It's all about the meow.

Support Dementia and win $15

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:17:00 +0000

Let's all support Dementia by joining her birthday contest :) The rules are very simple - all you have to do is blog/tweet/follow! More details at her blog. Yay! Join na :)

Orange Chair

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:03:00 +0000

"There are approximately 60,000 hairs per square inch on the back of a cat and about 120,000 per square inch on its underside." - taken from The Cat's Meow

I am really thankful that I have no Asthma or allergy to fur because our chair has been officially "Nuggefied!" I was a bit surprised to see this much fur... I mean, the seat is almost orange! I had to peel the lint roller 8 times to remove all the fur :)

look at that fur! I didn't notice it until I pulled "nugget's chair" out. They are usually tucked under the dining table.It was me!please don't clean my chair yetand I'm out of here.

Meow is tired.

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:42:00 +0000

This has got to be the longest and most tiring week of the year for me. Aside from juggling 4 online jobs that have rush projects (but I am very thankful!), I am also busy helping the KaEskwela team prepare for our mission to Malaban Elementary school tomorrow. Actually, I don't think I will be sleeping tonight because meet up is at 6am and I still have a lot of work to finish. I'm not complaining though. I mean, physically I am very tired right now but I am too happy thinking about all the wonderful acts of kindness that we have been receiving to concentrate on that. I just hope that things go well tomorrow! *fingers crossed*

Happy Halloween!

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:37:00 +0000

No candies and costumes this year for us but here is a Halloween photo of Nugget (he was still thin here!) taken 3 years ago. We decided that he was going to be our pumpkin so we stuck black felt paper on his back. He wasn't too pleased with the idea so the whole pumpkin look only lasted for a few minutes :) haha!

YES 2009

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:05:00 +0000

"SEACHANGE is an ongoing movement connecting Southeast Asian Youths to projects, organizations, businesses, and leaders who can help them with the change they want to see!"

This year Seachange is holding the Youth Engagement Summit 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event will feature a lot of interesting people such as chess wizard- Garry Kasparov, twitter co founder- Biz Stone, facebook director of market and development - Randi Zuckerberg and many more to inspire and share their knowledge with us. Sounds really cool, right? And the best part is that they are giving free invites to the event :) All you have to do is sign up here! Let's all sign up and go :)

Big orange ball

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:34:00 +0000

There is a big orange ball in my living room right now and his name is Nugget.

This is the view from the back :) look at that tummy bump. another view. he looks like a cat now with the ear and legs more visible :)top view. i can watch him for hours!one of these days i'll take a video. he moves, meows softly and wiggles while he is sleeping!i love you orange cat!

Trip to Malaban Elementary School

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:27:00 +0000

"BIÑAN, LAGUNA—With classrooms crowded with evacuees and the school grounds still flooded, where could the students go?

A report from the Department of Education in Laguna province on Friday said 51 elementary and high schools were still being used as evacuation centers for typhoon-stricken families, but said all had already resumed classes.

In Biñan town, teachers found a solution to the deluge that was seen to last three to four more months. They volunteered to open their own homes to accommodate the students and resume classes on Oct. 12, two weeks after Tropical Storm “Ondoy” left the town and several others flooded."

Taken from Teachers convert homes to schools
Maricar Cinco
Inquirer Southern Luzon

After reading this article, we decided that Malaban Elementary School would be our next beneficiary. I am really amazed at the teachers' initiative to offer their homes as temporary classrooms :) I can't imagine how it must be to have about 500 kids in your house everyday. Anyway, we headed to Biñan today to assess the situation of the school and to get a more concrete idea of what the students need the most.

some parts of the school are still flooded until now. The classrooms behind have been turned into evacuation centers... note the laundry hanging on the railing dirty stagnant water infront of the rooms. The smell is horrible!a makeshift kitchen with damaged books and notebooks in the background. I'm not sure if they have started using these items for fire... I was very surprised to see a sari sari store in the school! some evacuees are still enterprising!the hallway filled with sludgeclassroom turned into a home for a few familiestemporary classroom for 500 kids

garage turned classroom. look at the jeep parked inside!

we'll be back :)

Mac and Cheese by Lucky Me!

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 04:30:00 +0000

I am a big fan of instant food hence my full rubenesque figure :) But don't get me wrong because I also like taking time out to prepare meals but sometimes instant is the way to go... especially if you have to eat while working! Anyway, I was really pleased to have found out about Lucky Me's newest offering - Mac and Cheese! Yay! I really love mac and cheese and the best part is each pack only costs p14! There are 2 variants: baked mac (red pack) and mac & cheeze (blue). Personally, I prefer the blue pack better since the red one was a bit too sweet for my liking. My kidneys are thanking me for this yummy sodium packed snack. haha!a yummy bowl of mac and cheese :) The serving is quite small so there are actually 2 packs in this bowl. haha!

Feeding 120 Families

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:44:00 +0000

We usually have school related projects but because of Ondoy (Ketsana Typhoon) we had to shift our focus from collecting school supplies and funds for our library project to gathering food, clothes and raising money for relief goods. One of our recipient schools in Montalban, Wawa National High School was badly hit during the flood so we decided to organize a relief program for them. I am still pretty amazed at the fact that in 2 weeks we were able to raise around P52,000 (US$1,100+) and collect several boxes of goods. Thank you so much to all our friends and family from all over - Philippines, USA, Australia, UK and Singapore :) Without your generous donations, this relief operation would not be possible.

Anyway, we headed over to Divisoria today to buy pails and towels for the 120 families that we are donating to this Sunday. I was amazed that we were able to get the pails for only P38 each! We had to haggle a bit but it was all worth it. We actually had an initial budget of P70 and since we got the pails at a low price we were now able to buy enough towels for all the kits :) Yay! Right after Divisoria we went to SM Supermarket to get the good to be placed inside the pails. We wanted to save and go to a cheaper supermarket but since we received a few SM gift cheques we figured that it would be best to do all the shopping there. I can't believe how excited I am... Just look at all the things we were able to buy for them!We got a lot of pails instead of plastic bags to hold all the goods :) The pails are pretty cool since they all have a mini basin as a cover!towels that can be used as blankets120 Tide "taba" bars!120 bags of brown sugarmilk and chocolate drink for the kids120 cans of meatloafat the checkout counter with fellow volunteers Roselyn and Grace :) i'm not in the pic. heheEach pail will have the following items: 4 boiled eggs, 4 boiled bananas, 5 packs of sardines, instant noodles, 1 cupcake, 5 biscuits, 1 box of milk, 6 sachets of Chocquik, 1 can corned beef, 1 can meatloaf, 2 kgs rice, 1 kg sugar, 1 Tide bar, 1 bath soap, 1 towel, 1 pack of Sanitary pads, 1 toothbrush, 1 tube toothpaste, shampoo and 1 gallon mineral water! Yay! so exciting :)

Hello!

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:51:00 +0000

I'm here!

Get your Krispy Kreme doughnuts!

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 03:34:00 +0000

Yay for Krispy Kreme for sponsoring this amazing project! I Hope that there will be a lot of doughnut sales tomorrow :)

Indulge in the Uniquely Singapore experience

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:30:00 +0000

More often than not, people associate Singapore with being an expensive place to visit. I guess this is because there are so many places to go to for luxury brand names and the top of the line electronic gadgets. For me though, when I think of Singapore I think of diversity... And the best way to indulge in the Uniquely Singapore experience is to immerse yourself in this diversity :) Here is my Uniquely Singapore Experience itinerary:

Start the day early and head out to the Chinese Garden in Jurong.
I think this is the perfect way to start the day because not only do you get to see the beautiful plants and Chinese architecture but you also get a mini workout to prepare you for a busy day ahead! It would be great to bring a light snack that you can munch on while taking in all the beautiful sights. The garden is open daily from 6am to 11pm and the best part is that admission is free!

After the Chinese garden, hop on the mrt and head of to Chinatown for a nice hearty lunch, shopping and sight seeing! Must sees in the area are the Buddha Tooth Relic Museum and the Chinatown Heritage Center. For yummy treats there is the Chinatown food street where you can choose authentic Singaporean dishes from the many hawker centers. There is also Hong Lim Food Center where you can find one of the best curry puffs! Look for the Tanglin Crispy Curry Puff stall and try the sardine puff for just $1.20!

After exploring Chinatown, hop on the mrt and visit Little India. I really love seeing all the colors of the buildings, flowers and trinket stalls that line the streets of Little India. The Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple should not be missed as well... but of course proper behavior should be observed at all times since it it a place of worship. Right after visiting the temple, it's good to have a chapati and teh tarik break in one of the cafes nearby :)

Next stop for the day would be Suntec City to visit the world's biggest fountain, the Fountain of Wealth... but we must make sure that we make it there before 6pm so we can make a wish inside the inner ring for good luck! At 6 pm they turn on the huge fountain which is also a nice thing to see!

After visiting the fountain, take bus number 10 or 196 to go to Singapore's most famous landmark, The Merlion! Visit and take photos beside the 2 Merlions in the park :) After that take a quick walk to the another famous site, The Esplanade Theaters! The durian shaped domes are an architectural masterpiece and are definitely worth visiting! By this time we are probably hungry again so the next stop would have to be Makansutra in Glutton Bay. Boon Tat's crispy baby squid and sting ray are a must when ordering! After that hearty meal, head out to the River taxi to enjoy a scenic river ride along the Singapore river. Don't forget to take photos of the Merlion and other sights as their lights are turned on for the night! Alight at Clarke Quay to enjoy a night cap to finish off your hectic yet amazing day! Truly the best way to indulge in the uniquely Singapore experience!
photos by meow :)

No more blackouts please!

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 02:40:00 +0000

"MANILA, Philippines - As the country struggles to rise from the devastation of storms “Ondoy” and “Pepeng,” Metro Manila and Rizal province are facing long power outages after a fire forced the shutdown of a power transformer in Taytay last Wednesday.

The rotating blackouts that the Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) had hoped to end today are expected to drag on after three of its substations tripped “due to critical loading and in its attempt to shift load” to compensate for the shutdown of the Dolores substation of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP).

Meralco said the development “will result in longer duration of power outages in affected areas.”

Meralco, in a statement, said the three substations that conked out were Mandaluyong, Hillcrest and SM-Shangri-La.

“Both the NGCP and Meralco are doing everything to restore normal state of power,” the Meralco statement read. “We beg your indulgence for this inconvenience.”

Eleven cities and towns in eastern Metro Manila and Rizal province were subjected to rotating blackouts yesterday. Meralco had targeted to restore normal power today but its substations tripped.

The blackouts yesterday lasted three to four hours each twice a day in Makati, Marikina, Mandaluyong, Pasig, San Juan and parts of Quezon City, and Binangonan, Taytay, Angono, Cainta, and Antipolo City in Rizal." taken from yahoo news

* * *

I think they got it wrong because sadly the blackout lasted for about 12 hours here in Ortigas. My friend shared this list with me containing the blackout schedules. I really don't know how long this will go on but hopefully things get back to normal soon.

Help needed for Montalban

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:46:00 +0000

"60,000 people are looking to us for help! People are getting sick. Immediate dangers now are infections, water borne diseases, dengue, cold and flu. Hunger, thirst and lack of basic goods are still a big problem. All houses were out of electricity and water and the stench was terrible.

It was shocking to see that nothing had been done by any big aid agencies there. We were still the only ones there.

People need to get started with their lives again. "

This excerpt is from an email about Montalban, one of KaEskwela's focus areas. Students from our partner schools there have reportedly lost their homes and everything else they own.

Help us help them. KaEskwela will be visiting Montalban on Oct. 18, Sunday and we hope to give donations to at least 100 families.

Although helping hands are welcome, what KaEskwela needs more are material donations. Here are some ideas on what you can donate:

Food: the usual canned goods, rice, but also those that do not need to be cooked-- biscuits, bread, fruits (eg, mga saging na di pa gaanong hinog/ nilagang saba)

Toiletries: toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, toilet paper, sanitary napkins

Medicines and medical supplies: alcohol, betadine, medicines for colds/cough/ diarrhea/ skin infections, cotton, gauze

Beddings: blankets, pillows

Household items: cooking utensils, pots, pans, spoons, forks, plates, cups, glasses

Old clothes and new underwear

Slippers and shoes (no fancy footwear please)

Pails, basins

Diapers, milk for babies

Any other extras that you have at home are most welcome. You don't have to buy. Ransack your closets! We don't mind getting random, assorted goods.

Donations may be brought to these dropoff points:

1. WEEKDAYS 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM ONLY

Padilla Asuncion Bote-Veguillas Matta Carino Law Offices
5th floor, Strata 100 building
F.B. Ortigas, Jr. Avenue (Emerald Avenue)
Ortigas Center, Pasig City 1600

2. WEEKDAYS, 10AM TO 5PM

Citrus Productions

Unit 1015 Medical Plaza Ortigas

San Miguel Avenue

Please text 0920-9534294 before going there

Cash may also be deposited to KaEskwela's account. Email us at kaeskwelavolunteers@yahoo.com if you want to give cash. We will email the account details to interested donors, and inform you what we bought with your money.

Deadline for donations is on Oct 16.

Good Morning!

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:21:00 +0000

Good Morning! Today is going to be a happy and productive day :) But before anything else it's time for the most important activity: spot the nugget!meow?

oh, there you are!

meow meow meow!

Don't leave your pets behind

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 02:33:00 +0000

I come from a family of cat lovers. I remember hearing stories of how my grandmother packed her pet cat in a bayong (straw bag) when they were fleeing from the war. Coming to think of it I don't think I recall a time in my life when we didn't have a cat in our home. It's funny because even when I am away from home I am constantly on the look out for cats... Yes, I think I am a little cat obsessed, don't you think? haha!

Our pets play a very important role in our lives and we should always be thinking of their safety - not only during normal days but also in times of calamity. I really was very sad to hear so many reports of pets dying in the flood.

Anyway here are a few safety tips taken from PETA

Before a disaster:

All animals should have collars with identification tags. Make sure you have a current photo of your companion animal for identification purposes.
Hotels often lift "no pets" policies during emergencies, but keep a list of hotels that accept companion animals just in case. Include the Philippine Animal Welfare Society's (PAWS) phone number, (02) 475-1688, in your list of emergency numbers. It might be able to provide information during a disaster.
Keep packed a carrier, lease, extra animal food, and any other supplies that you will need so that you can grab them easily if you need to evacuate in a hurry.

In case pets are left behind:

Do not tie animals outside, leave them caged, or keep them in a vehicle unattended. Leave them in a secure area inside your home.
Leave out at least 10 days' supply of water. Fill every sink, bowl, pan, and plastic container with water and set them on the floor. Do not leave just one container because it may spill. If your toilet bowl is free of chemical disinfectants, leave the toilet seat up to provide animals with one more source of water, but do not let that be the only source.
Leave out at least 10 days' supply of dry food. Canned food will go rancid quickly.
If you can't get to your home, contact a reliable neighbor or friend to check on animals and get them out, if possible. Provide specific instructions for care.

Orange days

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:32:00 +0000

We miss our warm sunny afternoons!

“It’s Krrunch Time, Get Playful!”

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 00:20:00 +0000

I think I have a pretty cool job since I work from home. Thanks to the internet, I get to talk with my officemates and partners from all over the world! But of course there are times when I find it hard to concentrate with all the distractions around me. When I start feeling unproductive or uninspired I know that it is time for me to take a quick break. I usually walk around for a few minutes or get myself a nice cup of coffee... but so far, the most effective "get back in the zone" technique for me is to grab a quick bite :)
I like having Krrunch snacks like Pringles! My all time favorite flavor is Cheese but I also like the newer varieties such as Salt and Pepper and also Salt and Vinegar. Yum! After my Pringles Krrunch moment I feel really happy and energized to go back to work... or take another mini break to play with the chips :) haha!

“It’s Krrunch Time, Get Playful!”

Sleep buddies!

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:40:00 +0000

Erman sent me this photo of the cats in his house. He said that they are mortal enemies when awake or during meal time but friends when asleep! So cute :) I love them both!

Update on duct tape cat

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 03:19:00 +0000

I know there are more pressing matters to think about right now but I would just like to say that I was very relieved when I read that culprit has been found! News below taken from Telegraph.

Duct tape cat: US teen arrested on animal cruelty charges

A teenager wrapped a cat in duct tape, put it in a shopping bag and dumped it in a neighbour's Philadelphia garden, police said.

James Davis, 19, admitted to taping up the cat from neck to tail after he spotted it in his yard Sept 21, police said.

He was arrested on Saturday on animal cruelty charges, said a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

A woman spotted the gray tabby wandering, covered in tape, and brought the animal to the human society. The animal, nicknamed Sticky by animal welfare workers, was dehydrated and had to be sedated while the tape was cut off its fur.

But the cat is doing well, animal welfare workers said, adding that they are still looking for Sticky's owner.

Video of the cat after the removal of the tape shows a seemingly happy animal, purring and apparently unafraid of its human handlers.

"This is a very very very sweet cat," George Bengal, of the PSPCA, told Fox News. "I can't imagine someone doing this to this cat. I mean, this is a domestic cat. Obviously, it was owned, it can be handled very easily."

Davis faces up to two years in prison and a minimum $1,000 fine if convicted.

What to Donate

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:38:00 +0000

I just came from the grocery and was very happy to see so many people buying water, medicine and food for the flood victims. I really hope that this spirit of generosity will continue for a long time.

Anyway, here is a list of items that are urgently needed at this time:

ready to eat food (crackers, bread, packed meals)
potable water
medicine (paracetamol, pain killers, cold and flu tablets, vitamins and medication for kids)
disinfectant (isopropyl alcohol, betadine)
canned food and noodles (but i think a can opener should be included as well)
clothes and footwear that are still usable and in good condition. A volunteer posted this remark online after sorting donations: " Sana po, wag na natin isama sa donasyon ang costumes. Wala naman po sigurong gustong magsuot ng barong, Santa pants at Michael Jackson tops sa ganitong panahon ng delubyo." ( I hope that we do not include costumes in our donations. I don't think that anybody would want to wear barong, Santa pants and Michael Jackson tops at this point). For other dry goods, my friend said: "please give what can be used. wag naman yung mga photo albums(!) or other junk items na makakadagdag lang sa basura. Ang relief goods po ay hindi junk yard."
money (but please make sure that you donate to a credible group. Philippine aid is one of them)

Where to send donations for victims of Typhoon Ondoy

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 15:03:00 +0000

photo from english cctv

photo taken from newsasiaone

Aunt Genie’s Breadhouse in Cebu
1279 Talamban, Cebu City In front of the Talamban Sports Complex
drop off point

Assumption College San Lorenzo
drop off point. Go to the AC guardhouse.

Xavier School in San Juan
drop off point and needs volunteers to repack goods on Sept. 28 at 7:30 am

De Lasalle University Medical Center in Calamba
Congressional Avenue, Dasmarinas, Cavite
(02) 844-7832 and (046) 416-4531
will accept canned goods, blankets, clothes, water

St. James Church Multi-Purpose Hall
Drop off point

De La Salle Zobel gate 7
drop off point

Sea Oil branches in Metro Manila
will accept relief goods

Our Lady of Pentecost Parish
12 F. dela Rosa cor. C. Salvador Streets, Loyola Heights , QC
looking for packed meals and water

Citizens Disaster Response Center (CDRC)
72-A Times St., West Triangle Homes , QC
9299820, 9299822
looking for donations and volunteers

Relief Operations Center
AGS Annex, #446 EDSA Guadalupe Viejo after PET Tower
contact Ares at 0917.855.4935 or Rachel at 0918.924.1636
accepting donations of used clothing (esp for children),blankets,canned goods,instant noodles,bottled water,rice, etc.

Kabataan Partylist
Drop off donations or volunteer at 118-B Sct. Rallos QC.
09266677163 or kabataanpartylist@gmail.com

Brainbeam Events, Inc.
2/F MB Aguirre Cornerhs Bldg,15 Pres Ave cor Elizalde Sts, BF Homes Pque rt across the old Caltex in BF
will accept relief goods

UP College of Arts and Letters (CAL)
Donation center at CAL/text 0929-6454102
will accept goods and cash

UP Diliman USC
contact TITUS 09178001909, JOSE 09273056607 and TIN 09154906106
is collecting food, clothing and/or cash

Coffee Bean and Teal Leaf (all branches)
accepting canned goods, water, clothes, blankets, towels, medicine, and emergency supplies (no cash)

Erica Paredes
Katipunan Avenue, QC
0917-4741930
donate bread, packed juice, sandwich filling or you can help her team distribute the goods

Junior Chamber International Manila
Baypark Tent, Roxas Blvd.
will accept goods starting Monday

Tulong Bayan
09086579998 (Marilyn), 09393633436 (Jenn) 9137122, 9136254 & 9133306
is looking for donations and volunteers

Corporate Network for Disaster Reponse
bank account no. 0031 0654 02 BPI Ayala Paseo Branch
for cash donations

Akbayan
call 4336933/4336831 for details
will accept relief goods and needs volunteers for relief effots

Our Lady of Pentecost Parish
12 F. Dela Rosa corner C. Salvador Sts., Loyola Heights, Quezon City
(+632-4342397, +632-9290665)
will accept relief goods

Kapuso Foundation
2/F GMA Kapuso Center
Samar St. cor. 11th Jamboree St. Diliman, Quezon City
Call 9827777 loc. 9901/9904/9905.
accepts relief goods and cash

Sagip Kapamilya
ABS-CBN Warehouse
13 Examiner St
will accept donation goods

ABS-CBN Foundation
cash donations
BDO acct # 56300-020111
Account Name: ABSCBN Foundation

Miriam Quiambao
One Orchard Road Bldg, Eastwood City
will accept donations starting Monday

Operation Rainbow
Ayala Alabang Village
4687991
Accepts Canned Goods, Ready-To-Eat Food, Bottled Water, Ready-To-Drink Milk/ Juice, Clothing, Blankets

Monique Villonco
Whitespace 2314 Chino Roces Ave Ext
will accept relief goods in behalf of NoyMar volunteers

Karen Ang (that’s me)
3 Kagandahan corner Kabutihan Streets, Kawilihan Village, Pasig
0920-9520900
will forward donated relief goods to Red Cross

Every Nation, FORT
32nd St cor University Pkwy across Market Market
will accept donations for Red Cross esp. purified water, canned goods, and infant formula

Manor Superclub, Eastwood City
will accept goods and other emergency items starting Sunday at 10 am

All Petron branches
will accept relief goods

La Salle Greenhills
Drop off goods at Gate 2

Ateneo
Drop off goods at the MVP Lobby

Simbahang Lingkod ng Bayan Task Force Noah
Ateneo Cervini Dorm

Caritas Manila Office, Pandaca, MANILA
accepts relief goods esp. milk, dry clothes, food

Philippine Army Gym
Fort Bonifacio
accepts relief goods

Camp Aguinaldo
CRS Office, Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City
0915-1162853
will accept food, medicines, and other relief items

Radio Veritas
Veritas Tower West Ave. Corner EDSA
9257931-40
accepts relief goods

Hillsborough Village chapel in ALABANG
Water, blankets, shoes, and clothes etc. are being accepted at the Hillsborough Village chapel for families whose houses were washed out in the nearby sitios.

LUCA store
Rockwell, Eastwood, Shangri-la
will accept relief goods

Myron’s
Greenbelt
will accept relief goods

Papemelroti Stores
will accept relief goods (canned goods / milk / bottled water / clothes – NO CASH)
91 Roces Ave. / Ali Mall Cubao / SM City North EDSA / SM Fairview / SM Megamall / Glorietta 3 in Makati /… SM Centerpoint / SM Southmall

Aranaz Stores (for Payatas communities)
Rockwell and Greenbelt
will accept donations

MOONSHINE
Powerplant Mall, Rockwell
will accept relief goods

Balay Expo Center across Farmers Market Cubao (NoyMar Volunteers)
will accept relief donations as well as volunteers

Office of Congressman Ruffy Biazon
Ground Flr South Center Tower, Madrigal Business Park Alabang.

Team Manila
Trinoma, Mall of Asia, Jupiter Bel-Air and Rockwell
shall be accepting relief goods for distribution by Veritas

Luzon Relief
Renaissance Fitness Center
2nd Floor, Bramante Building, Renaissance Towers Ortigas, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City
Contact Person: Warren Habaluyas, (0929) 871 3488, luzonrelief@gmail.com
Relief goods will be accepted

TXTPower.org
will forward donations to Red Cross
Paypal
Smart Money – 5577-5144-1866-7103
G-Cash – 0917-9751092

Red Cross
1. CASH or CHECK
Please send cash or check donations to the PNRC National Headquarters in Manila. Checks should be made payable to The Philippine National Red Cross. They can arrange for donation pick-up.

2. BANK DEPOSIT
Account Name: The Phil. Nat’l. Red Cross

METROBANK
Port Area Branch
Peso Acct.: 151-3-041-63122-8
Dollar Acct.: 151-2-151-00218-2
Type of Acct. : SAVINGS
Swift Code: MBTC PH MM

BANK OF THE PHIL. ISLANDS
Port Area Branch
Peso Acct.: 4991-0010-99
Type of Account: CURRENT

BANK OF THE PHIL. ISLANDS
UN Branch
Dollar Acct.: 8114-0030-94
Type of Account: SAVINGS
Swift Code: BOPI PH MM

For your donations to be properly acknowledged, please fax the bank transaction slip at nos. +63.2.527.0575 or +63.2.404.0979 with your name, address and contact number.

Credit Card

Please fax the following info to +632.404.09.79 and +632.527.0575:

Name of card member, billing address, contact nos. (phone & mobile), credit card no., expiration date, CCV2/ CVC2 (last three digits at the back of the credit card), billing address, amount to be donated.

For online donations you may also visit our website at www.redcross.org.ph .

In-Kind Donations

LOCAL
Please send in-kind local donations to The Philippine National Red Cross – National Headquarters in Manila. They could also arrange for donation pick-up.

INTERNATIONAL

1. Send a letter of intent to donate to the PNRC
2. A letter of acceptance from PNRC shall be sent back to the donor
3. Immediately after shipping the goods, please send the (a) original Deed of Donation, (b) copy of packing list and (c) original Airway Bill for air shipments or Bill of Lading for sea shipments to The Philippine National Red Cross–National Headquarters c/o Secretary General Corazon Alma de Leon, Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila 2803, Philippines.

SMS and G-CASH

SMS
text REDAMOUNT to 2899 (Globe) or 4483 (Smart)

G-CASH
text DONATEAMOUNT4-digit M-PINREDCROSS to 2882

Most urgent needs

Food items: Rice, noodles, canned goods, sugar, iodized salt, cooking oil, monggo beans and potable water

Medicines: Paracetamol, antibiotics, analgesic, oral rehydration salts, multivitamins and medications to treat diarrheal diseases

Non-food items: Bath soaps, face towels, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, plastic mats, blankets, mosquito nets, jerry cans, water containers, water purification tablets, plastic sheetings, and Laundry soap

FOR THOSE OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY WHO WANT TO DONATE

TXTPower.org has set up a paypal account for donations. Your money will be forwarded to Red Cross.

Kapuso Foundation is also accepting credit card donations. Kapuso Foundation site

Please look at this list and this page too.

*Thank you karen for compiling this list

My heart is broken :(

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:25:00 +0000

I don't know why somebody would do this. I really hope that they catch the culprit soon. News article below taken from weekly world news.
* * *
DUCT TAPE CAT

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Police are attempting to uncover who wrapped a cat in duct tape and abandoned it!

A cat was found abandoned in a North Philadelphia yard yesterday afternoon. The cat was completely wrapped in duct tape, except for its head.

“I’ve never seen a cat totally wrapped like a mummy before,” said George Bengal, director investigations for the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “Whoever did this is very sick.”

Irissa Torian, a resident of the 2200 block of Edgley Street, was the one who found the cat.

“It’s a damn shame,” she said.

The cat was sedated by workers at the PSPCA so the tape could be cut away by scissors.

A female cat now nicknamed “Sticky”, she is doing well.

“We’re lucky that the tape was not on the cat for a long time. It came off easily,” said Gail Luciani, PSCPA spokeswoman.

The police are offering a $1000 for any tips that lead to the conviction of the animal cruelty culprit.

Charlie's Grind and Grill

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:41:00 +0000

We finally decided to try the food at Charlie's after reading so many good reviews about the place. Charlie's is famous for their black angus burgers and cheese steaks but since I don't eat beef I was pretty excited to see fish and chips, buffalo chicken wings and spicy chicken burger on the menu. We got 2 orders of fish and chips, buffalo chicken wings and an angus burger.

1/2 dozen wings P150

The buffalo chicken wings were a bit oily but we loved it! The bleu cheese dip was also yummy :)Fish and chips P 180

I requested malt vinegar to go with the fish and chips but sadly they were out that day. The fries and the tartar sauce were yummy but unfortunately I don't think I can say the same about the fish. The batter was a bit tough and bland. Next time I think I'll order the spicy chicken burger.Black Angus burger with fries P175

My brother said that the burger was good, definitely worth coming back for :)

Charlie's is at 16 East Kapitolyo Drive, Pasig City.

calling all architects and planners!

noreply@blogger.com (meow.) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:12:00 +0000

I stumbled upon this really cool contest while browsing for eco houses :) I dream of having an eco home in the future with a renewable energy source. And speaking of green energy, did you know that cd-r king sells windmills?! For only P100,000 you can cart one of those babies home :P

Anyway, going back to the contest here are the details:

Building safer climate resistant structures ahead of time is an endeavor that can radically reduce the number of injuries, climate refugees and deaths brought on by the unending cycle of disaster damage – reconstruction - repeated destruction in climate sensitive areas. Since the onslaught of typhoons cannot be avoided, having strong structures ahead of time will provide a safe haven for those continually traumatized by the harsh realities brought on by these natural disasters. Moreover, the stability ensured by a fortified settlement will also empower communities to uplift their quality of life by finally having permanence in their living arrangements and a sense of security as they live within the challenges of their geography.

It is in this light that the competition calls for a masterplan and design of an eco-agro-tourism development for a rural community in the tropical hotspot of Camarines Sur Philippines. This site has experienced the dramatic destruction caused by strong tropical cyclones and yet continues to try to rise above it with progressive projects that seek to alleviate the condition of its people. With the help of the global architecture community it believes that it can be an example of strength, resilience and innovative adaptability.

The top 3 winning designs will be awarded US $ 10,000, US $ 5,000 and US $ 3,000 respectively. The 1st prize winning design will be built as a prototype master planned community of 50 houses in Cam Sur . All design entries will be compiled and published into an encyclopedia of architecture and planning solutions for climate change

Competition Objectives

To build the first green, affordable, disaster-resistant village in the Philippines while respecting the environment (through the proper planning, selection and use of sustainable materials and systems as well considering the production life cycle and embedded energy needed to create and transport these materials and systems)
To build an Encyclopedia of climate-resilient, affordable design solutions that can be used to help facilitate the development of policies that address these humanitarian challenges

Timetable

August 15, 2009 Competition launch online
December 19, 2009 Deadline for registration
January 30, 2010 Deadline for submission of questions
February 13, 2010 Deadline to dispatch answers to questions
March 27, 2010 Deadline for submission of entries
April 6 to 9, 2010 Judging
April 22, 2010 Awarding

Eligibility

The competition is open to all local and international architects and planners, registered according to the relevant laws in their respective countries. All entrants are required to provide relevant professional information on the registration form. Where an entry is made by a team of professionals, the team must be led by a person meeting the above criteria. That member must be indicated on the registration form as the entrant.

The following are disqualified from this competition:

Professional Adviser and Consultants to the Competition
Members of the UAP National Board
Chairman and members of the UAP Competition Committee
Members of the Jury
Architects currently employed by any of the partners of the competition
Immediate family members of the persons listed above

Design Task

Develop a masterplan for a village of 30 houses that can be applied to other similar rural sites.
Create an integrated eco-agro-tourism development that addresses the sustainability of the community by understanding the local demographic, economic, social, and environmental attributes.
Propose a site-sensitive design theme for the entire village to achieve a unified look, that can be applied to all structures within the community.
Provide a detailed design for a typical house, including interior space planning.

Prizes

1st Prize - $10,000 and Guaranteed build
2nd Prize - $5,000 and Option to build
3rd Prize - $3,000 and Option to build

Construction Budget

House (Structure and finishing) – Php 100,000 (US$ 2,125)

Program Requirements

Minimum Lot and Floor Areas

Individual lot area is at least 64 sqm. for single detached, at least 40 sqm. for duplex
Minimum floor area is at least 20 sqm.

Each house should include:

At least one bedroom, one bathroom, 1 kitchen counter (can be located in the exterior), one living and dining area
Service area at the rear of the house for laundry (clothesline) and cooking
Landscaping with sufficient yard area for planting vegetables

Community Facilities should include the following:

Community Center/ Multi-purpose Hall (≥ 60 sqm)
School/ Day Care Center (≥ 60 sqm)
Waste Management Facility (≥ 20 sqm)
Bed and Breakfast Facility (≥ 60 sqm)

Target land use:

1/3 agricultural
1/3 residential
1/3 access and other open areas

Project Assumptions

Utilities are available
Zoning/ Rights of Way
Local Building Codes (setbacks, fire ratings, etc.)
Local materials available

for more info go here :)