5 reasons the new, mouthwatering Cream-O Brownie Soft Cookies are #SnackGoals

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 Get the limited-edition treat while you can, Cream-Oholics!

Make your me-time moments more “choco-happy” with Cream-O Brownie Soft Cookies

There's a new snack in town that might just rock the world of chocolate lovers. We're talking a new and unique source of choco-happiness sent down from the deities up there in choco-heaven: the new and limited-edition Cream-O Brownie Soft Cookies.

Enjoy your favorite me-time activity with Cream-O Brownie Soft Cookies

So, if you’re wondering what it tastes like, here’s what you need to know about Cream-O Brownie Soft Cookies:

Double the treat, double the fun

With Cream-O Brownie Soft Cookies you can experience the best of both worlds as it combines two popular snack formats in one scrumptious bite. It’s both a soft, chewy cookie and a rich, fudgy brownie. As an amazing bonus, there’s even chocolate cream surprise once you take a bite.

“Choco-tastic” Sensation

This treat definitely delivers when it comes to chocolate. From the deep, cookie-brownie base to the choco cream filling, it's a chocolate lover's (or Cream-Oholic’s) dream come true. Just a warning: extreme levels of “choco-happiness” may occur.

Softness overload

Forget crumbly cookies and dry brownies. Cream-O Brownie Soft Cookies are all about that delectable and smooth texture. They’re flavor bombs, with each blissful bite into that soft and chewy cookie.

Me-time but better

Enjoy your favorite me-time activity — like cozying up to a good book, listening to your favorite inspirational podcasts, or watching your favorite true crime or K-drama series — much, much more with a glass of creamy milk or a cup of joe and this heavenly treat by your side.

Limited-edition magic

Cream-O Brownie Soft Cookies are like shooting stars in the snack galaxy, a fleeting moment of pure deliciousness. So, grab these limited-edition treats while you can.

Cream-O Brownie Soft Cookies aren't just a snack; they can be a great partner to make your me-time moments more “choco-happy”. Go forth, Cream-Oholics, and snag this limited-edition treat.

Get the new Cream-O Brownie Soft Cookie online via URC shops or shop it at Robinsons Supermarkets, Robinsons Department Store, Robinsons Easymart, Shopwise, The Marketplace, Puregold, SM Supermarket, and Uncle John’s.

Follow Cream-O on Facebook and Instagram for updates on all their future choco-creations.

Jack ‘n Jill Cream-O is a product of Universal Robina Corporation (URC), maker of well-loved Pinoy snack and beverage products such as C2 Cool and Clean, Great Taste Coffee, Jack ‘n Jill Piattos, Nova, Maxx, Cloud 9, Magic Crackers, and many others. To learn more about URC, visit its website (www.urc.com.ph), Facebook page (@URCPhilippines) and TikTok account (@URCPhilippines). 

                    

5 creative ways to make after-school activities more fun

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Kids spend most of their weekdays in school. From classes to extracurricular activities, they deserve a fun treat when they get home, especially after a long day. This is the perfect opportunity for parents to get creative with after-school activities as a reward for kids doing an awesome job in their classes and finishing their assignments on time.

If you need ideas to make your kids’ after-school routine more fun and rewarding, here are some suggestions:

#1 Get crafty and make a calming jar

A calming jar is a sensory item that can help relax anyone that shakes it. You can easily make this with your kids by pouring glitters, hand soap, and watercolor in a clear jar – then mix! This will create a shimmery mixture that can be compared to a snow globe when shaken. This is a great artsy activity that you can do in just a few minutes.

#2 Sing your heart out

Music can uplift anyone’s mood. Once your kids are done with their homework, you can play their favorite songs on Spotify or put on lyric videos on YouTube to have a videoke party in your sala as a treat to them. To make it more fun and exciting, dress up as your favorite singers, so you’ll really feel like you’re in their shoes. Dancing is also highly encouraged!

#3 Get active and create new games at the park

Nothing beats park dates after school. Take your kids to a nearby park where you can spend time at the playground before going home. You can also organize a scavenger hunt but with a twist where kids are challenged to find as many items in different colors as they can. And by the end of a timer, the one with the most number of items wins. This can help kids de-stress and feel recharged before they start on their assignments and go back to school the next day.

#4 Whip up a fun, yummy drink

Chocolate is always a great reward after a long day or week in school. An easy recipe that you and your kids can do at home is the Funtasy Mallows Fudge Freeze, a colorful shake made with Swiss Miss Funtasy Mallows. The product is made with premium chocolate and real milk, topped with colorful marshmallows. Turn the day around and level up the fun with this snack time drink.

Make after-school activities more fun and rewarding for your kids with Swiss Miss Funtasy Mallows

Here’s what you need to make a Funtasy Mallows Fudge Freeze:

INGREDIENTS (Good for two servings)

●       2 packs Swiss Miss Funtasy Mallows

●       ½ cup water

●       2 cups vanilla Ice cream

●       1 cup ice

●       Marshmallows

●       Whipped cream (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

●       Dissolve 2 Swiss Miss Funtasy Mallows in ½ cup water

●       Add 2 cups ice cream, 1 cup ice, and Swiss Miss Funtasy Mallows mixture in a blender

●       Add marshmallows in a glass

●       Pour Funtasy Mallow Fudge Freeze mixture in glass

●       Add toppings

#5 Indoor movie nights made fun

Watching a movie together at home is a great bonding activity for the whole family. Decorate your sala with fairy lights and movie posters to add more ambiance for the best indoor movie experience. Get your snacks and Funtasy Mallow Fudge Freeze, and get cozy on the couch while enjoying your chosen flick. This is a fun way to reward your kids with an exciting viewing experience after school days.

These after-school activities are a great way to let your kids have fun before another school day, and also appreciated for their hard work. Your kids will certainly appreciate every treat that you give them.

Make them more special with a delicious drink made with Swiss Miss Funtasy Mallows, like the Funtasy Mallows Fudge Freeze. This will surely add a creative and refreshing spin to rewards.

For more recipe videos, follow Swiss Miss Philippines on Facebook.

3 fun Halloween ideas for the whole family

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The Halloween season is one of those occasions where kids, teens, and adults can get creative and have fun together. Whether it’s dressing up for a Halloween costume party or sharing candies you’ve gathered while Trick or Treating, there are a number of ways you can bring smiles to each other during this spooky occasion.

Here’s how you can inject more fun into your Halloween party with loved ones:

#1 Paint your spookiest and cutest looks

Level up your costumes with attention-grabbing face painting, which you can do at home with your family. You can go the creepy route and help turn ate or kuya into a zombie or skeleton, while bunso can be a cute kitten. You can also let the kids paint on your face to let their creativity shine. Don’t forget to take a family photo to preserve the fun Halloween memory!

#2 Bond over horror movies & ghost stories

Bring an extra spooky vibe to your Halloween parties with a movie marathon of horror movies and sharing ghost stories with loved ones. You can also put on family-friendly Halloween movies for the kiddos. Of course, don’t forget to prepare treats you can enjoy, like soft Lush candies.

#3 Get your dose of Trick or Treat sweets

Complete your Halloween with Trick or Treat activities. Let your kids experience Trick or Treating within your neighborhood or participate in fun Halloween activities at a nearby mall. You can also bring packs of Lush Strawberry Milk and Chocolate to bring smiles to other kids and adults alike at these events.

Make your Halloween gathering with family and friends even more fun by sharing a pack of Lush candies. Their deliciously sweet Chocolate and Strawberry Milk flavors will bring smiles to anyone you share them with. These are also great treats to have for your Trick or Treat needs. Enjoy!

Lush is available at your nearest supermarket and sari-sari store, as well as URC’s official stores in leading E-commerce platforms. You can also order now and have it delivered to your doorstep via Shopee for only Php38.00 per pack of 50.

Make Halloween activities with family and friends even more fun by enjoying Lush candies. This delicious candy comes in Chocolate and Strawberry Milk flavors.

Robina Farms Cage-Free Specialty Eggs bring nutritious, high-quality eggs to Filipino homes

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Cage-free hens produce quality eggs. This is why Universal Robina Corporation (URC) ensures that Filipino households can have only the best for their everyday meals with Robina Farms Cage-Free Specialty Eggs.

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Quality eggs for every Filipino home. Robina Farms meets the growing need for safe and nutritious produce with Cage-Free Specialty Eggs.

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Under URC’s agro-industrial arm, Robina Farms focuses on providing clean and safe quality meat and produce to Filipinos. Its Cage-Free Specialty Eggs are harvested from the Robina Poultry Farm, which received the Good Animal Husbandry Practices (GAHP) certification from the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI). The product is also certified No Antibiotic Residue, No Hormone Administered.

Now becoming a global trend, cage-free eggs are laid by free-roaming hens. According to a study, these are said to have dramatically lowered risks of salmonella and other dangerous bacteria compared to eggs from caged hens. By allowing hens to carry out natural behaviors before nesting, there are far greater chances to achieve food safety, nutritional value, and overall quality, while also keeping hens healthy. As of 2022, more than 2,000 companies worldwide had pledged to source 100% cage-free eggs. (Source: Lever Foundation).

Robina Farms ensures that its Cage-Free Specialty Eggs can meet the Filipinos’ demand for high-quality products. These are available in packs of x12s and x6s at Robinsons Supermarket and Puregold branches, as well as in Fisher Mall. These can also be ordered online through GoCart. 

For more information, you can check out Robina Farms’ Facebook and Instagram pages https://www.facebook.com/RobinaFarmsPH/ and https://www.instagram.com/robinafarms.ph/ or join its Facebook Community, https://www.facebook.com/groups/eatsrobinafarms

You Can Try These Recipes From URC Flour's YouTube Channel

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Chocolate Chip Muffins

Do you own a startup bakery and need information on how to level it up? Or perhaps you dream of opening one but don’t know how. The good news is you can find information you need on URC Flour’s YouTube Channel! Here, expert bakers share useful tips on product costing, batching computation, different baking methods (and their pros and cons), flour science, and many delicious recipes!

Here are five recipes from URC Flour’s Youtube Channel that you can include in your bakery or food business’ menu:

Chocolate Chip Muffins

This moist and fluffy treat is a must on any bakery’s menu! You can have them for breakfast, merienda, baon, or dessert. Plus, they go well with almost any beverage—from coffee, milk, juice, or chocolate milk. They’re also an ideal pastry for customers looking for a snack to take out thanks to their munchable size.

Get the recipe here.

Cream Puffs

You don’t need to fly to France to enjoy a fresh batch of cream puffs. Explore ways of making a pate a choux or cabbage paste, which serves as foundation for several pastries. Know the importance of bringing ingredients to a boil, using the right flour, and cooking the dough thoroughly at the right heat level.

Get the recipe here.

Bento Cake (great for gifts!)

Super buttery and small enough to fit inside take-out boxes, Bento Cakes make great gifts to give loved ones on their special day, especially if they can’t finish one whole cake! This recipe will teach you two ways of baking a Yellow Layer Bento Cake.

Get the recipe here.

Garlic Pan de Sal

Level up your favorite morning bread with a couple more ingredients and a lesson in yeast variation. Educate yourself about the difference between using active dry yeast and instant dry yeast. How does it affect the bread volume, crust color, and crumb structure?

Get the recipe here.

Cranberry Walnut Bread

Healthy food options are in high demand right now, so how about including healthy bread in your menu? Mix in your favorite berries and nuts for a healthy, fiber-filled bread. Plus, you’ll even learn about two types of ovens and how they affect the quality of the baked goods you produce.

Get the recipe here.

Get ready to bake and try these recipes and more by visiting URC Flour’s Youtube Channel!

URC Flour’s Youtube Channel aims to empower home bakers and pastry chefs by providing them with useful recipes, techniques, and information on baking science. It also shares ways to make the most of URC’s consistently high-quality flour products.

URC Flour will also be releasing new episodes this year, so tune in and don’t miss out on your chance to learn and level up!

Fall in love with the NEW Nips Strawberry Delight

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Jack ‘n Jill Nips’ NEWEST flavor, Strawberry Delight, reawakens that inner child in you and fall in love again with one of your favorite childhood treats. 

What do you remember most about your childhood? As you grow older, the fun and exciting memories are usually the ones you can easily look back to. Reminiscing the days spent playing games with your childhood friends while enjoying goodies can instantly put a smile on your face. 

Take a trip back on your taste bud’s memory lane with an exciting twist courtesy of one of your childhood favorites, Nips. Now it comes in a delightful new flavor that’ll make you fall in love with this treat all over again.

The NEW Nips Strawberry Delight is a yummy and affordable treat that is made with creamy Ruby Cocoa, balanced with a luscious strawberry flavor—all lovingly embraced by a crunchy candy coating that we all grew to love.

There’s no doubt that Nips played a huge role in our childhood. Its irresistible, creamy, and delicious chocolate flavor makes reminiscing about the good old days the best. But the good days don’t have to stay in the past. You can relive and experience these moments with your friends – both old and new. Nips will surely give you a blast from the past with a twist of new and exciting flavor with Nips Strawberry Delight.

Enjoy the new Nips Strawberry Delight as you reminisce fun childhood memories with your buddies such as playing games on the streets or using your console games.

Don’t miss out on this new flavor because it will surely bring you back to the first time you tasted Nips! Plus, Nips is still that affordable treat you’ve always known. For only Php 16 SRP, it comes in a 40g pouch that makes it easy to bring and eat anywhere and anytime. Just head on down to your favorite supermarket or local stores to grab a bag or two for you and your buddies.

Falling in love again never tasted this good! Follow Jack ‘n Jill Nips on Facebook page for more updates.

Nips is a product of Universal Robina Corporation (URC), makers of well-loved Pinoy snacks and drinks such as C2, Great Taste, Jack ‘n Jill Piattos, Cream-O and Maxx. to know more about URC and its brands, visit www.urc.com.ph.

Make your child’s home learning more fun with these exciting snack recipes

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To make snack time even more delightful, parents can get creative in preparing goodies for their kids who do home learning. Whether their little ones need a quick pick-me-up in between online classes, or something to much-on to energize them as they do homework, here are yummy and easy-to-make snacks that are sure to fit the bill.

Make your kids’ snack-time more exciting by preparing these yummy treats using Jack ‘n Jill biscuits and cakes

Delightful Fried Cream-Os 

With its crunchy, bitter-sweet chocolate cookies and rich creamy vanilla or chocolate filling, Jack ‘n Jill Cream-O is yummy on its own. With this new twist, parents can make this even more delightful for their kids.

Start by mixing pancake batter with water according to package directions, or creating his or her own batter by combining flour, water, milk, and eggs. Dip the Cream-O into the batter then fry in hot oil for about two (2) minutes or until they are golden-brown. Place the Cream-Os on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Serve and enjoy!

No-bake Quake Overload Chocolate Cake

Moms and dads can try this no-bake chocolate cake for their kids’ dessert during lunch break.

First, prepare the frosting by whisking an all-purpose cream until it thickens. Once it doubles its size, pour half (1/2) a can of condensed milk and mix it well together. Place it inside the refrigerator to chill for an hour.

When the frosting is ready, start assembling the cake by slicing the Jack ‘n Jill Quake Overload cake bars in half horizontally to create two even layers. Spread some of the frosting onto the bottom cake layer. Place the second layer and put the remaining frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Add some crushed Cream-O bits as the finishing touch. Put the cake in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Magic Flakes Tuna Nuggets

Here’s an interesting twist on the classic tuna sandwich that both adults and their kids will surely enjoy.

To make this recipe, combine one (1) can of tuna, two (2) packs of crushed Jack ‘n Jill Magic Flakes Plain, two (2) tablespoons of flour, one (1) minced onion, salt, and pepper. Mix all ingredients thoroughly and form into nuggets—get creative as you mold them into different shapes and sizes. Fry the Magic Flakes Tuna Nuggets until they are golden brown and serve it with your kid’s favorite dipping sauce!

Presto Peanut Butter Cups

This snack is a must-try for parents whose kids are peanut butter lovers.

To start, one will need one (1) cup of melted chocolate bar and one (1) cup of melted Presto Peanut Butter cream filling. In a cupcake tin, pour one (1) to two (2) tablespoons of the melted chocolate and place in the refrigerator to set. Top the chocolate with the same amount of the melted Presto Peanut Butter cream filling. Sprinkle some crushed Presto cookie bits on top and refrigerate for an hour before serving.

Choco Knots Cereal Mix

Parents can prepare this easy-to-follow recipe for their kids who love breakfast cereals and Jack ‘n Jill Choco Knots

In a nonstick pan, melt marshmallows over medium heat. To avoid burning, mix it every 30 seconds. Once it’s melted, pour in the rice cereal, chocolates, and Choco Knots bits. Stir the ingredients until fully combined then cut into smaller squares. Let cool and set before serving.

Parents can even try making strawberry or milk-flavored version of this by simply substituting Choco Knots with Berry or Milky Knots variant.

Wafrets Chocolate Milkshake

Moms and dads can serve this yummy wafer milkshake for their kids as a refreshing companion of during recess.

Simply cut Jack ‘n Jill Wafrets into smaller pieces and combine it with milk, ice cream, and sugar. Place the mixture in a blender and blend until it’s smooth and creamy. Garnish the milkshake with a stick of Wafrets and enjoy!

Dewberry Ice Cream Cake

After a productive session at school, adults can reward their little ones with this yummy dessert using Dewberry.

To make this, put crushed Dewberry into a bowl. Add a quarter (1/4) cup of melted butter and mix well. Once done, press the mixture into a greased pan -- this will be the crust of the ice cream cake.

Next, spread vanilla ice cream over the crust and let it freeze for two (2) hours. Before serving, drizzle some chocolate syrup and add some Dewberry crumbs. This fruity cake would surely be a hit for kids at home.

Do you have creative recipes in mind featuring Jack ‘n Jill Biscuits and Cakes? Post them on Facebook and use the hashtag #JacknJillSnacktimeFavorites.

Jack ‘n Jill Cream-O, Quake Overload, Magic Flakes, Presto Creams, Choco Knots, Dewberry, and Wafrets are proudly-made Filipino products of Universal Robina Corporation (URC).

Learn more about URC by visiting its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/urcphilippines.

 

Bike for Good: Baker John partners with GMA Kapuso Foundation for Livelihood Project

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Baker John, Universal Robina Corporation’s (URC) brand of bread, recently teamed up with GMA Kapuso Foundation for the “Bike for Good” project. Through this partnership, 30 beneficiaries will receive bikes and bread products from Baker John.

“Our goal is to provide assistance to those who are trying to adapt to this new, challenging situation in the time of the COVID pandemic. Through this partnership, we hope the beneficiaries selected by GMA Kapuso Foundation will have the will -- and the wheels -- to keep going,” said Ellison Lee, URC Flour and Bread Division’s Managing Director.

 According to Lee, the Bike for Good project provides each of the 30 beneficiaries with a bicycle and a negosyo starter package consisting of Baker John products. “We want to assist them in kicking off their community selling business which can help them with their livelihood,” Lee shared.

TEAMING UP FOR BIKE FOR GOOD. Rikki Escudero-Catibog, GMA Kapuso Foundation Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, (left) and Ellison Lee, URC Flour and Bread Division Managing Director sign the agreement formalizing the partnership for the Bike for Good livelihood donation.

In choosing the beneficiaries, the project prioritizes those who lost their livelihood due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as residents of Metro Manila and Rizal who have lost their source of income due to the typhoons Rolly and/or Ulysses.

PROVIDING LIVELIHOOD THROUGH WHEELS: GMA Kapuso Foundation Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (left) Rikki Escudero-Catibog together with URC Flour and Bread Division Managing Director Ellison Lee check the bread-and-bike livelihood package from Baker John for the Bike for Good beneficiaries.

Apart from this, GMA Kapuso Foundation chose beneficiaries who are physically able, have the can do spirit, and willing to use the bicycle to sell Baker John’s bread in their community as a source of alternative livelihood for their family.

“COVID and typhoon Ulysses brought economic devastation to residents of NCR. GMA Kapuso Foundation is happy to help Baker John and URC find beneficiaries. It is a very difficult time but in time of great adversity there is also opportunity. Do not lose hope,” stated Ms. Rikki Escudero-Catibog, GMA Kapuso Foundation’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

Baker John is URC’s very own line of tasty premium bread products available in selected Robinsons, Rustan’s, Shopwise, and Walter Mart supermarkets, and Ministop branches nationwide. Visit www.urcflour.com today for more information.

  

URC Flour launches nationwide search for the next Filipino bake masters : Flourish Pilipinas: Bake It Happen! Nationwide Baking Competition 2016

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Calling all culinary arts students who want to become one of the country’s future bake masters! You can Bake It Happen now! 

Universal Robina Corporation (URC) Flour, one of the country’s top flour millers, is challenging culinary arts students to showcase their bread- and cake-making skills in the Flourish Pilipinas: Bake It Happen! Nationwide Baking Competition 2016.

Sponsored by Yummy Magazine, Masflex Kitchenpro, Masflex Cookware and Kitchenware, Coco Natura, RM Boxes, KitchenAid, Actron Industries, Inc., and Sonlie International, Inc., Flourish Pilipinas: Bake It Happen! is a bake-off that celebrates unique and proudly Pinoy flour-based breads and pastries.

Make it happen at the Flourish Pilipinas: Bake it Happen! Nationwide baking competition, where students become future baking masters.

To join the competition, Culinary Arts or Hotel and Management course students are encouraged to submit original recipes in the Breads or Cakes categories.

Baked creations should incorporate a non-functional ingredient and make use of any of the URC Flour brands such as Blend 100 Flour, Continental All-Purpose Flour, Daisy Cake Flour, FibrA+ Whole Wheat Flour, Globe First-Class Flour, My Rose Soft Flour, and Sampaguita Soft Flour.

Shortlisted teams will vie in the Flourish Pilipinas: Bake It Happen! Visayas/Mindanao and GMA/Luzon regional competitions. These will be held at the University of Mindanao in Davao City and Center for Culinary Arts in Manila, respectively. All finalists will be given a challenge and a surprise ingredient to use during the bake-off.

“We are very excited to once again seek out the most talented student bakers through the Flourish Pilipinas baking competition. With URC Flour brands that cater to every baking need, these future master bakers would surely be able to whip up some of the most fascinating creations to showcase their baking prowess,” said Ellison Lee, URC Flour VP and general manager.

Trophies, certificates, and more than P300,000 worth of prizes await the winners while regional grand champions will also receive internships with one of the country’s prestigious hotels, the Crowne Plaza Hotel and a feature in Yummy Magazine.

So hurry, join the country’s most prestigious baking competition. The complete contest details and mechanics as well as downloadable entry forms can be found on the Flourish Pilipinas 3 Facebook page. 

Deadline for submission of entries is on September 30, 2016.

Flourish Pilipinas: Bake It Happen! Nationwide Baking Competition 2016 Media Edition

Last June 29, the media announcement of the Flourish Pilipinas: Bake It Happen! Nationwide Baking Competition 2016,  a fun and unique 'Media Edition' competition was held at the Galastars Culinary School at the Pasig City. 

A simple task was to bake Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipping Cream, recipe by Chef Ernest Reynoso Gala.

Ten teams with two members, provided with complete ingredients and essential kitchen and baking equipment, and a secret ingredient to make it. All teams bake it happen! 

The Board of Judges reviewed the cupcakes based on taste, appearance, creativity.

Team 8 was declared as the winner of Universal Robina Corporation "Flourish Pilipinas Bake It Happen" Baking Competition 2016 Media Edition with Pehpot Pineda of Mommy Pephot and Myrns Roman of Enjoying Wonderful World and Arts & Travel Magazine.

To all culinary arts students, Make it happen at the Flourish Pilipinas: Bake it Happen! Nationwide baking competition, where students become future baking masters.

Submit your entries, deadline is on September 30, 2016. Bake it happen and Goodluck! 

Scavenger with big dreams hailed as global kids’ inspiration

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The first Southeast Asian, Kesz Valdez to receive the award from the 2012 International Children’s Peace Prize by the Netherlands-based Kids Rights Foundation.

Maltreated by his own parents, Cris “Kesz” Valdez ran away from home. He was four years old at that time. Growing up, he kept himself alive by sleeping atop tombs and begging in the slums of Manila. Despite the challenges he faced at a very young age, Kesz channeled the negative into positive. As a result, he was awarded with the 2012 International Children’s Peace Prize by the Netherlands-based Kids Rights Foundation. He is the first Southeast Asian to receive the award.

A kind-hearted man saves the dayz. Cold, hungry, and covered in scabs, Kesz was spotted by Harnin “KB” Manalaysay, founder of local Christian charity group Club 8586, who eventually enrolled him in an alternative learning program known as the Kariton Klasrum.

Developed by KB and CNN 2009 Hero of the Year Efren Peñaflorida, the Kariton Klasrum is a program where volunteers wheel wooden pushcarts filled with learning materials and sanitation supplies into shantytowns to teach basic education and hygiene practices to out-of-school children. It was through the Kariton Klasrum that Kesz learned how to read, write, and care for himself.However, upon returning home, Kesz was forced to scavenge once again. KB took him in and treated him as his own after Kesz met an accident that severely burned parts of his arms and back.When Kesz turned seven, KB offered to throw a birthday celebration. It could have been Kesz’s first time to experience such, but he thought of others before himself. Instead of receiving a birthday treat, he asked KB if he could give gifts to street children in Cavite instead. With KB’s full support, he gave out slippers, snacks and other items that he aptly called Gifts of Hope. That same year and at such a young age, Kesz made the bold decision to reach out to more children by starting his very own organization.

Kesz makes his own mark in society. Filled with compassion for others and inspired by people who continually give without expecting anything in return, Kesz founded the Championing Community Children or C3. 

“My classmates and I were thrilled when the construction of the second floor began,” says Kesz Valdez, founder of Championing Community Children (C3). Kesz along with other grade nine students take their classes inside the classrooms donated by Universal Robina Corporation.

“We hope to make a difference by teaching kids four basic things: hygiene, rights, nutrition, and gardening.” Kesz firmly believes that by teaching kids the importance of proper hygiene, informing them about their basic rights, distributing nourishing snacks, and sharing ways on how to create a greener environment for all, out-of-school youth will be more prepared in the challenges life offers.

Since its inception in 2005, C3 has helped thousands of kids and is continuously making significant changes in the lives of many. Because of this organization, Kesz rose to fame as the first Southeast Asian to receive the International Children's Peace Prize award. 

“I was given a trophy, an international podium where I can talk about children’s needs and supplementary educational support until I graduate from college,” shared Kesz. The awardee cleared that he did not receive any money from the foundation that bestowed the recognition.

An abundance of blessings. Kesz still leads a humble yet inspiring life with his foster parents in Cavite City, where he is a grade 9 pupil in DTC’s educational program. Kesz and his classmates take their classes in the URC Learning center, an educational facility sponsored by Universal Robina Corporation (URC). Adding fun and excitement to their classes, the walls of the learning center are adorned with colorful murals of URC brands such as Jack ‘n Jill Knots, Chiz Curls, Magic Flakes, Fun Fries, Wafrets, Roller Coaster, Refresh, C2, and Payless Instant Mami.

John Lloyd brings #MagicMoments to unsuspecting fans

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John Lloyd Cruz, the Magic Man has struck again!  This time in selected areas nationwide, as he springing into the lives of unsuspecting people during their daily routines, Magic Crackers’ longtime endorser brought with him surprises and special prizes that transformed ordinary situations into magical moments. 

As part of the “Nothing Like Magic” campaign of Universal Robina Corporation’s (URC) Jack ‘n Jill Magic, John Lloyd visited Laguna, Pampanga, Cebu, Iloilo and Manila to show that magic moments can happen to anyone, anywhere and anytime, when he and Magic Crackers are around.

One could not believe her eyes when she read her instant prize: “Congratulations! You win a BIG hug from John Lloyd Cruz, NOW NA!” She was even more shocked when the charming actor appeared out of nowhere and gave her and one-year-old son Jehoram Mendigorin a warm embrace. John Lloyd also gave the housewife a Magic Family Treat worth P50,000, which consists of URC products and shopping money. 

At the Centro Supermarket in San Pablo City, Laguna, the magic moment happened when 29-year-old Charita Tuyogan bought a pack of Magic Flakes which entitled her to pick an instant prize from a bowl at the Magic booth. 

“Ang sarap palang magka-Magic Moment,” said Charita upon learning of her prize.

A lucky grocer at the Iloilo Supermart got the surprise of her life when, after being made to wait for a sample product, she came face-to-face with John Lloyd who personally replenished the stocks in the Magic booth. Aside from meeting the matinee idol, special education student Karen Almojallas of Lapaz, Iloilo City also received a Magic Back-To-School Package worth P50,000, which consists of a laptop and Robinsons gift checks. At the Iloilo Airport, John Lloyd pulled a surprise on Micah Seminio of Calumpang, General Santos City as she was waiting for her flight home. The celebrity approached the unwary passenger and talked to her, acting as if they were old friends who have not seen each other for a long time. To celebrate the magic moment, the award-winning actor gifted her with a Magic Shopping Treat worth P50,000, which consists of URC products and Robinsons gift checks. 

At the Clark International Airport in Pampanga, 27-year-old overseas Filipino worker Jennifer Daquigan of Sta. Maria, Pangasinan was waiting for her flight to Hong Kong when she suddenly noticed John Lloyd sitting in front. She was thrilled when the matinee idol started talking to her and was excited when the Magic Man presented her with a Magic Negosyo Starter worth P50,000 of URC products.

“Napakasaya, ang sarap ng feeling” was how the lucky OFW summed up her Magic moment experience.

Angeles Public Market store owner Corazon Ocampo experienced a unique and rewarding surprise. A URC delivery guy who looked exactly like John Lloyd Cruz, came over one day not only to deliver boxes of Magic Crackers but also to give her a Magic Vacation Package worth P50,000, inclusive of airfare via Cebu Pacific, 2-night accommodation and pocket money.

At the Robinsons Supermarket in Fuente, Cebu, Jenevie Verances got excited upon knowing she will receive a freebie after purchasing Magic Flakes. Her excitement turned to tears of joy when the Magic man appeared out of nowhere to give her another gift—a Magic Domestic Vacation Package worth P50,000.

For University of Cebu students Rosa May Roa, Grace Alcovendas, Bob Burton Paglinawan, Exille Dio Golvin and Harold Hope Ariar, an ordinary trip to a photo booth turned into a magical moment when John Lloyd suddenly appeared to give them a Magic Rainy Day Shopping Spree consisting of P50,000 worth of Robinsons gift checks. During their school’s annual pep rally, little did the students of the Technological Institute of the Philippines Manila know that simply participating in one of the games could win them such a magical moment. After a series of elimination games, Ester Policarpio, Jomabell Loscano, Sheryll Limpios, Zyren Joy Tristeza and Paula Isabel Sazon found themselves lucky to end up as game winners. As they were about to get their prizes, they saw John Lloyd Cruz walking towards their direction. The heartthrob awarded them with a Sem Starter Surprise in the form of Robinsons gift checks worth P50,000, making their victory even sweeter.

All Robinsons gift checks are valid for use in all Robinsons Retail Holdings stores such as Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Department Store, Handyman, Toys R Us, Topshop, Warehouse, River Island, and many more.

Enjoy the wonderful world of Magic Flakes! You are the real Magic Man John Lloyd Cruz and thanks to Magic Team for bringing the #MagicMoments to our home.

John Lloyd Cruz and Magic Crackers have a lot more tricks up their sleeve.

Who knows, you might find them in your neighborhood one day with their surprises and special prizes, turning ordinary times into magic moments.