Everyday Adventures: October 2017

fitness

Run Like A Superhero at Justice League Fun Run 2017!

By Mommy Donna and Kib - October 31, 2017

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solo parenting

When My Son Treats Me Like A Queen

By Mommy Donna and Kib - October 30, 2017

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Asia Pacific College

Experience the Classroom of the Future at Microsoft Experience Hub in Asia Pacific College

By Mommy Donna and Kib - October 27, 2017

How do you describe a classroom? It's a typical room with chairs, table, blackboard or white board, bulletin board, and ventilation (either airconditioning system or electric fan). We would always dream of a classroom that we feel that is conducive to learning, with a feel of relaxation matched with perfect color palette. Added to that, we wanted a state-of-the-art facilities in each classroom because we wanted our children to have the best learning experience in school.

But is there such thing as an ideal classroom?

Last October 18, 2017, Asia Pacific College (APC) unveiled the Microsoft Experience Hub, the classroom of the future. The Microsoft Experience Hub is considered as a place for innovation, a center for digital revolution, and and environment for fun learning.

As one of Microsoft's Showcase Schools, APC transforms the typical classroom into a space where students can work, collaborate and experience learning that is flexible, personalized, and engaging. The hub aims to foster an environment where unique learnings and intelligent insights can be derived.

In this space, students can also work on software and Internet of things (IoT) projects using Visual Studio, Azure IoT, Xamarin, and on the latest enterprise productivity tools. In the academe like Office 365, OneNote, ClassNote, Microsoft Teams and Planners. Microsoft's enterprise security tools can now be tested using scenario-based testing to learn about data privacy, network security, and its applicability to different situations. Likewise, the hub will provide opportunities to learn about Microsoft's virtual and augmented reality initiatives with mixed reality headsets from various vendors. Furthermore, the hub will provide the set-up required to learn Microsoft Azure services and offerings.

On the other hand, for Microsoft, this space can be their venue to provide technical seminars, hands-on tutorials and other activities to the APC community and its friends to further its goals of making people experience Microsoft technologies.

The hub will serve as a catalyst that would allow educators and students to experience innovation in technology and education. The Microsoft Experience Hub will provide APC teachers and learners an environment where unique learnings and intelligent insights can be derived. Fueled by all these factors, now is definitely the new tomorrow.

These are the major highlights of APC-Microsoft partnership:

1. Building future-ready skills among students

Integration of Azure in the current curriculum
Integration of Microsoft tools in APC Senior High School
Adoption of Pasay City South High School (PCSHS) and supporting them with STEM skills, providing them access to productivity platform that gives them the edge

2. Educator Capacity Building

Introduce Microsoft Education Ambassadors and MIEEs
Introduce MCEs (Microsoft Certified Educators)
Microsoft Student Partners
Microsoft Certified Students

Check out the photos below how the Microsoft Experience Hub looks like:

If all classrooms will look like this, for sure students will learn a lot and will be inspired to study very hard for their future.

There will be more Microsoft Experience Hubs in their other showcase schools and hopefully, they will be able to share their technology in public schools in the future too.

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ASEAN

1st Philippine Startup Survey Unveiled at Slingshot ASEAN: Startup and Innovation Summit

By Mommy Donna and Kib - October 25, 2017

We all dream to have our own businesses and have more time freedom to spend with ourselves and with our loved ones. We all dream of making a change to make this world a better place to live. We all dream of creating something in order to leave a mark and a legacy.

WE ALL WANT TO BE A GAME-CHANGER.

In reality, while we all want these things to happen in our lives, only few people who have the guts and determination to put it on the next level. These number of people really wanted to innovate, to discover new things, to improve the lives of many, to be the source of inspiration to others that they can also do the things that they have done in order to succeed and reach all of their dreams and aspirations in life.

WE CALL THEM STARTUPS.

Startups are formed by individuals or groups because they have this desire to introduce something new to the people. They are driven by passion and desire to change the system and improve it. They want to innovate, to discover, and to initiate a paradigm shift that will truly enhance the way we live.

Startups are now creating a new trend in business. They are not there to be like anybody else, but they want to become a standout and rise among others. They want to be known for making a 180-degree turn in terms of paving the way to new technology.

A recent survey was conducted by Isla Lipana & Co. /PwC Philippines in partnership with QBO (pronounced as ku-bo) Philippines in knowing how startups in the Philippines perform and contribute to the economy. The 2017 Philippine Startup Survey was unveiled during the Slingshot ASEAN: Startup and Innovation Summit last October 20, 2017 held at Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). The survey revealed that Filipino startups are confident and optimistic, with plans ranging from conducting initial public offering (IPO) to tapping new markets within and outside the Philippines. To achieve their goals, they want to make their businesses sustainable through improved tax incentives, greater ease in doing business, and better access to capital.

Here are the other highlights of the survey:

35% of the respondents launched their startups in 2016, and 19% launched in 2017.
43% are in the pre-revenue phase, while 3% have annual revenues below Php2M.
When they were starting their businesses, the top challenges they faced were capital requirements (88%), regulatory requirements (54%), and general economic/businesses conditions (50%).
63% are planning to raise equity financing to finance their growth.
47% are planning to raise less than US$1M in the next three to five years, while 27% are planning to raise between US$1M and US$3M.
94% are planning to welcome an investor in the next three years.
Primary uses of funds in the next three to five years are product development (39%) and marketing initiatives (29%).
Strategies for growth in the next three to five years are improve existing products or services (84%), introduce new products or services (79%), and enter new territories outside the Philippines (61%).
63% are planning to conduct an IPO in the next five to seven years.
95% are planning to enter new territories in the next five years.
New markets to tap are other areas in the Philippines (56%), Indonesia (59%), Thailand (57%), Malaysia (55%), and Vietnam (52%).
To help startups build sustainable businesses, top focus areas for improvement are tax incentives for startups (59%), ease of doing business (59%), and access to capital (55%).

DTI, QBO, IdeaSpace, and PwC presenting the report to the media

What can you say about the results of the survey? Are you ready to join the startup bandwagon? Let's make a change in our country!

QBO (ku-b) is an innovation hub, or a platform for the startup community to collaborate, develop talent, and grow. It provides startups with support and resources through events and capacity building programs as well as focused interventions designed to improve access to markets, knowledge, capital, and talent. QBO is the country's first public-private initiative for startups, created through a partnership between IdeaSpace, J.P. Morgan, DOST, and DTI. Spurred on by the vision of Filipino startups changing the world, QBO's mission is to create a globally competitive startup ecosystem in the Philippines. Visit www.qbo.com.ph for more information.

Isla Lipana & Co. is PwC in the Philippines. It has provided professional services in the Philippines for 95 years. Isla Lipana & Co. sticks to the highest quality standards in delivering audit and assurance, tax and advisory services within and outside the country. PwC's purpose is to build trust in society and solve important problems. PwC is a network of firms in 158 countries with more than 236,000 people who are committed to delivering quality in assurance, advisory, and tax services. Find out more about PwC at www.pwc.com.

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Color Run Manila

Our Fun Experience at Color Manila's Glitter Run

By Mommy Donna and Kib - October 24, 2017

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RCBC

Save and Win Your Dream Vacation at RCBC

By Mommy Donna and Kib - October 23, 2017

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Bounty Fresh eggs

All About Eggs--Bounty Fresh Celebrates World Egg Day

By Mommy Donna and Kib - October 19, 2017

Eggs are a staple in our household. I always buy a dozen of eggs monthly and cook it in variety of ways--scrambled, sunny-side up, hard-boiled. I also put eggs as an ingredient in the dishes that I cook for me and my son. Up until this time, we only eat eggs in moderation.

From the recent event that I attended, the celebration of World Egg Day spearheaded by Bounty Fresh Eggs, I have learned a lot about eggs and debunked some myths that I know about eating eggs.

All About Eggs

Eggs are a very good source of inexpensive, high quality protein. More than half the protein of an egg is found in the egg white along with vitamin B2 and lower amounts of fat and cholesterol than the yolk. The whites are rich sources of selenium, vitamin D, B6, B12, and minerals such as zinc, iron, and copper.

We can benefit so much from eating eggs on a regular basis, as attested by Food Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) under the Department of Science and Technology.

Strong muscles--the protein within eggs helps keep muscles working well while slowing the rate at which they are lost
Brain health--eggs contain vitamins and minerals that are needed for the regular functioning of cells, including the brain, nervous system, memory, and metabolism
Good energy production--eggs contain all the daily vitamins and minerals that are needed to produce energy in all the cells of the body
A healthy immune system--vitamin A, vitamin B12, and selenium are key to keeping the immune system healthy
Lower risk of heart disease--choline plays an important part in breaking down the amino and homocysteine, which is associated with the development of heart disease
Healthful pregnancy--nutrients within eggs help to prevent congenital disabilities, such as spina bifida
Eyesight--lutein and zeaxanthin help to prevent macular degeneration, the leading cause of age-related blindness. Other vitamins also promote good vision
Weight loss and maintenance--the high quality of protein within eggs might help keep people energized and feeling fuller for longer period of time. Feeling full prevents snacking, which reduces overall calorie intake
Skin benefits--some vitamins and minerals within eggs help promote healthy skin and prevent the breakdown of body tissues. A strong immune system also contributes to a healthy overall look

An egg has 187mg of cholesterol, and the recommended limit is 300 mg per day--or only 200mg if you have diabetes or risk factors for heart disease. Table eggs may cause mild increases in Total and LDL cholesterol levels, however, this should not be the cause of concern of the people. On the contrary, eggs consistently raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels. Study shows that one person can consume up to 3 whole eggs a day and is perfectly safe for those who are trying to stay healthy. You may also check Philippine Egg Board's website to learn more about eggs and its benefits.

Sadly, among the countries in Southeast Asia, Philippines have the lowest egg consumption. This is due to the adhering belief that egg is bad for the health due to its cholesterol levels. Medical doctors also believe that too much egg consumption is bad for one's health. While Philippines is rich in eggs, fish is also abundant in the country, thus, giving Filipinos an alternative protein source.

World Egg Day 2017

For the first time in the Philippines, World Egg Day was celebrated at the atrium of Eastwood Mall last October 12, 2017. World Egg Day is usually held every second Friday of October and is celebrated in other countries like Australia, USA, UK, France, Brazil, Austria, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The Philippine celebration was led by Bounty Fresh Eggs, the country's top egg producer. This year's celebration is the onset of the annual celebration of World Egg Day in the country.

Bounty Fresh World Egg Day celebration happened at the Atrium of Eastwood Mall

World Egg Day celebration was full of activities, contests, talks, cooking demo, and live entertainment. Check out the photos of the event below:

Find the Golden Egg

Shoot the egg in the basket

Wheel of Eggtune

Bounty Fresh Egg Masters contestants

One of the contestants of the Egg Master challenge. Contestants should sing while cooking omelet

The winners of the Egg Master challenge

Ms. Ailyn Kuan-del Rio, RND, MSCN giving a talk about the health benefits of egg

Ms. Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi doing a live cooking demo of her own version of omelet

Everyone was given an opportunity to taste the omelet prepared by Stephanie Zubiri-Crespi

Audience were serenaded by Nathan Bautista, one of the contestants of The Voice Kids Edition

The audience were captivated by the dance moves of Nhizky Calma

Bounty Fresh has become the Gold Standard in the Philippines when we talk about egg quality. Bounty Fresh has a state-of-the-art facilities and is using healthy feeds on layer hens to ensure high quality eggs. The people behind Bounty Fresh wishes that more and more Filipinos would add eggs in their regular meals because of its affordability and availability in the market.

You wonder how Bounty Fresh produce high quality eggs. It starts with giving its layer hens the best care and comfort by housing them in environmentally controlled and fully automated houses that are tunnel ventilated. These hens are also given complete vaccination against diseases and are subject to a medication program designed to boost their immune system.

The layer hens are also given the best nutrition formulated by the company's nutritionist to ensure that it meets the nutrient requirements for body maintenance and optimum production; that is, they can lay the number of eggs expected during its life span. With this, consumers are ensured that the eggs from Bounty Fresh are in its optimum size and is covered with high quality egg shells to prevent the entry of bacteria and contaminants. The albumen (egg white) and yolk are of excellent quality containing the finest nutrition so we can be assured that the eggs from Bounty Fresh are full of vitamins and minerals that people need in their daily life.

Now, once the eggs are produced, they are brought to storage facilities using a fully automated conveyor. From the chicken house straight to the egg rooms, the eggs are fully secured to make sure that they don't get in contact with contaminants and bacteria. This procedure will ensure that eggs are fresh and clean, making them safe for human consumption.

Once at the egg storage facilities, the eggs are then selected and graded by fully automated computer-programmed grading machines. This process is done to make sure that: a.) dirty eggs and eggs with cracks or "hairline" cracks that are not visible to the eye are removed when they pass through the so-called "candling area" section of the conveyor, and b.) eggs are sorted by the machine and not by human hands to prevent contact with contaminants.

After the eggs have been sorted, the are stored in optimum temperature to maintain freshness and quality of the albumen and yolk. A quality assurance team randomly inspects the eggs to confirm if the harvested eggs meet the quality standards that the company has set.

Bounty Fresh aims that with the celebration of World Egg Day, Filipinos would consume egg on a daily basis.