly left his plates, hopped on to his bike and drove to the nearest drugstore. The meds did not do the job, so we had to rush dad to the ER.

Thankfully, he was released after 4 hours. Me and my sister had to spend the afternoon of the 1^st day of the decade at the ER waiting for dad’s BP to normalize, but I am still thankful he is up and about now.

We may have missed the fun, we may have missed the other cousins who came late, we may have not witnessed a lot of things unfold  which we have been planning for a long time, but I am grateful that everything went back to normal.

That day was a reminder that I have the best family ever. How selfless my cousins were to put the needs of their uncle first before theirs.  How the rest of the family constantly checked on us while they were in the  middle of gift-giving, how my aunt sent us “take home” food because she knew we left without eating. How everybody gave time when a family member needed help. I am forever thankful. We may had a little health scare to start a year, but we have the next 364 days to make things better!

On a much lighter note, let me share with you our New Year’s eve feast prepared by the awesome brother:

I cooked this, guys! 🙂

Happy New Year, y’all!

Happy 2020

One day before a decade ends!!

What are you planning to do on the first day of the new year?

As for me, I will definitely sleep longer. I am very sure I would be staying up all night on New Year’s eve beause friends and family are coming together. Whatever you wanna do on Jan 1 onwards, I pray that that will make you happy.

At this very moment, I am in my room and  as I tap my keyboards, downstairs at the kitchen is a different chaos. Foods are getting prepared for the new year’s eve feast. I am glad my chef brother is home every new year. That spared me from Kitchen responsibilties. Lol!

On a more serious note, I wish each one of you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!! I pray that 2020 will be our best year! I hope that  2020 will be even better for you and your family’s health, financial situation and you and your loved-ones’ happiness!

Love and Light to all of you, tight virtual hug!!

 

Love,

SimplymeSMC.

 

Late Night Thoughts

And here I thought I know this place so well
I believed I know every edge and every corner
I called it my home for a decade
But now it dawned to me, I am a stranger in this place.

Here I thought I know everyone
That eveybodyelse is as happy as I am
Here I thought I could trust these people
Turned out ambition could change one person.

Is it time to say “so long’?
Is it time to find another comfort zone?
I sure did accomplish alot in this home
But I think its about time I find a new hearthstone.

Sunday Mass Online

Being a devout Catholic, we are required to observe the Sabbath day and other days of obligations. I make it a point to allot an hour of my Sunday to hear mass from the church near my apartment. But as a human being, we are sometimes confronted with challenges. Inevitable things that ruin our routine, our plan.
I always feel guilty when I miss Sunday mass ( not that I am always present, I’m not a saint) but I try. I really do.
I recently caught a viral infection which stopped me from going to church one Sunday. But at that time, I didn’t feel any guilt at all. Why? Well…..

I finally found something on the web.
https://thesundaymass.org/ 

Yes! A Sunday mass Online!! Isn’t it awesome?!!
I really appreciate that there’s an available platform where I can hear mass at home when I am sneezing and coughing hard and afraid that my co-parishioners will catch my virus.
I emailed them and I asked permission if I could write about it and Father Paul Fagan himself replied. He was so gracious and gave his nod. So here I am, sharing with the world what a gem I have discovered online.
So, when you are travelling, or sick at home, confined in a hospital or stranded somewhere, I hope you find it helpful too.
When you open the website, you will see their banner:
“We are a TV parish with a mission to bring The Sunday Mass to the home bound and so many others”

More details I copied this from the website:
About The Sunday Mass
The Passionists of the St. Paul of the Cross Province began their television ministry in New York in December of 1970. From the first broadcast, The Sunday Mass was enthusiastically received by the home bound and the infirm. Today, hundreds of thousands now join in the celebration of The Sunday Mass nationwide on Freeform, formerly ABC Family Channel and worldwide via the internet.

P.S: They need sponsors too, so I would like to take this chance to knock at your generous hearts and appeal for donations. You could visit https://thesundaymass.org/en/donate or click DONATE button from the main page.

 

Sharing with you some screen captures that I have from last Sunday.

 

Father Paul presiding the Mass

Such a powerful Choir, you can also contact the flashed number

Peace be with you!!

 

Sunblock For Me!

For a tropical country like The Philippines, one is always under fire any time of the day! 😊

When I say, fire, I mean, scorching heat which could potentially damage the skin.

I was always on the quest for the best sunscreen for my skin. The one that won’t give me white pigmentation and won’t be too heavy on my skin.

And friends, after several tries, I think I finally found my “duo”.

 

1. BIORE UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF50+ PA++++

• It is not sticky at all, which I love so much.
• It does not leave oily or greasy feel on the skin
• No white residue, unlike other sun screen that will make you look like a ghost in a broad day light 😊
• My friend got it from Taiwan but there’s available for sale from Beauty Manila.50 gms is for 488.00. pesos only
• My skin is not sensitive, I did not feel any irritation of reaction.
• I usually use this as a base in my daily make up. Very light in the skin.
• I give it 4.5/5 

  

  I got the photo from Beauty MNL as I failed to take picture of actual photo 

  2. LAUREN & CO BEAUTY Bare Skin Facial Sun Mist with SPF 35 – Renewed (50ml)

• Very Handy, on the go sunscreen
• This is a face mist that has SPF
• Could be used on top of makeup ( just spray on your face)
• Budget Friendly – I got mine from beauty Manila, P299.00 for 50ml
• All Filipino brand – Yey, support local as much as possible.
• I give it a 5/5

Photo taken from Beauty MNL as mine has been scratched already. 

So what I usually do is use Biore before putting my make up on, and Sun Mist to reapply, it’s perfect because It doe not ruin my makeup.

 

Note: this is not an AD. I just want to share my good buys! This might work for you too.

SG with Family!

We have been blessed with an opportunity to travel together again as one family. This was after my niece was born and my dad was diagnosed with chronic kidney failure. With the baby in tow and with dialysis sessions that dad should not miss, it seemed impossible to travel. But with go signals from dad’s doctors and all the needful for his health, plus, our baby girl is now three, big enough to walk, off we went to Singapore!

( if you are in the same condition or your family member has the same health issue but you wanted to travel, hit me up, I can tell you what are the things to prepare as advised by our doctors, by the airlines, etc)

This trip was even made special because it was dad’s birthday. This was my second trip to Singapore, yet, this place still amazed me.

Giving you glimpse of our trip.

Accommodation : Strand Hotel

Address: 25 Bencoolen St, Singapore 189619

Phone: +65 6338 1866

You could book via Booking.com / no pre-payment required.

 

What are the places near the hotel?

• Right outside the hotel is MRT Bencoolen Station, on the other side of the road is Bras Basah MRT station. Very convenient.
• Across the hotel is a Food Court called Food Republic that offers wide variety of food. ( this was where we had most of our meals specially breakfast)
• Beside Food Republic are 7-11 store and Starbucks Coffee.
• About 5 minute-walk from the hotel, we attended Sunday mass at Church of the Sacred Heart.
• Walking distance from Bugis Junction – One of the well-visited shopping sites in Singapore.

Getting Around the City:

Since we were a big group and my dad was advised to refrain from walking, plus we needed a car seat for our toddler, we always took advantage of grab cars. It may seem expensive but it’s worth it if you are in a big group. We would always book 1 6-seater and 1 grab with kid ( 3adult +1 kid).

So much for my words, here are the outtakes of our Singapore trip.

Marina Bay Sands at Night

View From Merlion Park

Merlion Park

Jewel at Changi

View From Singapore Flyer

 

Have fun!

Leaving you with this:

Always find time to spend with your loved-ones. Need not be pricey, but memorable.

 

Thank you. Love, SimplymeSMC.