Monday, December 13, 2021

Watsons and Operation Smile Continues to Change Lives, One Smile at a Time

December 13, 2021 0 Comments

Every 3 minutes, a child with a cleft and lip palate is born. In the Philippines, 1 in 500 children born has a cleft and lip palate condition, a gap in the mouth that did not close during the early stages of pregnancy.


Every year, about 4,500 Filipino babies are born with this condition.


Operation Smile Philippines has helped change the lives of many children born with this condition since 1982.



Health, wellness, and beauty retailer Watsons Philippines has been a partner of Operation Smile Philippines for the past nine years and have helped transform the life of 1,986 patients. This year, as part of its mission, to Look Good, Do Good, Feel Great, Watsons teams up with OSP again to bring perfect smiles to children affected by cleft and palate. 


"The partnership was paused in 2020 because of the pandemic but this year, we are back with Smile For Good. Of course, we will be very mindful of the physical distancing restrictions, but our desire to continue to bring smiles to the children has not wavered," said Viki Encarnacion, PR & Sustainability Director of Watsons. 

 

"We are very proud to be partners with Watsons on this project for nine years running. Their dedication to transforming lives despite the pandemic is really admirable and Operation Smile is happy to be doing this with them," said Emiliano Romano, Executive Director of Operation Smile Philippines.

 

This partnership in the Philippines is part of ASW’s global commitment to bring 10,000 perfect smiles in partnership with Operation Smile. It aims to educate the public and raise awareness about cleft/lip palate conditions.



Aside from partnering with Operation Smile, A.S. Watsons Philippines is engaging with its employees, strategic partners, and customers contributing time and financial support in order to sponsor as many free surgical missions to continue changing lives, one smile at a time.


Aided by technology, Watsons Philippines pharmacists and employee volunteers will conduct hygiene orientation seminars online for the patients' families on the subject of post-operation feeding, oral and lip care. Watsons will also provide Hygiene Care Kits with oral and hand care products to the 50 kids post-operation. 


It takes as few as 45 minutes to provide a bright, beautiful new smile and a healthier, happier future for a child born with a cleft lip or cleft palate. Visit Operation Smile Philippines to know how to help make a difference in these children’s lives.


Thursday, December 2, 2021

12022021 - Palindrome and Ambigram Date

December 02, 2021 0 Comments

Did you know?

12022021 palindrome and ambigram date

Today's date, December 02, 2021, or 12022021 is both a Palindrome and an Ambigram. 

You can read the date from left to right, from right to left, and also upside down! 😱 Amazing, right?

Here are some examples of palindrome numbers and words:
  • 10-10-10
  • 11-11-11
  • 12-12-12
  • 02-02-2020
  • Kayak 
  • Madam
  • Rotator
  • Reviver
  • Level
  • Never odd or even
  • Pull up if I pull up
  • No lemons, no melon
Did you know, the longest known palindromic word is saippuakivikauppias (19 letters), which is Finnish for a dealer in lye (caustic soda). [Source: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-palindromic-word]

Friday, November 12, 2021

Live Safe with Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol

November 12, 2021 0 Comments
When the pandemic happened, all of us became more cautious and vigilant because we can't see these infectious viruses that might be just around our homes, office, etc. As parents, we always want our kids and family to be safe and healthy, that's why we are very careful whenever we go out with or without them. For us, we always wear our masks and face shields and bring our trusted alcohol wherever we go which is the Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol.

Right now, the plastic barriers on public transportation were already lifted and most establishments are re-opening and some don't require you to wear a face shield anymore. So, we needed an additional defense like Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol to protect us from viruses and germs and live safely.

With the nationwide vaccination program in full force, Filipinos can slowly enjoy various activities such as more dining options as well as doing physical activities by going to the gym. However, health experts continue to remind everyone to not let their guards down even as we gradually go back to normal. 

As there are reports of new and potentially more contagious variants, everyone must remain vigilant through following established health protocols and getting vaccinated so we can all continue to live safe and prevent the cases from surging again.

Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol

One way to prevent the spread of the virus is by always carrying a trusted rubbing alcohol brand that contains at least 70% alcohol solution whenever you go outdoors. Regular disinfection of hands and high touch surfaces using rubbing alcohol is a must nowadays.

That’s why when we do essential errands such as buying groceries, exercising outdoors, or simply going outside, disinfecting your hands and any surface you interact with goes a long way to ensure living safely for you and your family.

Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol

To provide a higher level of defense against germs in the new normal, the Philippine Society for Microbiology is recommending Defensil 70% Solution Isopropyl Alcohol.
  • It kills 99.9% of germs to give people the peace of mind that they are well-defended.
  • Starts to kill germs on contact
  • Will provide up to 12 hours of protection with constant use

Defensil 70% Solution Isopropyl Alcohol
is also pharmaceutical-grade alcohol, which means that it has passed the strictest quality standards of the Philippine Food & Drug Administration (FDA).

Skin dryness from too frequent sanitizing will also not be a worry as Defensil has moisturizing properties and is hypoallergenic, giving you one less thing to worry about when going indoors. 

"We are 100% behind the government in their efforts to prevent further spread of the virus. Defensil encourages everyone to remain vigilant now more than ever and do our part in this fight towards eventually resuming our normal way of life by adhering to social Distancing and sanitation protocols, especially when doing essential errands outdoors," shared Nikko Cruz, Brand Manager of Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol.


For more information on how to stay protected, you may visit Defensil Isopropyl Alcohol’s Facebook page at facebook.com/defensil.philippines and Instagram at instagram.com/defensil.philippines.


Stay safe, everyone!



***

*Defensil 70% Isopropyl Alcohol was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli or E. coli, and Candida albicans


Monday, October 11, 2021

Watsons Partners with Plastic Bank to Do Good for the Oceans

October 11, 2021 0 Comments

Recently, Watsons Philippines has collaborated with Plastic Bank to help reduce plastic pollution and alleviate poverty by creating livelihood as part of its Sustainability Program.

Watsons partners with Plastic Bank to Do Good for the Oceans


Plastic waste is a big problem for the environment and humanity in general: Every minute, one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into the ocean. If this continues unabated, there will be more plastic than fish in the oceans in 30 years. 


Plastic Waste Problem


Sadly, the Philippines is one of the top 3 contributors to this plastic problem. One of the major contributors to plastic waste is single-use plastics which come from retail products and lack of landfill resources, but among those things, I think the people are mostly responsible for this waste.


Sustainability has always been part of the Watsons DNA. Recognizing that the ocean stores a quarter of CO2 from the atmosphere and up to 93.4% of heat caused by the greenhouse effect, Watsons is committed to reducing the overall impact of its own-brand plastic packaging so that it may contribute to ocean protection.


The A.S. Watsons Group has banned the use of microplastics in its own brand of rinse-off cosmetics or personal care products since 2014. By the end of 2019, this ban has been extended to all brands so no rinse-off cosmetics or personal care products from any brand are sold at any Watsons stores.


Watsons Philippines offers its customers four Sustainable Choices: Clean Beauty (mindfully created products without “unwanted” ingredients), Refill and Reduce (refilling bottles and reusing containers), Better Ingredients, and Better Packaging.

Through its Impact Program Collaboration with Plastic Bank, the health, wellness, and beauty retailer will continue to Do Good for the Oceans by committing to the prevention of 50,000 kg of plastic bottles from entering the world’s oceans - the equivalent of 2.5 million bottles over the first 12 months.  


Viki Encarnacion, Watsons PR and Sustainability Director

 “At the heart of Look Good, Feel Great is Do Good. Watsons has always been at the forefront of sustainability and this collaboration with Plastic Bank only further reinforces our commitment to helping make this world a better place,” said Viki Encarnacion, Watsons PR and Sustainability Director.


David Katz, Founder, and CEO of Plastic Bank

“We are happy to team up with Watsons Philippines - a company that shares our vision of creating a regenerative economy. This collaboration showcases our unified goal of stopping ocean plastic while creating more opportunities for people living in vulnerable coastal communities,” said David Katz, Founder, and CEO of Plastic Bank.


As citizens of the Philippines, we are responsible for every plastic waste that goes into our oceans. We have to do our part too and help our LGU's and our community by recycling things at home. Recycling would then be easier if we segregate our waste properly from biodegradable non-biodegradable. By doing this, there will be lesser wastes that go into our landfills, most especially if biodegradable wastes are put into good use like making it into fertilizers.


Top 5 Things to Recycle


Waste Less Recycle More


Have you been doing these things too? :)

Check out below so you'll know. ;)


https://www.watsons.com.ph/


Monday, October 4, 2021

Solitaire - a Classic Game that Never Fades!

October 04, 2021 0 Comments
The pandemic has made almost everyone to be more active online. Some people who'd been staying at home for years or people who are quarantined get bored and stressed, so they rely on social media, binge-watching movies or TV series, and playing online games to calm their minds. I am one of them; doing these things keeps us entertained and diverts our minds from the current health crisis for a while. 

So, aside from watching Korean and Chinese TV series, I also love to play online games during my free time. One of the games that I missed playing is the Solitaire game; I remember it was one of the first games I played when we had our first computer way back in the late '90s. This old-school card game is quite addictive because it's a challenging game, plus it helps improve my mental skills and calms my mind. 

Among my favorites are Classic SolitaireSpider Solitaire, and Pyramid Solitaire

Free Classic Solitaire Card Ga,e

The goal of the Classic Solitare game is to stack the cards into sequences. These sequences are based on suits and rank. For example, the cards will be stacked K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2,  and A with no mixed suits.  Sounds easy, right? 

The rules of Classic Solitaire are:

  • Cards are arranged from left to right, with the bottom-most card of each pile placed face-up.
  • Move cards from the Table to the Foundations, beginning with the Ace of each suit.
  • The draw pile is the source of new cards. Only one card at a time can be drawn. 
  • Cards of a lower consecutive rank can be moved below a card of a higher rank, but only if the cards are of a different color.
  • The game is over when all cards are cleared or if there are no moves possible.

Play Free Spider Solitaire Game

In Classic Solitaire, all four suits are used. In Spider Solitaire, the number of suits can vary depending on your level. One suit is beginner, two is intermediate and three or four is expert level. 

In Spider Solitaire, cards must be of the same suit in order to place them in sequential order if you want to be able to move that run of cards. You can stack different suits, but then you won't be able to move them as a group.

In Classic Solitaire, the sequenced cards must be alternating red and black suits. 

Cards from the Reserve. In Classic Solitaire, players deal with a single card from the pile. In Spider Solitaire, you deal a single card to each column in the Table or Tableau. 

Spider Solitaire is arguably the most difficult of all Solitaire games. It has been estimated that the most expert players can only win around 50% of the time as many games are simply impossible to win. 

Free Pyramid Solitaire Game Online


Pyramid Solitaire differs from Classic Solitaire in that the cards are arranged in a pyramid layout. The object of the game is to remove pairs of cards that add up to a total of thirteen from a pyramid arrangement of twenty-eight cards.

Pyramid Solitaire


The rules of Pyramid Solitaire are:


  • The game is played with one 52 card deck.
  • Deal cards to form a pyramid, starting with a row of one card, followed by a row of two cards, and so on, down to a final row of seven cards.
  • The pyramid will consist of twenty-eight cards in total shown face-up.
  • Pair cards to total thirteen. These pairs are moved from play. 
  • Kings can be removed without pairing, as Kings are worth thirteen points. 
  • Only open cards can be paired. 
  • When you can't make another move, from the pyramid or from the draw and waste pile, and you have no more deals left, the game is lost. 
  • The game is won when all cards are removed from the pyramid. 

Garden Secrets Hidden Objects Games

I really enjoyed playing Solitaire games, you might not have thought about it, but this game also teaches us about decision making which we can apply in our life. ;)

Aside from playing Solitaire, I also love playing other games such as the Hidden Object Games and Word Games.

Garden Secrets Hidden Objects Games

Word Game - Letter Scramble

So far, these are some of the games that I liked and keep me entertained at home. For more free online games that are fun to play, check out https://www.solitaire.org/free-online-games.


Friday, October 1, 2021

Hello, October!

October 01, 2021 0 Comments

Hello, October! :) 

I missed doing designs at Canva, so I decided to customize my laptop's wallpaper a few days ago and I had fun tweaking the design and adding photos of my family to it. Here's the output of my Customized Desktop Wallpaper! :) 

Cute Customized Desktop Wallpaper

I also made a wallpaper for my daughter's tablet using Canva, and she's sooo happy when she saw it that she immediately set it as her tablet's wallpaper. Isn't it cute? She loves bunnies and unicorns, so I added those images to this design. :)


Customized Tablet Wallpaper - Android

I really love Canva because you can make a lot of things from it - may it be for personal, school, work or business. Don't have this awesome tool, yet?  Sign Up for an account at Canva now!

Sunday, September 5, 2021

Help Save the Planet with Watsons Sustainable Choices

September 05, 2021 0 Comments

With more and more people aware of the current environmental challenges we face, like climate change, brands such as Watsons have made it their duty to listen, search and adapt in their own way.


Watsons Sustainable Choices


Thus, the campaign SUSTAINABLE CHOICES by Watsons was created. Launched to promote products that will fit into customers' sustainable lifestyles, Watsons hopes to create a ripple effect that would make people inspired to do the right thing for themselves, and for everyone to keep making sustainable choices in their daily lives. 


Sustainable Choices will help customers “Look Good. Do Good. Feel Great” and, in the process, reduce their environmental footprint as the retailer puts sustainability at the core of brand development and sourcing, from packaging to ingredient choices.


Clean Beauty - Watsons Sustainable Choices


These are aimed to help shoppers make Sustainable Choices by providing them with better options, including Clean Beauty, the use of Better Ingredients, and Better Packaging and Refilling, as part of a long-term commitment to protecting the environment anchored on four pillars-Community, People, Customers, and Planet.



Clean Beauty - Watsons Sustainable Choices

Clean Beauty


Carrying a wide range of Clean Beauty products available at affordable prices, the store's Clean Beauty products contain better ingredients that are sourced responsibly with an eye toward sustainability. These products don’t contain ingredients like Hydroquinone, Triclosan, Quaternium-15, Chloroacetamide, Triclocarban, Phthalates, O-phenyl phenol, Borates, Methylene glycol, and Microplastic beads. Watsons Philippines recognize brands and products that were carefully created to benefit consumers, the community, and the planet. For a list of Clean Beauty products, check this out https://www.watsons.com.ph/clean-beauty.


Watsons Sustainable Choices - Choose Refill
Reuse & Refill  

Watsons Philippines believe in reusing so it will make refill packs available for purchase so they can reuse the original containers of shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and other personal care products, enabling them to create a habit that helps reduce waste going into landfills.


With over 8 million tons of plastic being thrown into the ocean every year, the retailer is taking a proactive stand on the use of less plastic and choosing a better plastic for packaging. 


Watsons Sustainable Choices - Better Ingredients
Better Ingredients 

Palm Oil and its derivatives are used in 70% of beauty products, and with its yield being far better than any other crop, there is no way to remove it from formulations. The problem with palm oil is that it is extremely harmful to the environment.


Watsons Philippines is committed to sourcing, offering, and promoting the best possible product options, made from ingredients that are sustainable and responsibly managed such as Sustainable Palm Oil. (Roundtable for Sustainable Plan Oil/RSPO-certified). By putting systems in place to promote sustainable palm will lead to less deforestation, a more sustainable health & beauty industry.



Watsons Sustainable Choices - Better Packaging

Better Packaging 

Biodegrading of plastic bottles takes 450+ years, while plastic bags take a grueling 20+ years, adding grave impact to the environment. Watsons Philippines promotes products packaged in recycled containers by encouraging the use of 100% sustainable paper packaging that comes from sustainably and responsibly managed forests and plantations or using bio-based or post-consumer recycled plastics. In stores, it has been encouraging shoppers to refuse single-use plastics wherever they go and instead, bring their reusable shopping bags or use eco-friendly totes.



Look Good, Do Good & Feel Great with sustainable choices 


“Sustainable brands and products recognized by Watsons should go beyond ingredients that make users beautiful inside and out. They must also uphold ethical business practices and encourage initiative in buying and sourcing ingredients. These brands should also look toward minimizing waste in their supply chain as well, and where and when possible, we are also looking at their use of packaging and their recycling and upcycling programs. It's rallying our partners and suppliers to Do Good with us,” said Viki Encarnacion, Watsons' Public Relations and Sustainability Director.


Do Good Acts

Watsons believe beyond its customers; everyone can make an impact by making simple sustainable choices every day. By embodying the “Look Good. Do Good. Feel Great” ideology, it helps us all ensure that our planet looks good for future generations by doing good today and every day!


For more information, you may visit https://interactive.watsons.com.ph/sustainablechoices