MAGAZINE FOR MODERN MOMS
MAY 2014
G TONGI WALTERS on Pursuing Her Passion
KEEP CALM When the House is a Mess
Healthy Happy Family Meals
PLUS: Rhea Santos de Guzman Makes Cooking Fun!
FREE
A PUBLICATION www.mommymundo.com
MAGAZINE FOR MODERN MOMS
Healthy Happy Family Meals Plus: Rhea Santos de Guzman Makes Cooking Fun!
A PUBLICATION www.mommymundo.com
APRIL - MAY 2014
G Tongi Walters on Life as Adventure Keep Calm When the House is a Mess FREE
Publisher’s Memo
Note from the Editor Making this issue was absolutely a delight as it got me in touch with a whole lot of moms whose stories are all incredibly inspiring! Rissa Mananquil Trillo got me thinking about my beauty routine. Rhea Santos de Guzman had me asking whether I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. I’ve already learned to let go of kid-created mess like Ichel Alignay, but I don’t think I have the patience to make bentos like Kaye, Moneigh, and company.
Yes, it’s a new Urban Mom--and it is thoroughly packed with all things good and wonderful! Enjoy!
Dear Urban Mom, APRIL - MAY 2014 PUBLISHERS Gary M. Villanueva Janice Crisostomo-Villanueva EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jing Lejano MARKETING Angela de Luna ADMINISTRATIVE Arnel Banares CREATIVE CONSULTANT Jaymie Pizarro LAYOUT Samantha Co PHOTOGRAPHY Cres Yulo For inquiries, call 470-9925 or 0918 930-0313 or email urbanmom@mommymundo.com Urban Mom is a lifestyle magazine for modern moms. Material appearing here may not be reproduced in print or electronically without permission from the publisher and without proper credit. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publishers. Although considerable care and attention has been exerted to verify the listings, the publishers are not liable for any inaccuracies in the information. Urban Mom is published by MommyMundo of Creative Juice Communications Inc. www.mommymundo.com
I chanced upon your issue at a coffeeshop and I was surprised at how such a small package can contain so much information. It was a treat! Keep it up! Treena Enriquez
WRITE US! The chosen letter sender wins Tiny Buds Baby Bottle & Utensil Wash with Tiny Fangs Kiddie Tooth Gel from Tiny Buds. Email us at urbanmom@mommymundo.com and you might be chosen as the winning letter sending to win our special gift.
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Beach Buddies
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Head out to the shore, but don’t forget to take these along!
Baby love. Apply Indigo’s Baby Sun Is Shining Sun Block liberally on your bundle of joy’s skin 20 minutes before you take him out to keep his skin moisturized and protect him from sunburn. Order online at www. indigobabyshop. com or go to 3892 A-Quingua St. Bgy. Pinagkaisahan, Makati City.
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Fun in the sun. The Sand Play Set from Green Toys will help your kids build majestic sand castles. Plus, it’s made from recycled milk jugs and it’s BPA-free! Available at Numa Baby Store, AEK Building, 40 E. Rodriguez Sr. Avenue, Quezon City.
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Protect those peepers. Babiators provide 100 percent protection from UVA. Plus, they’re amazinly childproof! Great for kids up to 7 years old. Available at Rustan’s, Mothercare, Babyland, Nurture Nook, Nothing But H20, and R.O.X.
Shapeshifter. The Scrunch Bucket from Wee + Mutsi is an ingenious piece of plaything as your kids can scrunch it any way they want, and it always gets back to its original shape. Amazing! Order online at www.facebook.com/ weeplusmutsi
Reusable me. RuMe’s reusable bags can carry everything you’ll need on your day out in the sun. Level 2 SM Mega Fashion Hall.
Laze around. You’ll have no problems lying on the sand when you’ve got the Lagu beach blanket around. Not only is it quick drying and allergen free, it also repels sand so you can lounge around with ease. Available at Stoked, Nothing But Water, and Souk at The Ramp.
Take cover. You and your kids will have the best time under the sun when you’ve got total skin protection. Beach Hut offers an extensive line of sunscreen products for the whole family. Available at Watsons, Rustan’s, Robinsons, and other specialty stores.
Head rest. Take a comfy break with the PODillow. It’s got an opening right in the middle to support your head or face. Plus, it has two pockets to keep your keys or cellphone safe while you catch some zzzs. Available at Rustan’s, Babyland, Numa, MOMtrepreneur Shop, and Medela House.
justforyou
Stay Pretty, Mommy! You may have a hundred things to do today, but always take a minute to get yourself pretty! Here, beauty maven Rissa Mananquil Trillo answers our beauty questions.
photograph by phasinphoto
How do you deal with eyebags? Can you ever make them go away? Concealer can make a huge difference. With the right one, you only need a little to go from blah to tada! It’s important to conceal areas of the face which show fatigue, such as under the eyes, the eyelids, and around the corners of the nose. Covering up these neglected trouble spots can help you achieve the illusion of perfection. Try Happy Skin’s Eye Need A Miracle concealer in Butter. The yellow-based concealer universally cancels out redness. Unlike other concealers that would “crack” at the end of the day from smiling or laughing, this remains smooth and flawless. To make eyebags go away, rest is a must. The right skin care regimen can play a big role, too. After all, great skin is pointless if your eyes betray your age. I recommend Pond’s Age Miracle Dual Action Eye Cream. This has not only gotten rid of puffiness, fine lines, and wrinkles, it prevents them from forming too. When I’m rebounding from a long night, this always makes me look like I was well-rested and got my beauty sleep! What’s the best remedy for dry skin? My skin gets extra dry when I travel a lot, I lack sleep, and when I forget to drink enough water. When we fail to take care of ourselves, it really shows on our skin. I religiously moisturize all areas of my body. It’s the best way to get that lit-from-within glow on beautiful morena skin! A woman feels more beautiful when she takes the extra step to pamper and take care of herself. Malin + Goetz Vitamin B5 Body Moisturizer (available at Adora, Greenbelt 5 Makati) and Vaseline are my ultimate favorites. What’s a good beauty routine for moms on-the-go? Go for skin care products that multi-task! The precious minutes you save spell extra time with the family. I really like washing my face with Pond’s facial washes. They do such a great job that they eliminate the need for a toner and makeup remover. Another favorite is MAC Mineralized Charged Water Moisture Gel. This is an excellent moisturizer that also preps your skin before makeup. Lastly, I can’t live without Happy Skin’s Second Skin Crème Silicone Free Foundation SPF 20 PA++. You only need 2 minutes to look great with this! Perfect for achieving the “no makeup” makeup look! For low effort but high impact, go for a bold pink lipstick! Bright pink lipstick is more fun and playful than the classic red. Pair it up with big sunnies. Not only do they protect your peepers from wrinkles, they instantly give off a celebrity/model off-duty vibe. Make it a must to wear a pair every time you go out.
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coverstory
Text by Jing Lejano Photographs by Cres Yulo
Fiercely Passionate G Tongi Walters proves that you can be a hands-on mom, a working professional, and a social activist all at the same time!
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e’re right smack in the middle of summer, and G Tongi Walters has her hands busy managing the schedules of her two beautiful children, Sakura and Kenobi. Apart from taking a theater workshop and dance classes, Sakura is also making rainbow loom bracelets and charms. G adds, “This summer marks her first foray into the Harry Potter Series as well and she is now on her third book, The Prisoner of Azkaban... Kenobi is in swimming class and has finally learned to submerge into the water which was a breakthrough for us as prior to this summer, he refused to dunk his head underwater. We are also beginning to read The Magic Treehouse series.”
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The Walters family has been going on road trips as well, spending Holy Week in Batangas and Easter weekend at the Penninsula Manila. By June, they will be going up to Baguio to celebrate G’s birthday, and August will find them in Boracay where Sakura will blow the candles off her birthday cake. That G and her husband Tim are hands-on parents is quite obvious. She describes her parenting style as ‘concerted cultivation.’ “I am adamant about fostering Sakura and Kenobi’s talents through organized activities, such as arts and crafts, storytime moments, writing camps, dance classes, performing arts performances, pop culture etc,” she
coverstory explains. “Tim is more of the disciplinarian but always provides encouraging and nurturing positive praises for their good behavior, instead of focusing on the negative.” Quite naturally, the kids take after their parents. Sakura inherited G’s confidence and competitiveness while Kenobi took after his father’s precociousness and reserved manner.
“My children certainly make me proud. To know in my heart that my husband and I were there every step of the way, every milestone from teaching them to read or helping them write their name reinforces why I wanted to be abroad during their formative years. I can truly say that we, Tim and I, raised them.”
as well as advocacy pursuits.” By being passionate about her diverse interests, G is showing her children how it is to live life to the fullest. But as much as she encourages them to reach out for their dreams, she and her husband Tim also teaches them how to keep their feet on the ground. She says, “We both want to teach our children self-worth and give them child appropriate chores to fulfill. Sakura does the dishes, Kenobi takes out the trash. They help me sort laundry, load the machine, and help me hang clothes too! Our goal for both of them is to help them become independent children who can be responsible for their actions as well as instill in them a curiosity for learning. All questions are legitimate and they are encouraged to ask for what they want but parents still make the final call because they are the bosses.”
But however involved G is in her family, and her career , she never fails to give time for herself. She says, “What I discovered about myself after becoming a mother was that pursuing my personal passions was an integral part to being the best mother I can be. Taking care of my own well-being first ensures I can be the best mom and the best wife I can be to my family. Carving out “me” time isn’t selfish, it’s absolutely necessary not only for my sanity but for my own self-esteem and identification as a woman. I am defined of course by my role as a mother, but it’s not the only role I dedicate myself to.” For G, pursuing her passion means working towards the empowerment of marginalized women in our society. She explains, “As a mother, I strongly feel every mother has the right to plan her family size and space the births of their children. I am certain each mother wants to give her child the best she can provide. But with mothers in the most poverty stricken areas, resources are not enough to live a decent life, let alone for herself, what more when you have more children than you can nurture? I advocate for the implementation of reproductive services so that women can become empowered about their own decisions when it comes to their family life.” Hands-on mom, social activist, actress, and writer— how does G manage to do all these? “I have a very, very, very supportive family that understands how committed I am to marginalized women’s right to reproductive health in the Philippines. Time management is also key to achieving both family life
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motherhoodmatters
The Healthy Meals Project Like most moms, you’ve probably had to tangle with your kids on the table sometimes. As Katrina Ripoll and Lara Saunders, authors of Healthy Cooking for Happy Kids, say, “It’s quite a challenge getting kids to eat healthy these days due to all the outside influences you can’t control.” What’s a mom to do? Ripoll and Saunders give a few suggestions: Police your pantry. Avoid filling up your supermarket cart with junk. You may pick a few fun items, but make sure your kids have a balanced diet. “For example, If they must have a snack of chips, try and get them to have fruit after dinner,” they say. Read the label. A fruit juice ain’t good if it’s chockfull of sugar. “Check the labels to see the level of saturated fat, sugar, salt, and preservative content.” Get the kids involved. Ask them what they like’d to eat, and whip up healthy versions, the authors suggest. Depending on their age, you can assign them tasks in the kitchen as well. Take the lead. “If mom and dad hate veggies or live on fried or fast food and cans of soda, then they have no business preaching healthy eating. It also helps to tell your kids why they need to eat healthy.”
youthemom
Bento Moms
April, Kaye, Mia, Moneigh, and Olive are the mommies behind Bento Mommas, a 1,300 strong Facebook community that offers bento design challenges, resources, workshops, and even online shopping. Let’s hear it from the Bento Mommas! What do you all love about making bentos? One of our primary reasons for getting into bento-making was to expand the food choices of our children. Some of them are picky eaters, while the others have food allergies. Bento-making has helped us introduce a wider and healthier range of food choices to our kids. What are your favorite bento creations? One of our all-time favorite bentos is the “Despicable Me” or “Minion” bento because it was what jumpstarted our foray
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into charaben or character bentomaking. What has been the reaction of your kids? Our kids love their themed lunches! Our hobby has also improved our kids’ appetite and has helped them become more adventurous in their food choices.
What is your dream bento creation? It is our dream to master kazarimaki sushi or sushi art rolls, realistic human faces, and more advanced and intricate nori patterns. More importantly, it is also our dream to share our passion for bento-making with other moms and show them that making baon for your children need not be such a chore. Check them out at https://www.facebook. com/bentomommas
urbanmompreneur
Discovering Her Entrepreneurial Side
A mom of two growing boys, broadcaster Rhea Santos de Guzman made the jump to mompreneur when she realized the lack of small-sized kitchen utensils for children. She brought in Curious Chef, a line of safe, recyclable, BA-free kitchen tools for kids Becoming a mompreneur came naturally for Rhea. It helped that her husband had been supportive of her endeavour from the start. “I cannot imagine being a mompreneur without my husband Carlo guiding me every step of the way. He takes care of numbers while I do the creative side of things. We exchange marketing ideas.” She adds, “Discovering that I can do something different, that I can pursue another passion, made me realize that anything is possible if you put your heart into it.” Curious Chef is available at Unit 1901-A, Tektite Tower 1, Ortigas Center, Pasig; Rustan’s Shangri-la Plaza; and Rustan’s Makati. For more information, go to https:// www.facebook.com/CuriousChefPhilippines
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As a mom, I try to find ways to make my two boys, Uno & Yuan, involved in the home. I try to create opportunities for them to discover, create, and learn.
mindovermommy
3 Ways to Keep Your Cool When Your House is a Mess By Ichel Agnay
Years ago, I was Ms. Order with every little thing organized and every tiny detail in place. But that won’t do with two growing kids. Going home to a messy house may irk me a bit, but I have learned to do some tricks!
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Some things are beyond my control. I have trained the kids to put things in their proper places. But there are days when the kids spruce up on their own or are just plain messy. I cannot be at home the whole time to fix up after them. I do not need to feel guilty as it is not about me, it’s just about the mess.
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Choose where you will put your energies. After a tiring day and mess at home greets you, choose where your energies should go. Is it in fixing up the mess? Or is it in having a nice chat with your husband and kids? If you choose the first one, then it might affect the other areas where all the life-giving matters should be.
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Train kids instead of doing things for them. We trained our kids to put their toys and personal effects in their proper places, and that training is an ongoing process. They need to be constantly reminded. Start as young as 2. The goal is self-reliance.
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weekendwanders
Heart-Friendly Treats Looking to treat your kids to some yummy but healthy goodies? If you live around the Quezon City area, then you’re in luck. Everyday Mom offers a variety of desserts and baked treats that are absolutely healthy! Their cakes and cookies are made from unbleached flour as opposed to regular flour that has no real nutritional value. They don’t use butter nor do they let artificial sweeteners, food colors, flavors, and preservatives touch their treats. Plus, they use hearthealthy bran oil with plenty of anti-oxidant benefits! Everyday Mom was borne out of one’s mom search for healthy treats for her family. Pamela Lim, proprietor of Everyday Moms, says, “Baking has always been my passion. However, the focus on healthy alternatives came when I became a full-time mother. I was very conscious about what my family is eating every day and found out there's really few choices in the market. I learned that if you want something healthy and good, I got to make them myself.” Pamela started baking goodies using healthier alternatives, serving them to family and friends. In time, she started having holiday bake sales. Apparently, a lot of families were also looking for just the kind of healthy goodies that she was offering. In time, she opened a bakeshop so that more people can enjoy these healthy treats. Apart from using only fresh and natural ingredients such as sea salt and real extracts, Everyday Mom products are baked in non-toxic stainless steel pans. The result: truly delicious delectable desserts that the whole family can enjoy without guilt or fear! Pamela says, “Our Cafe Mocha is an Everyday Mom Original and our bestseller. Cafe Mocha is moist chocolate cake with a splash of coffee and topped with divine mocha whipped cream. Another bestseller is our Carrot Cake. It is moist and wholesome carrot cake with walnuts and topped with delectable cream cheese frosting. We are coming up with new flavors of cupcakes this year, plus new “pambaon” treats for the kids. We will continue to offer healthy and yummy goodies.” Everyday Mom is located at 105D Scout Castor, 1103 Quezon City, Philippines. It is open from Monday to Sunday, 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. For more information, visit https://www.facebook.com/ everydaymomph
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classifieds
outandabout
The Safety Zone Project Safe Sleep Sparty
Halo Philippines threw a Safe Sleep Sparty at Pink Me Up Beauty Bar. Participating moms not only enjoyed a day of pampering, they also learned about safe sleeping practices for babies. Halo Philippines introduced their new designs of sleep sacks as well. www.halophilippines.com
PETA held a bloggers night for its Arts Zone project at the PETA Theater. The PETA Arts Zone project teaches positive discipline for children. “We want to bring about a culture change for Filipino families. We want children to grow up in love rather than in fear. We believe that it is best to discipline children in ways where they too, can participate, so that they may understand what they are being disciplined for,” Marichu Belarmino, Program Director of the Arts Zone Project, said. The launch was held in partnership with Dakila, a group creatively inspiring involvement to social transformation. www.petatheater.com
Homegrown Heroines
In honor of Women’s Month, the Homegrown Honors Women conference recently paid tribute to women who inspire change and accept challenges at the Ayala Museum. In photo, Danella Yaptinchay of Homegrown Media, Inc.; Dona TumacderEsteban, co-founder of OneSpark, Co.; Rosario Herrera, publisher of Status Magazine; Tina Zamora, directress of Nest School for Whole Development; Jim Paredes, musician, educator, and photographer; Ria Lu, CEO of Komikasi Games and Entertainment; Reina Reyes, research scientist of the Manila Observatory; and Vicky Herrera, founder of Change Clothes and host of Homegrown Honors Women.
AVA Launches Inabel
Tweetie de Leon for AVA launched her second collection at an afternoon tea party with selected members of the press. AVA teamed up with de Leon and Al Valenciano from Balay ni Atong to integrate inabel with modern design in a Kickstarter project to help support the livelihood of the few inabel master weavers alive today. AVA’s goal is to support local designers and manufacturers by giving them market access to the international stage.
BabyZone Makes a Splash
Mommy Mundo Calendar
Mompreneur Market: May 24 and 25, May 31 and June 1 Pregnant Pause: June 7 It all happens at The Crib!
BabyZone, a specialty store filled with practically everything you’ll need for your little ones, recently opened its doors at Fisher Mall in Quezon City. Media personality Cheska Garcia Kramer and Mommy Mundo founder Janice Villanueva cut the ribbon marking the store’s opening.
Cultural Discovery
Families immersed themselves in local culture at Keys to Discovery: An Afternoon at the Museum! Hosted by Keys School Manila, the one-of-a-kind event had participants wandering the halls of the National Museum of the Philippines giving families a unique glimpse of our national cultural heritage. The event started with a tour of the National Art Gallery and ended with cultural performances at the Old Senate Hall. http:// keystodiscovery.com/
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Delightful-E Campaign Launch
Electrolux kicked off the Delightful-E campaign in a fun housewarming party at their new headquarters in Bonifacio Global City. At the party, Electrolux brand ambassadors Cheska and Kendra Kramer, Chef Bruce Lim and Mommy Mundo’s Janice Villanueva shared beloved family recipes. “Electrolux believes that the kitchen is the heart of the home,” shares Andrea Pionilla, Marketing Manager, Electrolux Philippines, Inc. “Delightful-E Yummy capitalizes on the simple yet most treasured family moments spent inside the kitchen as well as the stories that come with it.” www.facebook.com/thelittlewhitebook
Expo Kid Fun
A much-anticipated summer event participated in by activity providers and retailers, Expo Kid took place last April 2014 at The Podium in Pasig City with on-stage workshops, games, and prizes. Some activity providers provided free trial classes, while others had onthe-spot sessions for kids to get a taste of their offering. www.mommymundo.com
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