MOMFLUENCER

Everybody loves great stories and  remembers them too. People travel to know more stories about places they go to, stories of people they meet, the food they eat and the cultural heritage they visit. I would like to suggest to the Marianas Visiting Authority to capitalise on the rich stories of the Marianas Islands to entice tourists to come over. The islands are very interesting and each has its own memorable story to tell. People love stories. Stories bring people closer together and share it with the world. Love.War. Triumph. Loss. Food. Adventure. Nature and everything in between. "Rediscover stories from the islands" Northern Mariana Islands or Marianas are three islands not known to many as a US territory through the commonwealth. According to sources, it is America's one of the best kept secrets. The islands of Saipan (the most common of the three) along with Tinian and Rota have rich stories to tell. These islands are the close neighbors of Guam. The...

The Taal Volcano is believed to be the smallest volcano in the world. Its also located in the Philippines. The best way to go to the volcano island and personally see its crater is through Club Balai Isabel in Talisay Batangas. Club Balai Isabel Batangas should be your next destination. It has all the great things needed for a complete summer getaway. Nestled along the coast of Lake Taal, this first-class resort offers a wide range of exciting activities for the family, for the barkada, for the team and for organizations big or small. My daughter and I, together with fellow bloggers stayed in a villa a few steps near everything. From the restaurant to the pool, to the lake, it was perfect for a group of 10 or more. We were  warmly welcomed by the staff and crew. Gave us refreshing welcome drinks after we toured  the club premises. Just looking at the pool beside the restaurant relaxes the senses and we stayed there until lunch time. Club Balai Isabel serve...

The Manila elites and the oligarchs in the country are baffled as to how and why Kimi and Mark Cojuangco – members of the country’s who’s who; rich, powerful, influential, son and daughter-in-law of Danding Cojuangco of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and San Miguel Corporation lost to two locals– Amado T. Espino, Jr and Amado I. Espino III respectively in the 2016 elections in Pangasinan. Pangasinan has over 1.2 million voters and belongs to the top 3 vote-rich provinces in the Philippines. My name is Vanj Padilla, I’m a digital PR strategist and this is the story. It was February 2014 when Mark Cojuangco, a kumpadre and political ally of the outgoing Governor Amado Espino, Jr, announced his gubernatorial bid in the province. While the Governor was delivering his State of the Province Adress (SOPA), just right after his report, when people and officials are lining up to him to greet him at the lobby of the Capitol Building. Many observers said, Cojuangco’s announceme...

It’s an undeniably proud moment when you learn that someone from your community took the leap of greatness and inspires others while bringing out the best in them. Young author Marianne Mencias of Alcala, Pangasinan and the youngest sister of the town’s mayor wrote her book “What’s your Life’s Masterpiece” and gladly shared to focus the story behind her book, about finding one’s purpose in life, happiness and passion. Maan, as she is fondly called, belongs to a family of six. She shares that she is very close to her family. “They are really my life’s treasure”. She loves to travel, loves to go out and hang-out and shop. She loves reading books. “Sobra!”,she emphasized. Here is the Marianne’s story and what she wants us to understand: Vanj Padilla (VP): Your book, ‘What’s your Life’s Masterpiece’, what is this about? Marianne Mencias (MM): What’s your Life’s Masterpiece is all about helping people discover their purpose, their passion. It’s really about realizing that you...

With great power comes with great responsibility – Ben Parker CD-R King Your one stop shop gives you an insightful iRover safety usage. The stylish and frolicsome appeal of iRover maybe mistaken as a toy. It is apparent to many that your futuristic iRover/hoverboard is fun to play with, but it is far from being a toy. As per DTI’s consumer’s safety requirement, it should be clear to hoverboard enthusiasts that the gadget is intended for age 14 and above. We need to realize that we should exercise proper care when using anything that has 2-wheels. Protective gear such as helmet and wrist guards, elbow and knee pads should be worn whenever onboard a hoverboard. Safety precaution for first-time users includes that the user should be in front of a sturdy handle to achieve balance in riding the iRover. Test your balance by slowly leaning back to move backwards. Gently lean forward to thrust in a slow mode forward. For novice users, always start working on a slow and steady pace un...

Known as the goat capital of Pangasinan province, and recently crowned for having the longest zipline in Southeast Asia, Balungao’s tourism industry continues to blossom. And to further raise the Municipality's treasure, the 2.5-hectare dragon fruit farm in Mt. Balungao is seen to attract visitors. Dragon fruit or Pitaya prefers free draining soil with sandy to clay loam types or sandy soils like the land that can be found in Balungao. Dragon fruit farming is widely popular in Central and South America. But thru research, it has reached different countries in Asia including the Philippines. The Mt. Balungao Dragon Fruit farm is located in Napudot Road. The farm was developed in 2010 but the hefty harvest started just 2 years ago. According to Johnny Espe, owner of the farm, an expansion is planned due to the higher demand. Espe is a nurse in profession but when he learned about the different benefits of dragon fruit, he started growing a few in their ancestral land in Balungao. He...