Cathy Chronicles

The Miriam College Daycare & Breastfeeding Center is the first of it's kind in the country. Located inside the grounds of the Miriam College campus in Quezon City, it is the first private girl's school in the country to have a daycare cum breastfeeding center inside its grounds.

The project is a batch gift of the Maryknoll High School class of 1982 in partnership with Migi's Corner Foundation in cooperation with the Superferry. Below is the text of my message delivered today, March 10, 2008.

As a young girl here in the grade school, there was a little blue picture book that we were made to read every school year for our Christian Living classes. In it were photographs of different grade school students shot in different areas of the campus doing various school activities. Throughout its pages was the verse from Ecclesiastes 3: 1- 15 more popularly known as the A Time for Everything piece. Its first verse goes -- There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven"

Working on this project has been both a source of great joy and sadness. Because this is a happy occasion I will choose to focus on the great joy that I found in collaborating with some of the best minds in my batch, the Maryknoll High School Class of 1982.

I believe it is no coincidence that I happen to be a member of this class. Like many other things and circumstances in my life, I’ve always believed that God has a reason of putting you at specific points in time with specific persons -- to mold you perhaps, to strengthen you, to learn lessons from each other, to give back. Today’s blessed event is an example of that, let me explain…

Architect Boots Belmonte, whom I like to call the captain of this project and I were batch mates in high school and knew each other fleetingly. Through this project I got to know her up close and personal and was awed by her immense talent, dedication and perseverance to see this project through. The daycare would not have been made possible without Boots’ unstinting devotion and generosity of talent and spirit.


Atty. Mylene Yumul- Espina, another batch mate of ours, put in many hours to iron out the kinks and legalities of the MOA for this project that will finally be signed today. During meetings, Mylene would never fail to dazzle us with her brilliance, her wit and humor.

Loudette Halili and Katrina Gumaru, were instrumental in ironing out the financials for this project. Their being sticklers for details impressed me most and it was a skill that was much-needed for a project such as this.

Jayjay Pulido, our self-confessed OC batchmate, has always been there with her suggestions and eagle-eye for the seemingly small but important details.

Milen Galang, who put together a heart-warming and touching video on the daycare project. Her gifts and talent for communication is very much appreciated.

Jorja Santos, whose company JJMAC helped put the entire daycare together.

Maricris Nicandro’s passion and breastfeeding advocacy will certainly be a huge help these coming months as we create programs that will highlight the importance and benefits of breastfeeding to the young mothers who work and study here at Miriam.

My childhood friends, Carissa Singson, Larcy Morales and Ginny Guzman who have been my friends for the last 30 plus years. I want to thank you for sticking by me, for all the support that you have given to this project – emotional, spiritual, financial. For that I am truly grateful and blessed.

I also want to thank the MMCAA for their support of this project, thanks to Atty. Mari Fabian for putting up with all our changes in the MOA.

Thanks too to Miriam College , especially to Mrs. Cynthia Morales for being such a great help and support from start to finish. Natapos din ma’am and today we turn this over to your care. Thank you for the landscaping, the white picket fence and the food that you have served us on countless occasions including today.

To the MCHS ’82 core team headed by Mary Rose Ramoso and every member of my batch who gave unselfishly – through your time, talent, wisdom or finances, so that the project may be completed, today is a second homecoming for you too. Through this project, you leave a part of yourselves in the school that helped mold you into the woman that you are today.

I would also like to give special thanks to the Aboitiz Transport Group, specifically the Superferry, for their generosity in donating the 40-ft container van that now houses our daycare.

Thank you also to my friends, three talented artists – Fen, Vena and Raf for their beautiful mural of Migi at play. This is the 11th they have done for Migi’s Corner. Again, it is no coincidence that if my son were alive today he would be 14 years old and this daycare is the 14th project that the foundation has helped set up. The project is extra meaningful because it was built in the year when Migi marks his 10th year in heaven. Even the message, in the mural, one that I had written about two weeks ago in my Inquirer column – of how God is good all the time, is not at all accidental.

So like I said at the beginning of this message, God has a purpose for everything, and HIS timing is ever perfect, it never misses. Let me end this with rest of the passage from Ecclesiastes…

A time to give birth, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to uproot what is planted.
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; A time to tear down, and a time to build up.
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; A time to mourn, and a time to dance.
5 A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, and a time to shun embracing.
6 A time to search, and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep, and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear apart, and a time to sew together; A time to be silent, and a time to speak.
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; A time for war, and a time for peace.

It wasn’t by accident that I was born to be a member of the high school batch of 1982, as every other member who has given unselfishly of her talent to this project is. I know in my heart too that it wasn’t by accident that I happen to be Migi’s mom. Through synergy, our individual talents and collective life experiences over the last 25 years since we left Maryknoll has now served a higher purpose – in this case, to provide a haven of comfort for children and breastfeeding mothers. We thank the Lord for our Maryknoll education, and for all the gifts He has bestowed on us individually as women and collectively as batch. Everything has its rhyme and reason and today is just another proof of that. Thank you very much. To God be all the glory.

Cathy S. Babao Guballa
March 10, 2008

Noli Me Tangere was a huge part of my high school life.

When I first read about this new restaurant at the spanking new Greenbelt 5, I knew I just had to go. Last Saturday I spent a lovely afternoon with a very good friend and dined on dishes that brought to life Rizal's immortal characters. Think Maria Clara, Crisostomo Ibarra, Dona Victorina, the notorious Padre Damaso (after whom the restaurant is named after) and a host of others. Take a look at the interesting array of entrees on the menu that brought to a long-forgotten era. I secretly wondered to myself if these were the dishes that the friars and Filipinos once dined on. Probably. There is an interesting entry on the drinks page - "Tubig Ni Maria Clara" made from cucumber juice, ginger syrup, and citrus water - sounds very refreshing and something you would love to have on a summer's day.

Trivia - for those of you wondering why the name Pia y Damaso, they are the names of Maria Clara's parents, Pia Alba and the evil Prayle Damaso. Interesting huh? Do the meals here cause one to sin as well? Hmmmm. Not quite.

We started lunch with Croquetas de Jamon, which was delicious.


My friend decided on the Chicken Parian (with sticky rice, sausage and which was quite tasty and had an interesting presentation and texture to it.


I opted to go for the Fileto Empanado with dayap and caper butter (crisp, marinated and pounded and breaded beefsteaks)and was not entirely happy with it.

Aside from the fact that they were a bit greasy, they were quite gamey too. Not a good choice, really. My friend remembered how they used to cook something similar at home and together, all the siblings would pound on the beef in the kitchen. "Carne ng mahirap..." he described it so aptly. Something that the poor people from Noli Me Tangere probably ate. The version I had was quite malitid as well. Di ata nakuha sa pukpok.

Dessert demons that friend and I both are, it was a good thing that dessert was the saving grace to my meal. I had Padre Salvi's Canonigo (the infamous friar who lusted after Maria Clara) and true to it's inspiration, the dessert was, yes, quite sinful.


Friend had some version of the ever-popular Banoffee pie and the chocolate that was used on this treat was really so scrumptious and velvety. Truly exquisite.



The restaurant is small but its interiors are oh-so-charming, lovely and very-well done. Owned by Chef Bambi Sy Gobio (she of Kooky and Luscious fame), it's no wonder that the dessert menu is a fabulous and interesting one. I love the pretty details, the ribbons on the chandeliers, the paper that they line your table with, etched with swirly pen and ink designs, the menu itself, and the logo of Padre Damaso holding what appears to me like a giant chicken drumstick.

"Pia y Damaso" is located on the second floor of the beautiful Greenbelt Five. Not too many stores and restaurants are open yet, but those that are, deserve a second look. I didn't have time to browse through my friend Ruby Gan's "Mythology" a beautiful store that puts together the talents of five highly talented Filipino designers. The new mall is beautifully lit and so well-laid out. I will definitely go back to explore some more. Meanwhile, enjoy more pictures of the mall, here.

ROOTS&WINGS Column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, December 16, 2007

Christmas day is just a heartbeat away and you can really feel it everywhere. In a week’s time, the kids will be done with school and I suspect that most homes will be in a mad state of preparing the homes for the holiday. Already, there are sales galore in practically every mall in the metro and many stores are doing brisk business.
So much of Christmas has become commercialized but let not the material trappings put a damper your holiday mood or take away the true meaning of Christmas. As we prepare to remember our loved ones with gifts of appreciation, and prepare sumptuous meals in anticipation of family reunions, let us not forget that there are many others who are in need. Not only during Christmas, but each and everyday, we must strive to pay it forward. Here are a few ways to celebrate a more meaningful and hopefully, stress-free Christmas.

• Give gifts that give back.

This year I made a conscious effort to try and choose gifts that one way or another give back. One of the nicest and most practiocal ones I found are Ichay Bulaong’s Luntian bags at http://luntianbags.wordpress.com/ Her bags are completely sewn and printed by a group of womenfolk from San Teodoro, Mabini, Batangas. Starting off with one mananahi, the livelihood program now benefits 21 families. Email Ichay at ibualaong@gmail.com for orders.

Another environmentally-friendly gift that gives back are safe, non-toxic,
environmentally correct household cleaners created by a company called Messy Bessy Cleaners. Krie Reyes-Lopez and her siblings set up a project called HOUSE (Helping Ourselves Through Sustainable Enterprise) and Messy Bessy is one of the enterprises that helps disadvantaged youth. Krie says that while they are aiming for Messy Bessy to provide homes with safe and natural cleaners, they are also providing marginalized people experiences in manufacturing, accounting, sales and hopefully a lot more. I like their lavender linen spray and eucalyptus all-purpose scrub. Email them at messybessycleaners@gmail.com or call 0917-830-3003 for inquiries.

• Pack Christmas care packages instead of giving money to those who provide services.

When December comes, many of our homes become flooded with the ubiquitous white envelope with the “Merry Christmas Ma’am/Sir” stamped on it in various hues of red, green or blue. For the last few years now, I decided that I wasn’t going to give money anymore to our usual service providers – postman, garbage collectors, and every imaginable bill collector you can think of during Christmas. Instead, my children and I, together with our househelp will put together a Christmas care package composed of noodles, sardines, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush for the adults; and one with cookies, candies and some toiletries for the children who ring our doorbell or knock on our car windows. In doing so, you can be assured that the goods will be for their personal consumption and the money you have spent does not go to waste.

• Sing or play Christmas carols.

Every morning now, for the last week or so, my children wake up to the sound of Christmas music. In the evenings, we play the softer, slower ones that lull us to sleep while the mornings are reserved for the hipper (I just love Babyface’s version of “Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer”) Christmas carols. Nothing says "holiday season" like Christmas carols and so I make sure that I have them playing whenever possible. Since I discovered this wonderful website imeem.com the music on my laptop has been on, non-stop.

• Clean out your closets and donate your children’s old (but in good-condition) toys and books.

This holiday season, teach your children the true spirit of giving by asking them to choose one of their new or still in good-condition toys to give to a child in need. There are many organizations that you can choose to donate their books and toys too. This year, Migi’s Corner, a foundation we set up in memory of my son, is doing a toy drive for the children of Barangay Rio Hondo in Zambonga. During the last typhoon, several towns were hit by giant waves and the effect was tsunami-like, diplacing a total of almost 2000 families. If you would like to bring cheer to these children who have lost not only property but in many cases, family members, as well, please donate your old books and in good condition toys. Email migiscorner@gmail.com or call 0910-744-6469

• Volunteer your time and energy.

Give a little of yourself this holiday season and helping others is always a great way to spread cheer and love. Take time out of your busy holiday schedule to volunteer at a hospital ward, an orphanage, a women’s shelter or an old folk’s home. Bring them a little something or at th very least, bring them your smile and your companionship.

• Spend time together as a family and watch uplifting Christmas-themed movies.

My personal favorite is the 1946 Frank Capra classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life”
starring James Stewart. Stewart plays a man about to commit suicide during the holidays (statistically, the highest suicide rates unfortunately always occur around the holidays) because he’s financially ruined. An angel stops him in his tracks by showing him what life would be like if he’d never existed. A beautiful movie that celebrates the resiliency of man and the beauty of life.

• Shop in comfort.

I have become my mother when it comes to shopping – scouring the shops in my jeans,
tees and hoodie. My greatest find this season has given me so much comfort while walking around. The Merrell Women’s Relay Stretch is awesome in the support that it provides. When I tried to find out what made it different, I discovered that it was because of the Q-Form™ technology that compensates for a woman’s pronounced “Q angle” (the angle between hip and knee) to alleviate discomfort. This also reduces the wear and tear of shoes, enabling them to last longer. For women who love to walk, this is the perfect shoe!

• Re-connect with old friends but don’t stress yourself out trying to get-together with everyone.
It’s the time of the year when there are parties all over town and suddenly old friends whom we haven’t seen the rest of the year, pop up from out of nowhere wanting to get together. Christmas is a wonderful time to re-kindle and renew ties but don’t stress yourself out and in the process get yourself sick. Prioritize the events you really must say yes to. The rest can be put off after the madness of the holiday season.

• Get your kids involved in all the preparations.

A child is the reason for this wonderful season that the whole Christian world celebrates. Christmas to my mind will always be magical in a child’s eyes. Involve your kids in as many activities as they are able to – wrapping the gifts, trimming the tree, doing charity or volunteer work, cooking the meals. It is in the making of these memories together as one family that makes the Christmas season all the more meaningful, making memories that they will carry with them until the time that they have families of their own.

Heads up.
This is not the Beverly Hills that endorses that hideous "Miss Ugly" campaign that is so derogatory to the Filipina. This new multi-specialty surgery center has nothing to do with the center holed up at the 6750 building on Ayala. Okay, enough about them.

The Beverly Hills Medical Center Group, Inc. (BHMG) is Asia's largest U.S. based, managed and operated Multi-Specialty Ambulatory Surgery Center developed by its Beverly Hills, California based parent corporation - Beverly Hills Advanced Surgery Institute, Inc. (BHASI). When my sister in-law who is one of the dermatologists on the staff of BHMG invited me to visit one day, I was very much impressed with what I saw.


Lobby

A Multi-Specialty Surgery Center is center that specializes in not one but many types of surgeries. BHMG offers and has over 10 Centers of Excellence taht include among others -- Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Cosmetic Laser and Dermatology procedures, General and Vascular surgery, Gastroenterology, Gynecology Surgery, Otolaryngology (ENT) Surgery, Podiatry, Orthopedic and Sports Medicine, Pain Management, Urology and Men's Health. An Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) is also known as a Day Surgery Center. This is a center where elective types of procedures, diagnostic or therapeutic, is performed on a patient and the patient is able to go home a few hours after the surgery. There are no emergency surgeries performed here, and so, as the Medical Director, Dr. Eric Arcilla, explained to me, there is no danger of getting "bumped off" out of the Operating Room in favor of a higher priority patient. "Your surgery will definitely proceed as scheduled," he stresses.


Shades of "Grey's Anatomy"

Among the procedures that can be performed at BHMG are the following -- Under the dermatological services there is EMAX Hair Removal, EMAX Skin Tightening, EMAX Skin Rejuvenation, BOTOX, Microdermabrasion (Diamond Peel) and Dermatologicsurgery. For Cosmetic Surgery there is Blepharoplasty (Eyelid Lift), Breast Enhancement or Augmentation, Face Lift, Liposuction, and Rhinoplasty. Array of plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures can also be performed at BHMG. Among the other out patient procedures for Gastroenterology that can be performed here are - Endoscopy (upper and lower), Polypectomy, Colonoscopy, Sigmoidoscopy. Under General and Vasculat Surgery there is dermal cyst excision, Cholecystectomy (gallbladder surgery), Hernia repair and Thyroidectomy and other procedures. For the Gynecologic Surgery there is D&C, Tubal Ligation, Perineorrhaphy and Perinealplasty (vaginal rejuvenation). Surgical procedures in the areas of Orthopedics, Otolaryngology and Urology may also be performed at the center. Post-surgery, a patient can choose from either a private recovery room (complete with a bathroom and a plasma TV) or the common recovery room which is just as good.

BHASI which is the parent company of BHMG is a Beverly Hills, California based Multi-Specialty Surgery Center that has been in exsitence for 11 years and licensed by the State of California Department of Health Services as well as Medicare Certified by the U.S. Federal Government. The center in Beverly Hills has been featured in the television series Extreme Makeover, Discovery Channel and the Lifetime Channel. Their doctors have been guests on Oprah, The Tyra Banks Show, Entertainment Tonight and Larry King Live.

BHASI's President and CEO is Maria Rebujio, a Filipina-American who was born and raised in the United States of parents whose lineage is originally from Pangasinan. She is married to George, who is also a Filipino and a former NASA engineer. Maria tells me that "The goal here at BHMG is to provode world-class healthcare by following the strictest guidelines and procedures set forth by U.S. Medical health standards. We want to provide the finest outpatient surgical care services here in the Philippines." Maria, who is a nurse by training knows all about the business since she was an OR Plastic Surgery nurse for many, many years before striking out on her own and opened up BHASI from scratch.

I asked if their prices were "Beverly Hills" rates as well and she immediately said, "No we are very competitive. No Beverly Hills prices here but you get the same care and facilities that you would get in the U.S. " All of BHMG's doctors are board certified and belong to the creme de la creme of their specialties. Take a peek here to see who is on the BHMG roster. They are all credentialed and graduates from the best medical schools in the country. In addition, BHMG is medically licensed as an Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC) by the Philippine Department of Health Services (DOH).


Recovery Room

My sister in-law gave me a tour of the facilities and really, I was very much impressed with the cleanliness, the lay-out and the equipment that I saw. It was even way better than some of the private hospitals we have in the country. On the day I was there, the OR's were busy with two liposuction procedures. BHMG is the only ASC in the country with all of its medical gases implemented throughoutthe entire operating room and recovery room using National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards. The airconditioning system is designed strictly for medical facilities. BHMG boasts of the only HEPA and Laminair Air Flow filtration system in the country. This system ensures a minimum particle-collection efficiency of 99.97% while the Lamianr flow diffusers supply a non-aspirating continuous column of air where it is most critical - above the operating table. The Laminair flow system that is installed meets the American College of Surgeon's requirements. The width of the hallways and the doors in the entire facililty are all in accordance with U.S. standards. With guarded gated entries, private entrance and exit, and secured ground floor access and parking, BHMG offers the utmost in complete client discretion.

Beverly Hills Medical Group is located at 57 Paseo De Roxas Avenue, Makati City. For more information on their dermatological and surgery services call 81-90210.

Costumes are always the best part of Halloween.

As a child in the 70s, Halloween wasn't really such a big deal. Trick or treat was something we just read about in books and Halloween parties were confined to the movies or television. Well, times have certainly changed and Manila has become very western in its practice of Halloween traditions.

Beginning with my daughter P who has in her closet every imaginable Disney princess costume that you can think of, Halloween has been a major family thing since 1995. Yesterday, our Halloween to-do was at the EDSA Shangri-la Mall where L had his major Halloween class party at Fish and Co.

The party was very well-organized by the dynamic parents of L's class - namely the ever funny S, C and her husband E who so generously donated the prizes, F and his wife A and V who set up the very well-organized and fun party that all the boys and girls in attendance loved. Congratulations to them for always pulling off a great class event!

Pokemon was the over-all theme and Pikachu himself was there to give the boys a grand time. Here's a picture of L sandwiched between two of his Pokemon friends. The boys willingly participated in all the games and of course were all very eager to win after they saw the great array of prizes to be had! Barbie dolls were won by practically all of the little girls in attendance. Super saya talaga ng mga bata!

L's costume was given to him by his godmother whom we lovingly call the Contessa from Malibu. He had originally wanted to come as a Dementor but all the Target stores had run out! Thus, his Ninang wisely picked out something very close to what L had set his eyes on. He came instead as a Phantom, complete with hooded cowl and all. Hand-carried by his ninang, on her visit to Manila last week, it won for him the "Scariest Costume" award! What a great surprise it was for L and the award (plus [prize) certainly made his day!


Here are some more photographs from our fun Halloween party. The thing I like most about Halloween is that we can all dress up (nope, I didn't wear a costume!) watch our kids have a blast, let loose and allow our inner child to come out and play. How was your Halloween week-end?

Today, I decided to try out the services from TOETALLY NAILED (634-8512) a "nail service salon at your doorstep" which is based in the Valle Verde area. I booked for 10AM and a few minutes before the appointed time, Fe was at my doorstep. Now, this is not your usual manicurista who comes visiting at a set time every week. Fe came complete with their own foot spa tub and a host of other gadgets, creams, masks and scrubs. The works! Highly skilled, I dozed off in my armchair as she gave me a very thorough and invigorating foot scrub and woke up to a living room sweetly scented with peppermint. And don't pooh-pooh their nail enamel... no Bobbie or Caronia here girls. Only Essie, Orly and Sally Hansen. ANd the best part - the rates! At Toetally Nailed a manicure costs a "staggering" 150 bucks, and an hour long foot spa is priced at 250 pesos only. I was so happy with their services that I booked them again for tomorrow to do the roomie. Yes, he's part metrosexual too.

And as for teeth. Well, I am blessed to be classmates with Dr. Noemi Reyes (727-3677) over at Greenhills Dental who has the lightest of hands that I always fall asleep in her dental chair. That is how good she is! So, I've got the dental hygeine part down pat. Thank God for dentist-classmates. My next project is to try out a teeth whitening procedure that I've been curious about for the longest time.

I wasn't this particular about these body parts before. You know what they say about the "warranty" being gone after the age of 40... I do not know if it is age but the things we women go through to take good care of ourselves. And this is not vanity folks, I mean we're dealing with the basics here. .I'm not talking Vicki Belo, La Mer or La Prairie... Indulge once in a while and take good care of the basic stuff. Life is short and it doesn't take a fortune to stay happy and clean. When people see your hands and feet and when you smile - what do you think goes on in their heads?

P.S. I had all the time in the world to indulge this week because I was stuck at home nursing a viral infection. Which to me was a signal, to take better care of myself again. And mini-pampering always does the trick!