Emma Watson’s #HeForShe Campaign

by Angela Marionne

When I watched Emma Watson’s campaign for gender equality the other day, I was moved by the way she brought into light how gender equality has become such an issue in today’s society. Speaking before the UN General Assembly last September 24, 2014 Watson openly said, “Until feminism recognizes discrimination against men, the movement for gender equality will be incomplete”, she reached out to male allies to support gender equality.

Despite having received quite a lot of criticism from members of the male gender, the HeForShe campaign had a lot of male supporters as well. One Direction member Harry Styles and her co-stars Douglas Booth and Logan Lerman showed their support by using the HeForShe hashtag.

But men nowadays face just as much discrimination as women. Watson wanted to make a point by saying that this [gender equality] is their problem as well. “How can we affect change in the world when only half of it is invited or feel welcome to participate in the conversation?” Watson stressed. Watson also wanted to highlight that so far there are currently zero countries that have equal rights for both genders.

Comprising 1/3 of the famous trio of the Harry Potter world-known series, Watson is becoming a new voice in the international campaign for gender equality. But what about the local communities of the girls and women here in the Philippines? Are we any better?

Last April 2013, the World Bank identified the Philippines as one of the leaders in gender equality globally which specifically includes women in government positions, legislation and management. Statistically, The World Bank says that 55% of the Filipina population are lawmakers and senior officials. This definitely shows that although the Philippines does not possess full equal rights for both men and women, we have wider opportunities for both genders. But this does not mean we should stop fighting for gender equality.

These days, it’s not uncommon to discriminate both genders from what a person wears, what a person says, or how a person thinks. Since when did it become immoral for a girl to wear shorts in public and be considered attention-thirsty? And why is it when a boy finds his comfort in something men don’t usually do, like dancing or performing, it’s considered abnormal?

We should start treating people equally, because the more the other gender discriminates or acts superior to the other, the farther away we get from equality. We should change our perceptions on the way we look at people. If men know how it feels like to be judged by their actions, it’s only fair for them to lend a hand to the women who want to enjoy the same rights and privileges as them.

We may not all be Emma Watson, but in our own way we can speak and stand for gender equality by our kindness and thoughtfulness, and recognition of the humanity of the other person.

EDITORIAL – Involvement of the Policemen in Crime

NOTE: This article is for “practice writing” purposes only.

For several years, the crime rate of the country is proving to be a mystery to be solved by our police. It may seem like the situation is on a state of changing dramatically for the worse.

In a research made available online, when countries are compared according to crime level, the Philippines is ranked #72 out of 93. This means that we are better than 71 other countries. But does this mean we are really improving?

Recently, the Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested, with the help of the Presidential Anti-Organized Crime Commission (PAOCC), a wanted kidnapper has been at large since 2003. It was up to the Philippine National Police to have taken earlier actions, but because with other cases and inevitable criminal activity it seemed to have delayed the process.

The PNP has been criticized consecutively for unruly acts done by previous and present policemen. With recent reports about policemen abusing their power, this leaves Filipinos questioning their safety. Local Government Secretary Manuel Roxas II expressed his concern for the people and the PNP, fearing that abuse of power might take a big effect on the innocent, “Pinagkakatiwalaan natin sila dahil may uniporme, baril, chapa at lahat ng kagamitan. Eh kung masama ang balak nila, dehado talaga ang inonsenteng sibilyan,” says Roxas.

Lately, 8 policemen were allegedly accused of abduction and a robbery and the cycle does not end here. Does this justify the fact that the policemen nowadays are the ones protecting us or are the ones causing the crimes themselves? Although we cannot base a whole system by a few wrong doers, it leaves us with doubts.

The Sims 3 University

I’m sure none of you know that nowadays, I’ve indulged myself in playing The Sims 3. And yes, I know the Sims 4 is already out but I just couldn’t help posting this. I guess it all started around February when my old Sims feels started attacking my mind. So I decided to watch some youtubers (Pointless blog with Zoella anyone?) play the Sims 3 themselves thinking I would enjoy it as much as I did before. And needless to say, I felt the nostalgia of playing Sims (when I was younger) and decided to buy the base game.

If you haven’t played Sims before, the base game will be enough to keep you addicted to it for around a couple of days (perhaps maybe a week) but once you’ve gotten tired of the same old routine and have been playing for as long as I have, that’s when you start wanting more.

Now, being an old time Sims fan I started off with the base game and soon I got tired of it. I wanted more. So, I went on Youtube and searched for one of my favorite Sims players, LifeSimmer I started watching some of her “Let’s Plays” and I guess the LPs that got me hooked on watching until their last episodes were Showtime and University… so that’s when I chose to go out and buy University.

Sims University is amazing! Although University’s schedule is enough to keep your Sims busy with studying (and possibly making cheat sheets!) it will never cease to fail with keeping you hooked up on it!

There are a couple of dozen new clothes from this expansion pack and a lot of new actions that come along. There’s an all new smart phone that allows your Sim (with the help of the Jock influence) to take selfies and with your lover, romantic photos!

There is also the infamous photobooth where your Sims can take adorable photos to hilarious ones. The Sims University also comes with PlantSims and hilarious mascots. You can choose to join Sororities and Fraternities too. And sometimes live in a dormitory (beware of annoying Sims you just want to fricking kick out) if you’re brave enough.

Of course, there are a lot of parties going around too! With streaking, juice kegger stands, online blogging, graduation, cheat sheets and large crazy bonfires, Sims University will keep you on the screen for hours.

My Sims; Bambi Hart, the jock, and Aerith Burrow, the nerd.

Beauty Haul: Asian Products! ☑

Hi again! So, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about making a new post and this was one of my ideas. I wanted to show you guys some of my beauty products which are products that are mostly found on Asian countries. I’m also not one hundred percent sure if these items can be found globally but I still really wanted to do this because I haven’t seen much of these hauls. I selected some of my favorite products from my everyday routines because I absolutely love them. Although these aren’t my images (kudos to the orignial owners) I promise to start uploading my own images soon and their online shops are links below. Enjoy!

AC Clinic Daily – Etude House
This is my favorite set out of the collection which was originally bought from a Korean store, Etude House. Etude can be found all around Asia and if you have an Etude where you live, I really recommend checking them out!

This anti-acne cream and red spot balm (my favorite from the two) is something I recommend one hundred percent.

☑ Etude House

Clear Solutions – PONDS
One of the most effective products in my collection yet! Clear Solutions is definitely an award winner and can lessen your irritating spots in three days! It’s anti bacterial with herbal clay and is effective when it comes to dirt, oil, and mak-up from deep inside pores. This product is mainly produced in Indonesia but is super big in the Philippines.

Flawless White BB Cream – PONDS
This comes super handy when it comes to blemishes and damaged skin! Although it’s not the BB Cream I use on a routine, it’s definitely effective and helpful. It also has a SPF 30 PA++ protection, no more worrying about those nasty harmful Sun rays!

☑ PONDS

Cream Shampoo – Watsons
Watsons is a department store which is loved here in Asia. They have websites that assist you on your specified country as well! I’ve only just started using their new shampoo which comes in different scents and colors. With its different purposes, your hair will surely heal from it’s damage. I got the frangipani and egg profein scented one which is for normal to oily hair. It smells amazing and has vitamins which keeps my hair nourished and protected from sun damage and pollution.

Singapore: http://www.watsons.com.sg/websg/Home.do
Philippines: http://www.watsons.com.ph/webph/Home.do
Malaysia: http://www.watsons.com.my/

Lulur Whitening Body Scrub – Asian Secrets
Now don’t get me wrong with a whitening scrub, I love my skin, but trust me, once you get it on your skin it feels amazing! Results take time but it’s cream and texture on your skin leaves it glowing and soft. Lulur Whitening Body Scrub was intended to replicate what Indonesian princess or brides used to get their skin beautiful. Who says we can’t have a little pampering ourselves?

So that’s about it! I hope you guys enjoyed that and if you ever stop by a shop and at least see one of these items, please leave an opinion. What do you think about these products? Any favorites?

Refresher..

I finally got my certificate of completion after two years!

Of course that didn’t stop me from going back to the range today. Thanks to Range Master Abner C. Ratunil I got back into the basics again — just a refresher. I can’t say I’ve mastered his techniques yet , but I did improve and I’m happy about it.

Specialty of the Week: An Interview with Chef Carsten Radke

Date Published: June 23-29, 2014 Cagayan de Oro Times

When I was twelve years old, during my school summer break, I enrolled in a basic chef’s course. I can remember putting on my double-breasted jacket and toque, memorizing new cooking terms, and listening to the instructions from a fascinating chef who introduced me and other wide-eyed students to the smells and flavours of cooking. Today, the glass doors where I stirred my first minestrone soup open for me again.

This haven is La Vetta. It is an exquisite restaurant and wine bar offering French Mediterranean Cuisine. And the inspiring man in the kitchen is Carsten Radke, La Vetta’s Executive Chef and owner, who now, minus his chef’s whites, sits down to talk with me about his career and business.

Q: Please share with us some of the important points about your life story.

Chef Carsten: I am born in Berlin; I had my culinary studies in Berlin. I left Berlin very young and then travelled and worked around the world as a chef. And then at 2005, I came to the Philippines where I met my wife, got married and now, we have three children.

Q: Aside from the culinary arts, what are your other interests?

Chef Carsten: When I was young I played soccer a lot, and I went cycling – even professional cycling; mountain biking and a lot of snowboarding during winter. Over fourteen years, I did snowboarding. And then later in the Philippines I started playing golf because it became too hot for the other sports. Seriously, no soccer anymore, everything became too dangerous and too hot. Golf is acceptable. [laughs]

Q: When you go out to eat, what do you look for in a restaurant?

Chef Carsten: I look really for the quality of the food. It has to have life inside. And I mean it has to have different flavours and aromas and a nice presentation. It has to have correct cooking methods, meaning the chef should know what he’s doing; the meat should be tender and juicy and not over-cooked, for example. When I spend a lot of money I look also look at the ambiance. For example, just recently, we’ve been to Hong Kong and we ate in this very small ugly place but the food was stunning. You know what I mean? [laughs] No ambiance at all but the food was amazing.

Q: What is your favourite dish to eat and what is your favourite dish to prepare?

Chef Carsten: My favourite dish to eat changes always, Angela. It’s always a phase, I have a phase where I like to eat sweet things for maybe, three weeks. Kind of in small cravings for sweets – so I create dishes in that direction, I eat a little of my own food from that. And then after that, it’s done! We’re all satisfied and after that I start having a craving for pasta dishes or maybe pizza. It depends really, there’s no favourite dishes existing for me because my whole life is about food. So it’s kind of always available in different directions but I always have a certain period of around you can say, two weeks, three weeks where I crave for certain flavours in my dish. And my own food, what I like to eat a lot is a lamb racks.

Q: Out of your restaurant’s menu, what do you recommend always to clients? Why?

Chef Carsten: It depends on what kind of customers we have. Plenty of Filipino guests are very happy with our steaks because they are cooked perfect, and they are very tender and juicy. This is good for foreign guests who are more exposed to different kinds of international cuisine and Mediterranean food.

Q: What Filipino dish do you think can make it to the international restaurants? Why?

Chef Carsten: Very difficult question, [laughs] I cook for my family at home, I cook for them adobo. Maybe not in a one hundred percent authentic way but I made some minor adjustments regarding Mediterranean food. I believe the adobo dish and maybe the kinilaw has some potential, and you can implant it on an international restaurant.

Q: Any plans for the future? Any message to those who want to pursue a career in food service?

Chef Carsten: It’s a tough business. Days can sometimes become very long, it’s maybe a little difficult to socialize because you are working on holidays like Christmas and New Year but you have to be aware of that before you start your culinary career, which something I think is hard. Because for example, there’s a lot of cooking on TV, like Master Chef and Hell’s Kitchen, and cooking became a big run, very popular, but it just shows the glamour side which is less than one percent. So people are just seeing it from the TV and thinking they want to do it, but the way to get there, it’s a long way, and sometimes it gets very tough and hard.

Q: La Vetta is Italian, and it means the summit or the peak. What do you think makes La Vetta stand out from other restaurants?

Chef Carsten: The way La Vetta prepares its food, meaning the way everything gets cooked. We have very fresh dishes because we use many different herbs… and things you want prepared gets prepared only in that moment you order. There’s nothing in the food warmer. I think that’s a very big difference from all the other restaurants.

And true to its claim, this fine dining destination at Rosario Strip, Limketkai Center continues to whip up gourmet meals for its clientele. And with an Executive Chef who also trains young visionary soon-to-be-chefs, La Vetta never fails to impress food lovers – I should know, for I stayed a little longer with my family, and enjoyed my favourite from the menu. Scallops with bacon strips, anyone? 

MEMORIES, PLANS AND ADVICES

The Mayor Talks Fatherhood

Waiting outside the mayor’s office, I saw how buzzing it was. I came straight from my high school class and it was already the few minutes before the end of a day’s work, but truly, he is a very busy man still to keep his appointments with many people waiting in line to meet with him.

So when it was finally my time and I entered his office, I was a bit worried that he would already be tired and worn out. Yet amazingly I was greeted by a very friendly and smiling Honorable Mayor Oscar Moreno. Despite being the leader of a busy city, he was very willing to step out of his “pure government business” position for a couple of minutes to sit and talk about his views on fatherhood.

So I started with
Q: Aside from being the Father of Cagayan de Oro City, you are also a father. How many children do you have and what are their ages?

Mayor Moreno: “I have three children; the eldest is Sean Oliver and he is 38. The second is Imee Rose, 36, who was named after Imelda, her maternal lola and Milagros, her paternal lola. And then the third one is Oscar Jr. and he’ll be 34.” The Mayor was slowly speaking, giving me time to write and even spelling out the names so I can get them correctly.

Q: What is your most vivid memory of being a father? What are the moments with your family you hold most precious?

Mayor Moreno: “My most vivid memory as a father is of course the graduations and looking at your children happy… conquering themselves. And of course, enjoying each other’s company. I think my precious moments with my family are the holidays: Christmases, New Years, birthdays, anniversaries…”

I want to also have an idea of the mayor as a child, so I asked
Q: What is the name of your father? What is your most vivid memory of your father?

Mayor Moreno: “Emeterio Sr. When he would attend to his patients; he was a rural doctor. I could see how committed he was, attending to his barrio patients.”

Q: Was becoming a lawyer- then a governor and a mayor- the dream of your father for you?

Mayor Moreno smiled and answered: “I don’t know, but I’m sure he just wanted me to succeed. I failed him in my younger days and he was quite frustrated but I tried to make up to him. And I think he was happy with what I have been but I could sense his disappointment when I got married immediately after graduation.” [laughs]

Q: As the Mayor of the city, what programs do you have for the young children of Cagayan de Oro to help them have a better future?

The government servant within the father came out and Mayor Moreno said excitedly: “Education, Education, Education. What we’re doing is addressing the annex high school problems. We’re coming up with separate and independent campuses for the annex high schools. The barangays wanted to have their own high schools so hopefully they will have their own building and they will no longer be using the facility of the elementary schools. I hope to relieve the congested schools. I want to address the education of the young, because education cannot be compromised.”

I knew I could not stay long as much as I wanted so I asked him a little personal question.

Q: Mayor, you have a daughter. As a father, how did you react towards suitors? What is your most important advice to young girls like me?

Mayor Moreno smiled: “Of course, I did not resent suitors. I wasn’t against my daughter being courted because it was part of growing up. And what’s important was she grew up normally, and that’s all that mattered. So my advice for younger girls is grow normally. Grow as normally as you can. And of course, it’s not unusual to have your first crush, or your first love, but do not engage in activities that are beyond normal boundaries. Grow normally and don’t forget the boundaries.”

So knowing that my time was up, here was my final question.
Q: What are your tips for fathers like you? Any Do’s and Don’ts you want to share with them?

The Mayor, in his wisdom, said: “I’m not a perfect father, I’ve had my mistakes and how I wished I could have done better. So I guess my advice to other fathers is: Don’t lose your patience”. [laughs]

I laughed with him and then thanked him for his time. Getting ready to leave his office, and holding on to my clipboard with questions and notes, I heard him remark, “You ask very mature questions.” I just smiled because actually I was nervous with my first interview. Well, Mister Mayor, thank you for sharing with us and allowing us this chance to get to know you on a special level. The very best of Father’s Day to you! 

2014 WGAP Infinity Luzvimin Photos

2014 WGAP Infinity Luzvimin Photos (Click Link For More)

2014 WGAP Infinity Luzvimin Photos. Team Del Monte.

MANILA SOUTHWOODS RULES WGAP 22ND TOURNEY

Date Published: June 09, 2014 Mindanao Daily

Manila Southwoods dominates the 22nd LUZVIMIN Golf Tournament, with Annika Cedo, Sunshine Baraquiel, Ma. Sofia Chabon, and Sophia Ysabel Blanco bringing home the crown of the Diamond Division with 622 points.

As the annual tournament of the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines (WGAP) comes to a close, the battle between the ladies of Villamor and Del Monte for the second rank has been intense. Harmie Constantino and Chanelle Avaricio led the Pasay-based team to a two-point win (574 pts) against the home favourite Del Monte group (572 pts) with Pamela Mariano and Rainstar Roque heading the pack.

Lorenz Kayla Nocum and the ladies of Valley 1 (501 pts) grasp the prize for the Emerald Division, with Forest Hills (496 pts) as runner-up. Virgie Hermiston’s Davao City (443 pts) triumph in the Ruby Division, followed by the ladies of Valley 2 (426 pts).

Del Monte keeps local pride alive when two players are declared champions in the individual category: Pamela Mariano (Championship flight) and Annika Michelle Mendoza (Class A).

Harmie Constantino from the Villamor team bags the overall top award for the individual game. Meanwhile, Belinda del Rosario of Valley 2 wins in Class B and Rose Sara of Davao City in Class C.

Pueblo de Oro Golf & Country Club hosts the golf invitational, which rotates around the various courses in the country, encouraging camaraderie and friendly competition among lady golfers. Usually the tournament is held in August, but this year the WGAP decided to conduct it in early June and the decision has paid off.

“We have a good turnout,” said Marissa Romano, WGAP President. “The weather has been perfect and the ladies are having a very wonderful experience here at Cagayan de Oro City.”

MANILA SOUTHWOODS LEADS WGAP DAY 1 AND 2

Date Published: June 07, 2014 Mindanao Daily

Manila Southwoods takes the lead of the WGAP 22nd Infinity Luzvimin Golf Championships this June 4-6 at the Pueblo De Oro Golf and Country Club. Philippine top lady amateur golfers Sunshine Baraqueil, Sofia Chabon, Sophia Blanco and Annika Cedo together bring in a total two-day score of 414 to earn the Manila Southwoods a sure lead in the Class A Pearl Division on the first day and second day of the competition.

Hot on their trail for second place are the Del Monte ladies, led by Pamela Mariano, with a two-day total score of 382. Close on their heels is Harmie Constantino’s Villamor team with 372 total points.

In the meantime, scores for Day 1 of the Class B Emerald Division show Valley Golf I leading over Negros Occidental, while Manila Southwoods II and Forest Hills tied at 3rd place. The players of Valley Golf II top in the Class C Ruby Division, while Davao City and Alabang run at 2nd and 3rd respectively.

The Luzvimin Golf Tournament is a three-day event played this year in Cagayan de Oro City. It was launched by the Women’s Golf Association of the Philippines in 1993 to reach out to the other players in the Southern area of the country. Twenty-one years and tournaments later, it continues to promote women’s golf and the development of Filipina golfers.