Do you know that it’s a French woman who has spawned the act for the protection and rehabilitation of sexually abused girls in the Philippines? Cameleon Association Inc. Founder Laurence Ligier has been living in the country for 24 years and tirelessly ‘adopt’ these girls until such time they are equipped and ready to face the world. Laurence Ligier (seated, leftmost) with Zonta members during the media launch of  No to VAW Campaign  on November 15 at the Diamond Hotel. The gastronomic campaign was held in partnership with several food establishments in the country. “One child is raped every 53 minutes. We have more cases reported now because people are voicing out,” Ligier, who first came to the Philippines for a humanitarian mission in Aklan in 1992, said.  Ligier did another one month mission in 1993 and two years after, she was invited to join the educational program for disadvantaged children in Barrio Obrero, Iloilo, and spent half a year as ...

Healthy, active lifestyle is in.  Goodbye couch potatos and hello to busy, always on-the-go generation!  Herbalife Nutrition, a global nutrition company, has recently released the findings from its Asia Pacific Millennials At Work Survey:  Filipino millennials are adapting a healthy, active lifestyle. The s urvey was conducted in 2016, with 5,500 respondents aged 18 and above, from Australia, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. However, most of these young people believe that their current workplace environment prevents them from doing so. Millennials, or people born in between 1980 and 2000, are opting for a workplace that will encourage them to stay active, if only this will be embedded in every company culture.  According to the survey, about 83 percent or eight (8) in 10 millennials have agreed that they would like their company workplace to adopt a healthy, active lifes...

JC Enriquez (center) with his family, (from left to right) Jovan Enriquez (brother), Crisaldo Enriquez (father), Mareng Vicente (grandmother), Josephine Pronebo (aunt) There are more than two million Filipinos working abroad for various reasons: lack of jobs in the homefront, mismatch and in pursue of bigger pay and greater opportunities in foreign land. The children of these OFWs had gotten used to having absentee parents who miss out milestones and special occasions -- from intimate moments like a baby’s first steps, first words, or first day in school to important events like birthdays and graduations. The separation is painful for both children and parents, but it’s worth the sacrifice as the parents look ahead to the promise of a secure future. John Czarleen “JC” Enriquez knows of these aches and pains twice over. He was in Grade 1 when his father and mother left the country to work abroad as electrical engineer and as domestic worker...

With the recent opening of SPARK by Philam Group at Bonifacio Global City, Philam Life proves to be the leading innovator in the life insurance industry. SPARK by Philam Group is a state-of-the-art customer service center that offers fully digital and personalized services. It serves as the pilot office of all the company’s flagship stores that will open soon in key cities nationwide.  “We are all very privileged to be part of this important milestone in our history. This customer service center is the pilot office of all our flagship stores, which we will open in the coming months in key cities nationwide,” Philam Life CEO Ariel Cantos said during his opening remarks. SPARK makes use of technological platforms to make services faster and easier for customers amidst the sleek interiors of a modern-day office. It showcases the company’s latest technological capabilities such as the online customer portal called e-Plan, the Agency Portal for Philam Life financial a...

Cosmetic surgery procedures are usually done to correct a physical abnormality or to enhance a normal physical feature to improve and boost appearance – such as to smooth out wrinkles, augment or reduce breasts, or reshape a nose. According to Dr. Jose Artemio “Joey” Luat many Filipinos have become open about the procedure in recent years. He credits Dr. Vicky Belo and Dr. Manny Calayan for spearheading the industry and paving the way for Filipinos to be open about cosmetic surgery in the country. Dr. Joey Luat, cosmetic surgeon Dr. Luat with hius colleagues at  Cosmetic Surgery Institute “Before, people would not admit having undergone under the knife while most are afraid to undergo even a single, simple procedure,” Dr. Luat said. Coming from a family of doctor -- his dad is the famous internist in Cubao whose clients included the family of the late showbiz’ star builder German Moreno and his sister is an anesthesiologist – the amiable doctor said he has done e...

Have you ever wonder why the country’s artists and performers we see daily on the boob tube look good all the time despite challenging roles and schedules? Oh well, primarily because  they know how to take care of themselves – they really find time and they have the money, of course – to make beauty and wellness part of their daily life. After all, it’s their work to entertain and along with it is to look good at all times. As for ordinary citizens like me, worry no more because beauty and relaxing regimen with the help of natural stress reliever such as the   therapeutic   massages   and aromatic treatments now abound in the metro. Most important, they don’t cost much and definitely won’t leave holes in your pocket. Nuat Thjais Hillcrest receprion area The NUAT THAI Foot and Body Massage could be the “cheapest” but quality spa service there is providing purely authentic Thai massage and Thai aroma therapy. The good news is the newest branch and ...

Most people think acne or pimples to be just part of any teenager’s life. It’s just a stage of life, most parents say. It’s there on your face because you’re young and you have overactive oil glands that cause them. In due time, your oil glands won’t be very active and your acne would heal naturally.  Well, we can only wish this is true. Because acne is a skin condition that must be taken seriously. Consider this:  Pimples can last for months. Non-inflammatory acne (whiteheads and blackheads) can last for a long time if left untreated. Inflammatory acne (papules, pustules, cysts, nodules) usually last between four days and two weeks. However, if you pick or pop it, it will last even longer and be more likely to leave a mark or scar. What Causes Acne?  The hair follicles, or pores, in your skin contain  sebaceous glands  or oil glands. These glands make  sebum , which is an oil that lubricates your hair and skin. Most of the time, the sebaceous glands...