SLOWING MAKES YOU FEEL RELAX AND GET THINGS DONE BETTER.. TRY IT.. FOR YOURSELF

Enjoying a Snail’s Pace..
Doing Things Slowly
By: Evelyn T. Du

Slowing down allows you to not only savor your experiences, but also it allows you to fully focus your attention and energy on the task at hand. Moving at a slower place lets you get things done more efficiently, while rushing diminishes the quality of your work and your relationships. Slowing down also lets you be more mindful, deliberate, and fully present.

When we slow down, we are giving ourselves the opportunity to reacquaint ourselves to our natural rhythms. We let go of the “fast forward” stress, and allow our bodies to remain centered and grounded. Slowing down is inherent to fully savoring anything in life. Rushing to take a bath can feel like an uncomfortable dunk in hot water, while taking a slow hot bath can be luxuriant and relaxing. A student cramming for a test will often feel tired and unsure, whereas someone who really absorbs the information will be more confident and relaxed. Cooking, eating, reading, and writing can become pleasurable when done slowly. ! Slowing down lets you become more absorbed in whatever it is you are doing. The food you eat tastes better, and the stories you read become more alive.

 

Ikaw Pa Rin by: Ted Itoh

Slowing down allows you to disconnect from the frenzied pace buzzing around you so you can begin moving at your own pace. The moments we choose to live in fast forward motion then become a conscious choice rather than an involuntary action. Learning to slow down in our fast-moving world can take practice, but if you slow down long enough to try it, you may surprise yourself with how natural and organic living at this pace can be.  
(VerGarciaBlogs)

IT'S FUNNY.. LAUGHTER IS REALLY THE BEST MEDICINE..

Just For Laughs... I Want You To Smile...                                      By: Ella Cultura and Dr. Ver M. Garcia

A Filipino applies as a salesman in America:
The boss asks: "Do you have any sales experience?"
The Pinoy says, "Sir, I was a salesman back home in Manila."

Pinoy was accepted, so he gave him the job. "You start tomorrow. I'll come down after we close and see how you will fare pretty well."

His first day on the job was rough, but he got through it. After the store was locked up, the boss came down. "How many sales did you make today?"

Pinoy says: "Sir, just ONE sale."

The boss says, "Just one? No! No! No! You see here our salespeople average  20 or 30 sales a day. If you want to keep your job, you'd better be doing better than just one sale! By the way, how many and how much sales did you make today?"

Pinoys says: " $101, 237. 65"

Boss: "$101, 237. 65? What do you make that big sale? Did I hear it right? One Hundred One Thousand Two Hundred Thirty-Seven and Sixty-Five Dollars? That's amazing! You beat all the salesmen here; even the veterans can make only USD30,000  a day. Fantastic! How did you do it?

Pinoy: "Sir, at first, I sold him a small fishhook.
Then I sold him a medium fishhook.
Then I sold him a large fishhook.
Then I sold him a new fishing rod and some fishing gear.

Then I asked him where he was going fishing, and he said down on the coast, so I told him he would need a boat. So, we went down to the boating department, and I sold him a twin-engine Chris-Craft.

Then he said he didn't think his Honda Civic would pull it, so I took him down to our automotive department and sold him that 4X4 Blazer.

I then asked him where he'll be staying, and since he had no accommodation, I took him to the camping department and sold him one of those new igloos 6 sleepers Camper Tents.

Then the guy said, While we're at it, I should throw in about $100 worth of groceries and two cases of beer."

The boss says: "You're really a great salesman!! A guy came in here to buy a fishhook, then you sold him a boat, a 4X4 truck, and a tent?"

Pinoy "No, Sir, actually he came here to buy TYLENOL for his headache, and I said:

"Well, FISHING is the best way to ease your mind!" 

Hahaha hahaha... I can't help but laugh... It's funny.. hehehe. (VerGarciaBlogs)

      CHUNG DAM BGC - Finest Korean Authentic Cuisine at Active Fun Bldg.. 9th Ave. cor. 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City.

 

They are absolutely thrilled to announce that they are now open! Located at the Upper Ground Active Building, 9th Ave. Corner 28th Street, Bonifacio Global City. Bigger and more grand. Chung Dam BGC Branch offers a new high-end Korean dining experience with the finest authentic Korean foods, including specialties such as king crab, premium beef, sashimi, and seafood. 

Bloggers Association of the Philippines News

ALWAYS BE THANKFUL FOR THE GIFT OF LIFE..

By: Evelyn T. Du

A lovely cake for everyone.. for the gift of life.

Message for the day...

Finding Gifts in All

Before bed each night, take the time to review your day and review the gifts you received.

When we have good days, we often find ourselves going over the details later, enjoying them a second and third time as we feel the joy of our good fortune. When we have bad days, we may find ourselves poring over the details of our misfortunes. However, we can reframe those bad days by making it a daily practice to spend some time before going to bed each night to review the gifts we received that day. Regardless of our evaluation of the day—good, bad, mediocre—we can call forth the many blessings that were present. This practice transforms our consciousness as it reveals the fullness at the heart of our lives.

Some days it’s easy to recount the gifts we’ve received; on other days, we have to look harder for the offerings of the day, but once we do, we will find there are always quite a few. We can keep it simple and be grateful for the fact that we have a roof over our head, nature, food, and our health. Once we have fully experienced these gifts, we can move outward to the gifts that may require a little more thought such as the gifts of forgiveness, tolerance and acceptance that we may have learned that day. We can also always be grateful for the people in our lives who support us, no matter how bad our day may have been.

Just reviewing the many positive offerings in our lives provides a context for our difficulties that puts them in proper perspective, but we can also make an effort to see the gifts even in adverse circumstances. This can be challenging and may require some practice before it feels authentic, but we have all had the experience of a disappointment or loss leading to a surprising gain. Just remembering this and trusting the give and take of life can help us to remember that sometimes the best gifts of all are the ones we don’t recognize right away.

                                       

 See the trees.. how big it grows..

In addition, the lessons we learn in the face of adversity are offerings in their own right, allowing us to count patience, wisdom, and fortitude alongside the other gifts of the day.
(VerGarciaBlogs)

SUCH A WONDERFUL FEELING.. IF YOU HAVE DONE SOMETHING GOOD TODAY..

Food for your heart and soul..

By: Evelyn T. Du

The Greater Cause
Some Good Reasons for Doing Good

Imagine what a different world we would live in if we all worked toward the greater good.

With all that takes place in our lives, it can sometimes be easy to overlook the fact that we’re part of something greater than ourselves—a collective consciousness, the Universe, a greater cause. Because of our tendency to forget this, we might make decisions in our lives that don’t reflect that responsibility that comes with this belonging. All too often, we focus just on the short-term, tangible gain to ourselves without worrying about its consequences. Other times, we may discard the greater cause because it seems like “hard work.” The challenge is to expand our minds so that we transcend the distinction between self and others, so we are aware of how our choices and actions can impact a greater cause.

Contributing to the greater cause does not have to be all about self-sacrifice. For example, if you plant a tree in a community space, its shelter will cool and protect you as well as your neighbors.

Or, your reward might be in the form of the beauty that you now see in that space or the sincere smiles of appreciation from neighbors. When you serve the greater cause you also serve your greater good. There is nothing that you cannot do for your highest good that will not benefit the good of all. For example, saying no to a relationship that isn’t right for you not only benefits you but serves the greater good of the other person that you are honoring with your honesty. Saying yes to your dream job not only fulfills you but also serves the people that will benefit from your enthusiasm and productivity.

When you know you are serving a greater cause, there is little room for fear and doubt. You know that what you do will benefit others, so there is no way the universe is not going to support your efforts - even if sometimes it may not look that way. Serving the greater cause allows you to live from the space of your greatness. When you know that what you do can serve a greater cause, you are aware of your power and ability to influence and create change in this world. (VerGarciaBlogs)

NESTLE PHILIPPINES ANOTHER MILESTONE FOR ITS CONTINUED SUPPORT ON FILIPINOS GROWING COFFEE INDUSTRY..

PAG-USAPAN NATIN-JUVY DE GUZMAN

Nescafé formally opens the Nestlé Lipa Integrated Coffee Center (LICC)

Nescafé, the world’s leading instant coffee brand, continues its 75th anniversary celebrations with the formal inauguration of the Nestlé Lipa Integrated Coffee Center (LICC) last July 16 in Lipa, Batangas City.

The Nestlé LICC is an agricultural research and development hub that aims to assist coffee farmers in Luzon improve the quality and quantity of their yield. Initiated by Nestlé Philippines, Inc. (NPI) and envisioned as a one-stop shop for coffee growers in the region, the center operates based on four main objectives: to expose farmers to the best Robusta coffee farming technology from Nestle, provide a venue for the training of these farmers on the proper technologies of Robusta coffee production, propagate good coffee planting materials for distribution to farmers, and share viable farming techniques to increase productivity while lowering production cost.

“We mark an important chapter of Nescafé’s history with the completion of the Nestlé LICC and the formal opening of all its operations,” said Edith de Leon, Nestlé Philippines senior vice president and head of Corporate Affairs, Nestlé Philippines. “This is a significant milestone which underlines our continuing support of the Philippine coffee industry and our commitment to creating shared value for its various stakeholders, especially the small coffee farmers.”

End-to-end services
A five-hectare, P25-million facility, the Nestlé LICC prominently features a Robusta production nursery with a current capacity to cultivate 500,000 coffee seedlings, which will be distributed to growers at cost. Over time, it is projected to increase its planting capacity to accommodate as much as 1,000,000 seedlings and become a major source of coffee planting material in the country.

The Nestlé LICC also plays a key role in propagating the Nestlé Better Farming Practices, which adhere to the principles of the Sustainable Agricultural Initiative (SAI) and the 4C (Common Code for the Coffee Community), by serving as a local R&D center for new coffee selections and a training and techno-demo center. The training programs available at the facility include Coffee Technology Training for new farmers, Coffee Specialist Training for large-scale coffee plantation personnel and Department of Agriculture technicians, and on-the-job training that focuses on the end-to-end technology of coffee growing.

Apart from these, the Nestlé LICC also houses a buying station where farmers can sell their produce directly to Nestlé at a buying price aligned with global market prices, and a composting facility for organic fertilizer.

Supporting the local coffee industry
The Nestlé LICC is only the second facility of its kind in the Philippines -- after the Nestlé Experimental and Demonstration Farm (NEDF) in Tagum City, Davao del Norte -- and plays an integral role in the local implementation of the NESCAFÉ Plan, a global initiative that supports responsible farming, production and consumption.

According to de Leon, Nestlé Philippines hopes that the Nestlé LICC will replicate the success of NEDF in Mindanao and contribute to the growth of the local coffee industry by addressing its various challenges, including the disparity between local demand and supply. Citing 2012 figures, she revealed that local demand for coffee beans totaled to over 70,000 metric tons (MT), while local production hit only 25,000 MT.

Further, she states that the opening of the Nestlé LICC will also help the company—the country’s biggest buyer of Robusta coffee beans—secure its long-term supply of coffee.

“Through the NESCAFÉ Plan, we aim to reverse the decline in local coffee production and help the country achieve coffee self-sufficiency,” added de Leon. “The opening of the Nestlé LICC represents the next big step in achieving this goal.” (VerGarciaBlogs)

AT LONG LAST DAR TO DISTRIBUTE FARM LOTS TO MORE THAN 6,000 FARMERS AT THE HACIENDA LUISITA

DAR TO START ALLOCATION OF LUISITA FARMLOTS
News Report
Submitted BY: Theresa Alpa and Juvy De Guzman
 

Qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries of Hacienda Luisita will finally know the specific farm lots that they will own for good.

The Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) today announced that their personnel will commence this July 18 the allocation of farm lots to more than 6,000 farmworkers in Hacienda Luisita.

DAR Secretary Virgilio delos Reyes noted that the allocation of farm lots, to be conducted through the drawing of lots, is a crucial step in generating the Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOAs) that will be given to qualified farmworkers in Hacienda Luisita possibly between August and September.

Unlike in rice lands where tenants occupy specific farm lots, Delos Reyes explained that farmworkers in haciendas have no permanent farm lots to claim as their own. The allocation of farm lots is necessary to identify the specific parcel of land that each qualified beneficiary will own.

Delos Reyes said the lot allocation activity will begin in Barangay Cut-cut, Tarlac City, and will continue in the succeeding days until all barangays of Hacienda Luisita are covered. The DAR-Provincial Office in Tarlac estimated that it would take them until August 21 this year to complete all the lot allocation in the vast sugar estate.

 

Hacienda Luisita is composed of 10 barangays in three municipalities in the province of Tarlac, namely: Barangays Cut-Cut, Bantog, Balete, Asturias, Lourdes and Mapalacsiao in Tarlac City; Parang, Pando and Mabilog in the town of Concepcion; and Barangay Motrico in La Paz town.

Delos Reyes explained that the allocation of farm lots to the farmworker-beneficiaries of Hacienda Luisita will be conducted using a “tambiolo” to ensure fairness and transparency in the proceedings.

 

More than 6,200 farmworkers were identified by the DAR as qualified to become agrarian reform beneficiaries in Hacienda Luisita. Each beneficiary is expected to own farm lots with an area of 6,600 square meters, more or less, from the total area of 4,099 hectares up for distribution.

In addition, around 400.87 hectares of the landholding will also be covered under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) for common use of the qualified beneficiaries. These include firebreaks (which will also serve as access roads to beneficiaries’ farm lots), canals, fishponds, eroded areas, roads, creeks/irrigation, a lagoon, railroad tracks, legal easements, concrete structures, and a buffer zone. These areas cannot be distributed to them because of their current use.

To ensure transparency of the process, Delos Reyes noted that all activities related to lot allocation in Hacienda Luisita will be open to the public.

During the drawing of lots, the beneficiary whose name is drawn from the tambiolo will be given a Lot Allocation Certificate (LAC) which will indicate the farmworker’s name as well as the lot number for the farm lot that will be allocated to him.

The LAC of beneficiaries who are not present and who did not send a representative will be kept in the meantime by the DAR. The beneficiary concerned may later claim the certificate at the DAR-Tarlac office.

After receiving the certificate, the beneficiary will then be oriented on his rights and obligations with respect to the CARP-awarded land. He then reads and signs the Application to Purchase and Farmers’ Undertaking (APFU), which signifies his intention to accept the duties and responsibilities of a qualified beneficiary.

“We have to remind our beneficiaries: only those who signed the APFU will be given land,” Delos Reyes pointed out.

He said the results of the lot allocation activities will be posted in each barangay and municipality covered by Hacienda Luisita as well as at the DAR-Tarlac Provincial Office.

Through Theresa Alpa, this is Juvy de Guzman thanking DAR for the action they made. Hoping that the Farmers will be more productive as recipient of the great allocation. Mabuhay kayo....!!!
(VerGarciaBlogs)

Bloggers Association of the Philippines: PAG-USAPAN NATIN NI: JUVY DE GUZMAN

Bloggers Association of the Philippines: PAG-USAPAN NATIN NI: JUVY DE GUZMAN: SALAMAT SA INYO.. PAG-ASANG HANDOG SA MGA BATANG MAY CANCER..... Salamat sa pag-asang ito, na naipagkaloob sa akin ng mga kaibigan....