Tacloban celebrates sari-saring happiness

I can’t believe it has already been a year since Typhoon Yolanda hit Eastern Visayas, most especially Tacloban in Leyte, and left thousands of people homeless. The aftermath of that super typhoon was one of the most devastating things I have ever seen, but also the most inspiring. Every Filipino in and out of the country, and even other nations, joined hands to help rebuild Eastern Visayas. Our combined efforts helped our fellow Filipinos stand up and smile again.

Last Saturday, November 8, exactly a year after that fateful day in 2013, Tacloban remembered its fallen heroes through a candle-lighting ceremony, which was led by Coca-Cola Vice President for Public Affairs and Communications Adel Tamano. It was really magical seeing the people come together again, with their hearts almost healed. Instead of being sad, the people of Tacloban commemorated Typhoon Yolanda by celebrating life, and sharing sari-saring happiness.

Candles were not the only things they lit up on this night. An entire street glowed with multi-colored lights as Tacloban officially welcomed Christmas through a simultaneous parol-lighting which was also done in five other areas across the country – Taguig, Pampanga, Batangas, Davao, and Bacolod! I saw it all play out on ABS-CBN’s live broadcast and I must say, I had goose bumps! I also followed the Coca-Cola parol lighting in the country’s three leading broadsheets – Philippine Star, Philippine Daily Inquirer, and Manila Bulletin – which all featured the story on their front pages last Monday. The pictures were both powerful and beautiful, I almost cried again!

As I watched the people of Tacloban light up their parols, I couldn’t help but admire them for their resilience and determination to go back to their old beautiful lives, despite everything that the super typhoon has taken away from them. And I really do pray that they not only recover what they have lost, but even live life better than they used to.

I would just like to give a shout out to my favorite leading man Joseph Marco who was also in Tacloban last Saturday.

Now that I can see parols everywhere I go, I can officially say that Christmas is finally here! And I am so so excited to also share happiness in my own ways! After all, ‘tis the season to be jolly! So I say, let’s all light up our parols and Christmas trees and get on with the celebrations! Soon it will be Christmas day!

Aside from leading the parol lighting itself, he was also seen sharing lugaw and champorado in Tacloban’s streets.

What a great way to share happiness, right?

Let’s all share Sari-Saring Happiness!

Forty-seven days left before Christmas! Can’t believe 2014 went by that fast! It seems as if my 2013 Christmas shopping was only yesterday! Too soon I could already hear Christmas carols wherever I go. So much feels!

Christmas is a very special time for my family and I, so we make sure we do something spectacular every year. We’ve already started preparing our Christmas decors and I can’t wait to finally put them up! There are so many of them so I’m pretty sure we won’t be able to do everything in one day. But we’re definitely starting this November 8, Saturday! A perfect day as everyone would be at home!

You know who else is officially welcoming Christmas this Saturday? Coca-Cola! This Christmas, the beverage company is bringing the celebrations back to the communities, making Christmas more accessible to Filipinos. To do this, Coca-Cola has enlisted the help of women behind sari-sari stores who transformed their shops into Christmas hubs to share sari-saring happiness through simple acts.

We could all join in the celebrations by creating our own parols made out of recycled Coca-Cola bottles and hanging them at exactly 8:00PM on November 8, when a simultaneous lighting ceremony will be held in several key cities – Taguig, Tacloban, Pampanga, Batangas, Davao, and Bacolod. I and a few of my friends are already done with our parols and are very excited to hang them up! Hope you will too! And don’t forget to share photos of them on Twitter and Instagram with #SariSaringHappiness.

Me and my Coca-Cola parol

Enchong Dee

Joseph Marco

Raphael Robes

Miko Raval

Carlo Gonzales

LA Aguinaldo

Pia Wurtzbach

Donna Pita

Tola Orendain

Sam Lewis

Joan Bitagcol,  Joey Samson, Ivar Aseron, Karylle

Timex is the bomb!

I had a blast in the recently concluded Timex Fall Winter Media Launch, which was held yesterday, November 6 at the Cav Wine Shop and Café in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The global iconic watch brand showcased some really interesting timepieces in this affair, which was led by none other than the Timex Vice President for Asia Markets, Guglielmo Bertani! Newtrends International Corporation General Manager Avinash Uttamchandani also graced the event, and made us all laugh with his welcome speech.

The new Timex watches were seen in an impressive fashion show, which presented the four lines in this collection – Waterbury, Timex 80s, Shock Expedition, and Indiglo.

The Waterbury range draws inspiration from Timex’s 160-year-old iconic archives as a tribute to the brand’s predecessor – the Waterbury Clock Company. While the Timex 80s collection re-proposes the classic style of the 1980s through modern and contemporary fashion with watches that come in classic silver, gold, and black stainless steel retro straps.

For adventure seekers, Timex also released new Shock Expedition watches – the more durable collection that is shock resistant to I.S.O. standards, and is at least 100-meter water resistant. You can “drop it, bang it, submerge it – that’s what it’s for.” Amazing, right?

Last but definitely not the least is the Indiglo collection, a registered trademark of Timex. Indiglo comes from the word indigo, or the green-blue electroluminescent display for even illumination of the watch dial. We all got a chance to see a magical display of this firsthand as the lights were dimmed to show the watches glow.

Before the event, the guests were encouraged to join an interactive game. We were asked to check out the five Timex booths scattered in the venue and try out the watches. The goal was to collect five stamps, one for every booth, to be able to join the raffle. And guess who was one of the lucky winners? Yes, yours truly! I got to take home a shock expedition watch! It’s so bold and fierce I feel like doing something adventurous. Aside from that, all of us were able to take home a Timex Indiglo watch as a giveaway! Two free Timex watches in one day! How lucky can I be?

To top it all off, I was able to spend my afternoon with past Timex ambassadors Enchong Dee and Joseph Marco! It’s always fun being with these two. They definitely light up the room!
Thank you so much, Timex, for giving us this wonderful treat! Can’t wait to parade my new watches! I’ll defnitely #WearItWell.

The strap of my Timex watch matches my lipstick! Love it!

The Timex Indiglo booth! Such an awesome collection!

Flashback to the 80's! Digging the set up.

The Shock Collection

A little chat with Mr. Guglielmo.

Instagram time!

Newtrends Senior Marketing Director Melissa Lucas & Timex Vice President for Asia Markets Guglielmo Bertani

Newtrends Senior Marketing Director Melissa Lucas & Timex Brand Manager Joan Tupaz

My favourite Joseph Marco

Another favorite, Enchong Dee

Former Timex Ambassadors Joseph Marco & Enchong Dee with Newtrends International Corporation General Manager Avinash Uttamchandani & Timex Vice President for Asia Markets, Guglielmo Bertani

AXE Gold Man / model LA Aguinaldo

Beauty queen & Star Magic talent Pia Wurtzbach

Philippine Daily Inquirer Beauty columnist Isabel Roces

Cosmopolitan's EIC Myrza Sison

Newtrends International Corporation General Manager Avinash Uttamchandani

Timex Vice President for Asia Markets Guglielmo Bertani

Threw some questions during the discussion.

Luckily, I won the raffle and got another watch! :)