Meiji Amino Collagen and Otsuka Collagen Jelly C (Product Review)

I wasn't paid in doing this review. I just have the privilege of having a co-parent at my children's school who uses and sells authentic Japan beauty goodies and I managed to personally try some. I have heard so much of these Japan whitening, skin-firming, collagen, placenta and a lot more few years back but wasn't convinced. So when I met this seller who is now a friend (because I now became a fan, hehe), I asked her so many questions and (honestly) asked for recommendations since she's been taking beauty supplements from Japan for many years now. I even searched on the internet for reviews and articles that tell and sort out details about these Japan-raved skin and beauty goodies. I had a hard time looking for reliable resources because what I want to read was a review coming from a user of a product and not just because they were paid to do it or they were recently given samples to test and try to support a ''positive review''. I want a review coming from an actual user of a certain product I'm looking for and maybe a long time user's testimonial would be much much better.

Allow me first to give an introduction about my skin condition. I have a very sensitive skin prone to blackheads and whiteheads and pimples. I got large facial pores which I got from my father's side though my fair complexion was said to be from my mother's. Pimples started to appear on my face at the age of 13 when I had my first menstrual period and continued until my first pregnancy and giving birth to my twin boys year 2005; but recurred after conceiving my daughter. Since then my adventure in looking for a great product to ease my skin problems began. I don't use make-up. I only have pressed powder and a lip gloss or lip balm including a mirror and comb in my (kikay) kit plus alcohol, hand soap, mint rub for insect bites and a liniment oil (talk about being a Mama). 

I really don't care if my face looks pale and without colors, what's important to me is a clean face! For more than five years (my daughter's now aged 7) my skin condition had been my dilemma. External products: cleanser, toners and creams didn't and maybe really won't work for me at all! What made it more complicated, we transferred from Davao City after living there for more than two years as a family (my husband had lived there longer for more than five years since he studied at Ateneo de Davao University College of Law) to Polomolok, South Cotabato and lived there for more than three years then later on moved to its nearby city General Santos. Thus, causing so much plight on my skin - a change in weather and water adding the pollution and humidity of the surrounding. Those years were really a nightmare to my face - hands up I'd say!

Now, here comes my review. Enter now the dragon. My ''beauty counsel'' recommended the very famous Meiji Amino Collagen. She said if it will work for me then the rest of its kind will follow. I noticed on the first three days after mixing a scoop of the collagen powder to my drinks (coffee, Milo) and even yogurt anytime of the day (at least once a day) the skin on my face near my nose got firm and lifted. My facial pores got smaller and the blemishes becoming lighter. Blackheads and whiteheads - GONE! The skin on my arms, hands and legs got tighter and firmer too. It didn't make me whiter but it did make my skin toned, supple and smooth. I also noticed my hair don't have split ends anymore in a week's time! When my menstruation arrived, my back and abdomen cramps lessened. My teeth that were slightly yellowish became lighter in shade. The powder is tasteless but has a fishy smell but when mixed into Milo, yogurt our soup the smell can't be traced. Meiji Amino Collagen is my collagen supplement until now and it's working well for me. The downside is that my face looks full or should I say I now have chubby cheeks. I might try another collagen that would do the wonders of Meiji yet won't as if add a kilogram to my facial flesh. (*sigh*) No, it won't make you fat, maybe because of the toning and lifting effect of the collagen that's why my face enjoyed it's back to youthful glow as promised by Meiji. (*another sigh*)

Enter the second dragon. I wanted my husband to take collagen too. His skin condition is much worse than mine (more pimples on his back, neck, shoulder and arms) but he disliked the thought of mixing the collagen powder in his coffee and surprisingly his nose could smell the fishy-fishy thing so I sought for help from my counsel and there she was to the rescue with the Otsuka Collagen Jelly C in a box (31 single strips in sachets good for 31 days). With prayers, I let my husband tried one and to my joy he gave an approval. Like Meiji, it tightens the pores on his face and gives him a glow, his complexion is becoming even too. It doesn't make him chubby but it knocks him to sleep after minutes of ingestion which I dislike. But if we are travelling, I replace my Meiji with Otsuka since its single-packed jellies are easy to carry everywhere (minus the can and the scoop) and convenient to consume (without making any drink). My father, brothers and my aunt are also eating Otsuka Collagen because of my recommendation and it is working well for them for two months now. 

There are other collagen brands too like Orihiro, BB, Lotte, Shiseido, Asahi and more but I'm sticking to Meiji and Otsuka for the meantime. I have Orihiro collagen in stock, I might be trying it after my Meiji packs run out. 

For authentic Japan beauty loots and finds visit Kanna Japan Beauty Shoppe in Facebook (Ms. Tin). You can also find the legit shop in Lazada Philippines. Ms. Tin sources her items for sale directly from Japan, she goes to Japan almost every month just to get ''beauty produce'' fresh!

My Salad Dressing

Squeeze out the juice of a medium lemon into a bowl. Add three tablespoons of honey (depends on your taste). If honey is not available, white sugar will do. Add a dash of black ground pepper and 1 teaspoon of extra  virgin olive oil. Mix well.

The honey I use at home for cooking and other dishes or just to sweeten pancakes and breads is guaranteed pure harvested from a beehive found in a forest in the province of Sarangani.

The singakamas I bought from Barangay Saravia in Koronadal, South Cotabato at 80 Php per bundle of string (had 12 pieces medium sized) and the iceberg lettuce I bought from the vegetable stalls in Bukidnon at 30Php per kilo became a good combo. This was my breakfast then this morning. My husband and kids ate with me too.

Apareja's Buko Halo-Halo in South Cotabato

It's one of our favorite stops whenever we wind down along the road. Located at Barangay Saravia, Koronadal (Marbel), South Cotabato; 5-10 minute drive from the city proper of Koronadal or 45 minutes to one hour from General Santos City (plus the traffic and speed limit) is where this very famous buko halo-halo of Apareja can be found.

They just cut a portion of the top of a young buko to make a bowl good enough to hold a serving, the young coconut meat intact and spoonfulls of minatamis na saging (boiled banana in sugar/glucose syrup), candied chewy jackfruit meat, dices of boiled sweet potatoes, a scoop of ice cream topped with leche flan, some nata de coco and kaong sprinkled with corn flakes and garnished with additional grated young coconut meat - ah is love love love love! There's not too much ice. I think they only place half a cup of crushed ice. So what you will be eating isn't the ice but the goodness treat inside the green coconut! Now this is the true halo-halo and not just ice!

Last year, per serving costed 65 Php but as of today or I don't know when did they start hiking its price, it's now 80 Php per serving.

I'm talking about real halo-halo here. Again, not ice! This I highly recommend a must try! Only in South  Cotabato! Only in Mindanao! ^*,

Aside from this buko halo-halo, Barangay Saravia has more to offer. On the sides of its road you can find stores selling singkamas, suka pinakurat, suka tuba, snacks, sweet potatoes, bananas and other farm produce.

It's always fun in South Cotabato!

Kouziena 9505 (kitchen & drinks) REVIEW

My husband requested me to accompany him to Koronadal, South Cotabato to meet his partner in their office. I was supposed to stay at home to arrange our things. Three bags are still unpacked from our December travels. The kids volunteered to just stay at home and our stay-out househelp said she can extend her stay until our return in the aftrenoon so off we went.. I made sure before leaving them at home that my children's mobile phone is just within their reach so they can message or call me anytime and vice versa..

Along the road from General Santos, my husband was craving for the buko halo-halo at Apareja at Barangay Saravia, Korondal but when we entered the town of Tupi driving at 40kph speed limit, Rex suddenly turned right to an establishment and declared,"Ga, let's eat. I'm hungry." I was about to say, "We just had breakfast at home an hour before we left!" but he abruptly seconded, "Masarap dito!" Let the husband lead the way then!

The tarp hanging on the outside says Kouziena 9505 Kitchen & Drinks. According to my husband, he already ate here last October 2015 with his colleagues. I also learned they opened last year's September. I ordered boneless garlic chicken for me and fish balls sweet and sour for Rex. Also ordered green apple drinks and creamy mustard baby potato for the both of us. We were served first with their cream of mushroom soup for free and when the rice meals arrived, they came with fried baby potatoes. Anything with potatoes or has potatoes as long as there's potato Rex my husband finds it with great gusto. The dishes are good. It made me like potatoes more. On a scale of 1 to 10 ranking 10 as the yummiest I'd rate Kouziena 9505 an 8.5. And that's a meal for 380 Php for the two of us.

The ambiance of the place is not that appealing much to one's sight. Simple acacia tables and plastic black chairs. Just plain. Enough to give you a sense of comfort while enjoying your budget meal. Good place for roadtrippers, backpackers and students who like to eat cheap but hearty and could fill a tummy.

Will come back once more and try their other rice meals and to eat again their baby potatoes - a must-eat!

Online Buying/Shopping

I started selling online a few months after giving birth to my third child year 2009. I used Facebook and Sulit. By the following year I initiated buying simple stuff like clothing and shoes for myself. Months went by and I was already hooked! Selling, buying, selling, buying, buying, buying.. Hahaha! I usually buy my personal paraphernalia online, at least 60-70% of my clothes, shoes and bags. I even purchase some of our small kitchen appliances from an online shopping mall. Let me write in here three reasons why I kinda go for this shopping method instead of going to a physical store:

1. Convenience. I don't have to go outside the house, less the hours spent in taking a bath, dressing up and all which I sometimes dislike. There'd be days I'd jump into the car  hair uncombed. And there'd also be unlucky days when I can't locate my one and only pink Springmaid comb making our driver run to a nearest store to buy an alternative brush for my pitiful hair. So much for that hair, because I stay most of the time at home, in my husband's office and on the road, I do not have the luxury of staying inside a shopping center particularly if it'll be my personal things I'll be selecting. When online, when I see an item, I'll check, I'll ask for details from the seller or read the given info, if I like, then confirm. That's it. 

Okay. Wait. As many as the sellers and buyers flocking the world wide web today, I am fully aware that there are fakes, bogus and scams. I only transact with sellers whom I know and trust. I am a 'repeating' customer. I do not hop from one seller/shop to another. This also applies when I shop in a physical store. I am one of those who always carry a shoppers' loyalty card or whatever they call it. Hehe. 

2. Spending Less. When I shop online I do not have to bring a wallet or cash. And when I say I only have 1,000 php for today for buying a pair of sandals, a pair of trousers and a shirt, then I have to stick with it. It's because, I am the kind of woman who brings all of my belongings when I go out. Meaning, I have with me our ATM cards and my one-month's allowance plus the amount intended for food and house necessities. Honestly, I can't resist buying when I'm surrounded with so good things. I only think about an item twice. Ending, I'd be paying for unnecessary finds. I guess I should be thinking more than thrice - to a hundred. I do not have that kind of extended patience when shopping because the day would soon be over so what I see, I get. Unlike when I face my computer, browsing a thing to a thing, stuff to a different stuff to more, I'd have the time to compare and think, now this, more than twenty times. 

3. I Make Friends. True. Because I am a 'repeating' customer, the sellers become my virtual friends. I get to know them. Not only them but even their families, their spouses, kids, love life. Because when I transact with people, one of my interests is to make a connection, not just in terms of money or business but to make a bridge more on personal. Mostly, that makes me come back to that shop, to the seller,  because of the person.

Well, my online shopping mantra only applies when I buy things for myself as what I've written above. When it comes to my husband and our kiddos, I don't have a choice but to spend a day inside my favorite shopping mall, will make another post for it though.

Sumosam in General Santos City

I was famished after tagging myself along with my husband in his all day meetings and appointments with his clients. It went past 7 o'clock in the evening already and he's still talking to some heads inside Starbucks. Finally, after a few minutes they stood up from their seats and I saw him looking for his wife's face outside the cafe. I went out an hour before they finished and roamed around the SM Mall of GenSan City by the way. I immediately told him when he got near me that I'm terribly hungry and I needed something hot - a bowl of soup. There are several fine restaurants beside Starbucks and inside the mall, I headed to Sumosam and ordered two vegetable ramen (one for Rex and Kuya Sunny our family driver) at 298 Php each and one seafood ramen at 378 Php all in shoyu soup base. Theirs were filled with lots of greens and mongo sprouts while mine got luscious portions of squid, roasted seaweeds, shrimps, fish balls and tempura. I think the servings just compensated the prices. Hehe. 

Seafood Ramen

Vegetable Ramen

My PhilHealth Membership's Up-to-Date

The first month of the first quarter of  2014 is nearly at its end. I flipped over my notepad last night and was reminded of my Philhealth contribution for this year. Before, when I was employed, my employer(s) would automatically deduct 50% of my Philhealth's premium contribution from my gross salary every pay day and the other 50% would come from their end. The last BPO company I worked for was paying me 8,000 Php every 15 days amounting to 16,000 Php in  a month that required me to pay 375 Php monthly by Philhealth as my contribution. Now that I am no longer working, I still continue paying for my membership voluntarily categorized under the Individually Paying Program. Year 2012, it was amended that the 100 Php paid monthly by individually paying members will be doubled and would start by the following year and counting; but Philhealth also offered a payment scheme privilege that if an individually paying member could pay on or before August 2012 his/her whole 2013's contribution in one payment only then he/she will only pay 1,200 Php instead of 2,400 Php to which I availed. Come 2014, I have to pay 200 Php monthly for my contribution.

Paid 200 Php x 6 months for the first two quarters of 2014

I keep on paying for my Philhealth contribution because I can see that my membership benefits are essential not only for myself but for my household as well. Our youngest child was admitted last year due to UTI and because I am a meticulous mom when it comes to my kids' wellness and hospitalizations, I will always opt for a private hospital, an exclusive room, the best pediatrician in the city and branded medicines to be applied to my children. My husband and I would not take any risks at all when it comes to our little ones. We do not mind about the amount we have to shell out when health and recovery is a must. Our hospital bill for three days at General Santos Doctor's Hospital amounted to 16, 000 Php + 7, 500 Php for the Doctor's Professional Fee. We only paid 4, 000 Php out of the whole bill. Aside from my Philhealth membership, my husband had his paid for by the school where he is teaching but we requested  to have it cut-off. Philhealth does not allow double membership since my husband is already one of my beneficiaries. What he is focusing to is his SunLife insurance and his SSS contributions.

For more of Philhealth's programs and details, you may visit them online at http://www.philhealth.gov.ph.

Good thing here is, the bank where we have our deposits is accepting Philhealth payments. I need not to wait for long hours inside the PhilHealth office in General Santos City which is always bursting with people.

My Super Ever Late Christmas Wishlist

Tadaaaah! It's already 2014 and I'm still jotting down my 2013 Christmas list! (LAUGHING OUT LOUD!) Well, I'm not that busy as what you might be thinking. I'm not a full-time working mom either. I only have a few contracts for my write-ups and articles last year. It's just that I'm hands-on at home and is doing a sideline of travelling with my husband to attend his out of town court hearings and meetings. I sometimes assist him in his office and do the works of the secretary when papers are in tons. At home, I do not entrust to anyone the grocery shopping and the local farmers' market trips which I do once a week, the sorting and preparing of my husband's and kids' clothes and lots of personal things for my family I believe I'm the one doing and for personal touches of course.

Anyway, my list will be a 100% material thingy. Here it is:

1. Nikon Coolpix S3600

20.1 Effective Mega Pixels, 8x Optican Zoom and 16x* Dynamic Fine Zoom

4-Axis Hybrid VR for Movie Recording, with High Performance Nikkor Lenses, EXPEED C2 image-Processing System, Macro-shooting for as close as 2cm., One-touch HD 720p Movie Recording

Oh well, I still have my three-year-old Nikon Coolpix S3100 with 14.0 MP, 5x Zoom and my ever reliable Samsung Galaxy 3 from Globe that I use for capturing scenes and faces of my kids and a lot of 'selfies' (self-shots) too! (laugh) I admire DSLR cameras but I think they are not for me since I don't like bulky gadgets and I'm not a pro in photography. I remember one of my instructors in Bible College who happens to be one of General Santos' professional photographers telling us during one of our classroom chitchats, "If you are making photography as a living or as a source of income (main or sideline) then you ought to buy a DSLR camera. But if it's just for leisure like you want to have your face printed with views from places like your comfort rooms, then a point-and-shoot one will do." Elite bloggers earning thousands of bucks have been using DSLR cameras since it invaded the film market. I find cameras a must for bloggers most especially if one's theme is about travel, places, food, fashion and topics that need elaboration using photos - I mean almost-true photos. I'd settle with compact cameras for now. My old camera is getting a little fuzzy with it's lens' cover and LCD. 

2. Wooden Computer Table

Minus the CPU part since my all-in-1 PC doesn't have one, I'll have another set of drawers then.

My Samsung DP700A3D All-in-1 Desktop for almost a year now is contently nestling on top of a mono block table. I asked my husband if he can have our church mate who has a furniture shop to do the job for my precious tool. Rex already gave a go signal last year but I withheld the excitement since we had just paid for our 8-seat-dining table made from santol wood last quarter of 2013. So maybe I'd have a sturdy table this summer.

I guess, that's it. Just two and I guess, yes, I guess, my 2013's Christmas wishlist will be granted this new year - anytime this year! Hahaha! I'm not in a hurry besides these are not that necessary. That's why it's called wishlist. (laugh) Hooray for my new camera-to-be and my working table-to-be!

How To Cook Imbao Soup

Ingredients:

Imbao Shells - 1/2 Kilo
Tanglad or Baraniw - 2-3 stems
Ripe Tomatoes (sliced lengthwise) - 2 pieces medium sized
Ginger - medium
Onion Leaves - 4 stems
Raddish (peeled and sliced crosswise around 1 inch thick) - 1 piece medium
Green Pechay - 2-3 leaves with stalk (cut in halves)
Saluyot tops - 4-6 pieces
Salt to taste



How to make:

*Thoroughly wash the shells until rinsing water is clear and run water over it for a finish. (Tip: When in the market, test the shells in fresh water in a basin. Bad ones float, good shells sink.)

*Prepare all the vegetables.

*Half fill a medium sized pot with water and bring to a boil. Put in tanglad leaves, tomatoes and ginger and simmer.

*Add the imbao shells and bring to a boil until shells open.

*Add raddish and season to taste with salt. (I do not use vetsin or MSG. I use Magic Sarap but seldom.)

*Add green pechay and saluyot and cook for 3-five minutes. Serve with rice.


 

I Now Cook! (^^,)

We don't have a house helper for more than a month and am now getting used to it. Though I seldom wake up as early as five in the morning, I see to it I get to finish my basic house chores before 10 a.m. like scrubbing and sweeping the floor, washing the dishes, arranging or rearranging my hoarded books for the nth time, checking my counters and containers for refills and maybe requiring me to do a run to the cheapest grocery store in town, wiping the window blades with wet cloths and segregating the laundry for my two-times-a-week washing schedule. Breakfasts are done in fast modes: almost fried - eggplant, eggs, potatoes, ripe bananas, ham, hotdogs, longganisa, chorizo, embutido, corned beef, chayote, simple hotcakes and so many more. Lunch sometimes sees my effort in cooking but the dinner or supper usually gets my supreme act of the kitchen. Hehe. I graduated my "Ms." name with just the knowledge of frying, sauteing, making dishes with sauces like fish escabeche and some vegetables, fish paksiw, simple chicken and pork adobo and to cook tinolang fish and chicken, sinigang pork and bulalo. Plainly basic. I don't even know how the shrimps, seashells, seafood and all other kinds of pork, beef, chicken and fish dishes which seemed to be so complicated in my eyes are to be made by my own hands. And now, I'm looking forward to learning so much of these complicated dishes as I've called. Some of them are not anymore that hard, hehe. I know now how to cook pork kare-kare, chicken afritada, sinigang na hipon sa miso, ginataang hipon, ginataang gulay (vegetables), rellenong pusit, sauteed oysters, clams and other kinds of seashells, binagoongang karne ng baboy, chicken cordon bleu, I even make my own version of sushi and maki rolls and a lot more recipes I scout online, in magazines and on tv. 

Here are just a few of my cooked dishes at home. I'm not a camera pro and I just used a cellphone to take the shots. 

My first ever pork kare-kare [pork (leg part) cooked in peanut butter sauce with  pechay leaves] paired by no other than alamang!

My husband enjoying his late lunch. He even posted these two-above photos on his Facebook wall. 

Sinigang na Hipon

Sauteed Tahong

More photos to follow!

Decaf or Not?

This will be my second post about coffee. Just for today I gulped three cups of three kinds of coffee: 3-in-1 (coffee, creamer & sugar), 5-in-1 (coffee, sugar, ginseng, mushroom & creamer) and the usual black one with sugar to taste. Weather's pretty cold, skies are dark since morning and the rain already made its own clock which is to shower or just to pour whenever it wants all day long. It's almost three o'clock in the afternoon and I'm still planning to gulp in some more coffee not just in cups but in mugs. I actually purchased mugs for the sake of my coffee-taste-buds and loving it. Hehe.

Now for the question I raised, decaf or not? I'd say, I'll have both. There'll be times I'd want coffee without its caffeine just to warm my freezing tummy during rainy season or my stomach gathered gas from traveling and outdoor activities or after my laundry session so I may need something warm - a coffee without its usual known strength. But what's coffee without caffeine they say? People who get bloated and experience nausea after drinking coffee might want to try the decaffeinated before saying "coffee is not for me" or before hating coffee. Coffee is known to be rich in antioxidants and is anti-aging as well. I take the strong coffee when I feel so drowsy and sleep is not yet permitted. I worked in several call centers before and coffee is this work's prime commodity.

But there was a time when I stopped drinking coffee (temporarily though) and that was during my second pregnancy. That started from my first trimester up to the time I gave birth. But overall, I love coffee! :)

Globe, the #1 in Postpaid PLUS GADGETS!!!

Oh yes! It's been almost three months now since our first postpaid phones at home plus our postpaid wireless internet connection powered by the no other than - GLOBE! My husband and I are Smart Telecom & Sun Cellular prepaid subscribers for more than half a decade. There's no place for a Touch Mobile or Globe in our minds until the opening of  SM in General Santos City. It was already a month since the mall's grand opening when my husband and I made rounds and happened to drop by at Globe located on its third floor. The sales agents are approachable so we did not hesitate asking questions. My eyes were caught by the Samsung gadgets arrayed on the center aisle so I asked my husband if we can apply for a plan just to have the gadget I'm so much interested with - for him, not for me, ok?. Hehehe. The sales agent gave us the list of requirements we need to comply and had me fill up the application form. The following day I submitted the papers they asked for and was told after an hour later that our application already has an approval. It was under my husband's name by the way. Based on his financial statements and the calls Globe made to the bank where my husband owns a savings and deposit accounts, he was given an 8,000 php credit line consumable. That was more than the plan I was aiming at for the gadget I wanted him to have.

My husband is always at mobile so carrying his Samsung Netbook plus charger at around 2-3 kilograms is not a good idea after all. I can't stand seeing him with so much luggage during transportation. So just like a handy cellphone he can flip, turn and move wherever and whichever he wants with his Samsung Galaxy SIII. He can open his email, watch videos most especially his fave Naruto series online, read the latest news, see the weather forecast, download files and do things over the world wide web with it using his Unlisurf 2,499 php postpaid plan. The plan has its freebies like calls and textx to other networks, to Globe and TM as well and is programmed to my Globe number too for unlimited calls and texts.

At home, I now have an internet connection which I use to blog and to sell anything I can think of online plus my Blackberry Curve - er, am not a fan of this BB but happy to say it's working so so so fab and fine for me. The wifi service connection and my new phone is in an ultimate bundle plan - and I find it reasonable for the price of 999 php. How we consume our cellphone load plans is like how we eat rice at home - use and save cause tomorrow we aren't sure if we still can afford to buy rice at the same price.

We're still conscious of our spending that's why the remaining balance of our consumable credit line will be up for plans LATER. Hehehe. It's December. Holidays are here and I just can't prepare a saucy-cellphone-cordon bleu on the table for Christmas Eve or a creamy Samsung Tablet before 2012 year ends. @_@

Visting OMF Lit Bookshops, NATIONWIDE!

yours truly standing outside OMF Lit Bookshop at Robinsons Place, Cagayan de Oro City 

I AM SO INTO BOOKS! That's me. A part of myself that was nurtured and sparked by my devoted Mother since I learned to grasp things. Thank you, Mama for the inspiration. She was a high school teacher then but gave up her profession when she married a Minister of God. And so, her teaching skills were applied to her children in the long run and now towards her grandchildren, my kids. He he he.

I've been reading English pocketbooks during my high school years and was an addict of fairy tales & story books before. Comic series of Archie & a lot more were also my fave way back then. My reading blues changed when I became a wife and a mom. I turned to home magazines and just last year started my collection of Christian & leadership books, children books, Bibles & a whole lot of arrays! 

So much about my stuff, my source of Christian Literature is the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) Literature Inc. They have their shops located in the Philippines from Luzon to Mindanao and blessed me I have one here in General Santos City where I can run to when I need to find a refuge for my book cravings. 

Just last month I aimed to visit each OMF Lit Bookshops around the Philippines and to take a pose for my HALL of OMF Lit Wall. I want to pay tribute to this group of people for being a channel of blessing in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus and promoting spiritual growth primarily among Filipinos through a publishing business.

I still have a long way to go! Of the OMF Lit's ten (10) bookshops, I visited only two (2). Eight (8) more to go! Pray for me! Pictures coming soon! Hurray! 

Music, Books and Be Merry

November 20, 2011, Sunday in the afternoon, I with my husband, two of my church friends and a classmate in Mindanao Regional Bible College (formerly AGBIM) volunteered to participate in OMF GenSan’s Pre-Christmas Sale Caroling. After church service, we eagerly prepared ourselves for the three-hour experience.

My husband & I

Robinsons Place was packed with people doing their shopping and dining with  friends and families. The mall held Jollibee's Jollitown activity so kids were seen everywhere in their fairy tales and cartoon character outfits. The movie house was fully booked due to the first Sunday of the much awaited Breaking Dawn Part I of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Saga. And, in trend for the Sunday’s happy commotion, the well-fired up staffs and volunteers of OMF Lit GenSan also have their own event inside the bookshop. When we arrived, book lovers already conveyed their own stations inside, scanning and reading the front, back and few first pages of what they have in hand then proceeding to the cashier for the final buy. We were served personally by Ms. Nenet Daguro, OMF Lit GenSan's Bookshop Team Leader with coffee and cookies. We also have  company from the UCCP City Church where one of them served as our program master who looks much alike of our famous young female singer Charice Pempengco. Customers gave her minute-long-stare because of her ‘borrowed’ famous face, even her voice and her tone resembles to Charice’s. Hehehehe.

    

Our host started by giving a welcome address, few lines of introduction and acknowledgements. A brief praise & worship (I and my husband tandem) followed, singing the famous old songs “We’re Together Again” and “Great Is the Lord (We Want To Lift Your Name on High)”. While a pair was singing, others were rummaging through the bookshelves. It was the last day of the 20-30% day sale and customers were buying in heaps. Books were sold at 75 Php from 225 Php! Even my husband got an 86% off on the book he eyed for almost four hours, the Surviving Financial Meltdown was priced at 575 Php but he just paid 75 Php for it! And, FYI, that same night, he finished the book.

Coffee, I mean for free were also offered to OMF Lit customers. Almost all of them meant to stay inside the bookshop for an hour while listening to the songs we played and sang, mostly from Hillsong and lyrics and songs composed by a friend. People inside (even not knowing each other personally) made conversations with each other regarding comments and information of the books they intend to read. I had observed that people who believe in God even if belonging to different religious groups and doctrines still unite when it comes to Christian music and Christian Literature. And I am one of those who are very grateful to OMF Lit for being an instrument to bridge the gap and help diminish divisiveness we have in the Christian community today – through its ministry.

There was this loyal customer (according to Ms. Nenet) of OMF Lit named Ms. Ellen who purchased thousands worth of books that afternoon. God bless her more. I believe this so, when you buy any books from OMF Lit, you are helping missionary works. And you are helping yourself too with the books you read. OMF Lit Special Sale events are great privileges to everybody especially since Christmas time is here. Books are great gifts. Some of my friends who had read my post in Facebook about the OMF Lit GenSan’s Sale also came to visit the bookshop. We, the volunteers even the staffs felt overwhelmed seeing people engrossed in reading. That’s why we were groomed that afternoon wearing the I READ shirts. Thanks, OMF! Not just that, before we prepared to go home, we were given the much anticipated freebie-time of being a volunteer – BOOKS! It took my friends almost an hour to choose from the different OMF Lit published titles. Words of gratitude were exchanged thereafter promising to inform our friends that when it comes to Christian Literature in GenSan, South Cotabato, Sarangani and even for those who are visiting, we will have OMF Lit GenSan in our directory.

GOD Bless, OMF Lit and long live! We are still waiting for more of your books, fun-filled events and a lot more of your sale and freebies! ^^,

I READ in GenSan

Almost seven months ago, I still can picture myself with my husband, three kids ages 5 (twins) and 2 and a helper making our new nest in South Cotabato a place to live comfortably and to have it as a starting hive for my partner in life in his profession. Looking for new friends, adapting to the new place, in good faith to find a good church (actually we are Assemblies of God and they have two in town so it was a decision to make), seeking information about the good schools around, checking grocery stores and the local market, enrolling myself in Mindanao Regional Bible College (AGBIM) and window shopping in malls in the nearby city, General Santos, 25 minutes away from where we stay. I first went to Robinsons Place in Lagao. My instinct was not mistaken; I’ve seen books neatly arranged in shelves stuck on walls and on the center space inside one of its store. I am a book lover and a book shopper. I always read but suddenly changed when I needed to work years ago.

Here now is OMF GenSan. I was overwhelmed during my first stop inside. The ladies who were there accommodated me nicely as well as with my inquiries. They treat people who come by not just as customers or clients but as friends. Also a plus, the colors of the walls and floor blend to the hues and sizes of what are on display making the whole setting of the bookshop relaxing and one of the nicest stores hosted by Robinsons. My first purchase at OMF GenSan was on my first visit and that first purchase made me the first or ‘grand’ winner of their R.O.B. Us 2011!

I prayed for this! This is now my daily Bible. A very help in my theological studies.

After a few weeks, I became a member of their Pastors’ Exclusives Program. Books are really great for me especially when I get discounts! (Lol) This is a privilege since my husband and I are very fond of reading. We always read. My father and my father in-law are both ministers and my mother and mother in law are both teachers, we are grateful to our parents for our early knowledge through the Bible and Christian Literature. Inspirational, theology, for leaders, church growth, love, children and marriage – books – they are a must for our family. And books are priceless possessions we can hand down to our kids, to our grandkids and to their grandkids. Books are still the best form of learning in hardcopy, moreover if they enhance and nurture us spiritually in accordance to our textbook in life – the Bible.  

Priceless! ^^,

Once or twice a month I visit OMF GenSan to buy Christian books, check on some new titles and to make chit chats with the staffs. I like the books of Gary Chapman, Max Lucado, John Maxwell, Stormie O'Martian, Philip Yancey and the Tomo series. My kids would gather around me every night as I read to them the Hiyas Series.  There will be times, I can be spotted in the bookshop once every week or if I happen to be in Robinsons Place – OMF Lit will either be number one, two or three on my list to go to along with Mandarin and the mall’s supermarket. If I’m in GenSan and my husband will text or call me to ask my location, it’ll be either school or Robinsons. And when my answer is the latter, he will then know where to look for me. I also give credit to Robinsons Place for having a roomy area for mall lovers to roam around. And the mall was also given compliments for having hygienic and clean comfort rooms and facilities. If you are planning to visit General Santos the Tuna Capital of the Philippines or if you are now in the area, get the chance to visit OMF Lit. GenSan and grab some copies of what’s hot for our souls!

my Yancey books

Waiting for Tomo 8, 9, 10 .....

I took photos inside the bookshop during one of my visits: