The real Ashitaba now here!

by Zac Sarian In the past few years we have seen people selling at a very high price an herb that they have been passing off as Ashitaba. It is an herb, all right, but definitely not Ashitaba. We know some people paying as much as P1,500 for a tiny plant in a small plastic pot, perhaps honestly believing it is the real Ashitaba that’s popular in Japan. Now the real Ashitaba is here. It is being grown in commercial volume so that hopefully, it will be more affordable soon, especially to people who have modest means. ASHITABA IN THE HIGHLANDS –Ashitaba loves a cool place like the highlands in Benguet. Photo shows the very tall Ashitaba plants vigorously growing in a one-hectare plantation in the province. This is about the biggest plantation of this miracle herb in the Philippines. The plants have produced a lot of seeds which can be used for planting locally. ASHITABA IN THE HIGHLANDS –Ashitaba loves a cool place like the highlands in Benguet. Photo shows the very tall Ashitaba plants vigorously growing in a one-hectare plantation in the province. This is about the biggest plantation of this miracle herb in the Philippines. The plants have produced a lot of seeds which can be used for planting locally. Of course, that is the objective of Adela Ang, a cancer survivor who has taken to herself the commercial production of the real Ashitaba. She has a one hectare plantation of full-grown Ashitaba plants in Benguet and a new growing area is coming up in Cavite. Reading the various write-ups about Ashitaba in the internet, you will really get the impression that it is a miracle healing plant. It is claimed to be rich in an antioxidant called chalcone (pronounced kalkon) and is regarded as an anti-aging plant. The plant, botanically known as Angelica keiskei, is a relative of the celery that you and I know. It can be cooked just like some vegetables – chopped and used in soups, stir-fried, steamed and can even be eaten raw. The main selling point of Ashitaba, however, is its claimed medicinal properties. To quote a source in the internet: “The Ashitaba is rich in compounds that aid in fast healing. This is topically used to curb the spreading of infectious bacteria, cysts, pustules, boils, athlete’s foot and they can work against various serious fungal infections too.” The internet article says that Ashitaba plays an important role in purifying the blood; works as a pain reliever; and as a digestant, speeding up digestion. We remember Adela Ang displaying beautifully grown Ashitaba in black plastic pots during the horticultural show early this year at the Quezon Memorial Circle. One plant was tagged at P3,500. That was a stiff price, I was very sure, and there were very few buyers. Well, that was actually her intention as she explained to us lately. She just wanted to show to the public the real Ashitaba so that they will no longer be fooled to buy the fake one. Placing a high price tag was also intentional so that her stocks will not get depleted because she bought them at a high price from Taiwan. She wanted to grow her imported plants to become her mother plants for the production of seeds. And that’s exactly what happened. The one hectare in Benguet that was planted to Ashitaba produced a lot of fruits. And now she has plenty of seeds for planting not only for herself but also those who are interested to grow as a hobby or as a commercial undertaking. Today, on this very date, she is in Taiwan doing practical training in processing the different parts of Ashitaba for wellness products. She has acquired special slicing machines, cool drying equipment (no heat is involved), and other facilities. She is bent on producing Ashitaba tea with chalcone. Chalcone, she said, is plentiful in the flowers. It is also obtained from the sap of the stems. Because she will have plenty of flowering plants, she will harvest the flowers for the chalcone that she will incorporate in her teabags. Adela is contemplating to sell the Ashitaba tea at a very affordable price, say P99 per box of 10 sachets. She will also be selling plants at affordable prices to the moneyed as well as those with limited means. Although Ashitaba will thrive best in the cool highlands, she is also experimenting on how best to culture the plants in the lowland. If the celery could be grown in the lowland, the Ashitaba could also grow in the lowland with proper care. She is experimenting on the use of a bio-organic foliar fertilizer as well as a Power Grower Combo to accelerate the growth of her seedlings as well as mature plants. She hopes her seedlings would be ready for the Agrilink expo on October 9-11. MORE QUOTES FROM THE INTERNET—“Ashitaba is high in chlorophyll, also called ‘Green Blood’, because it has a similar molecular structure to that of our blood. It helps internal organs, the stomach, and the brain work better and has exhibited anti-allergy actions.” “Natural organic germanium, in Ashitaba, is known to promote production of Interferon which is a defensive material produced by our body to prevent viruses and bacteria from penetrating into our cells. Germanium is valuable in the purification of blood by keeping away harmful hydrogen ions in the blood, creating an alkaline pH, increasing oxygen, and by activating blood cell replacements..” ASHITABA IN INDONESIA— The company that commercially produces Ashitaba products in Indonesia reports that it was a big challenge for them to grow Ashitaba under the tropical conditions in that country. What they finally did was to buy a farm at an elevation of 1,000 meters above sea level. They have come up with their own technique of producing Ashitaba where no agricultural chemical is used. Every process of soil preparation, sowing, permanent planting and harvesting is done by hand with great care. HOW TO USE—From a source in the internet, it recommends three options for the prevention of disorders: 1. Use one or two fresh leaves, wash with salt water (if available), rinse with clean water, chew the leaves and then drink water. 2. Use one to two fresh leaves, wash with salt water (if available), rinse with clean water, cut into small pieces, add to fruit juice. Drink a cup once or twice a day. 3. For dry leaves, boil in water, drink one cup, 3 times a day. Leaves can be eaten after boiling. There you are, we will update you on the latest local developments.

Words of wisdom from the Warren Buffett of the Philippines

By David K. Ongchoco MR.Wilson Sy Dubbed as the Warren Buffett of the Philippines, Wealth Securities and Philequity Fund founder Wilson Sy wasn’t always the stock investment virtuoso he is known to be today. Sy remembers fondly his days at Xavier School and his education under the Jesuit priests. He credits Xavier School and the Ateneo De Manila University for the values these two schools inculcated in him. Through the rigorous English lessons, theology classes and liberal arts education, he learned the importance of focus, discipline and hard work. Working even on holidays and during Christmas break when everyone else was on vacation, Sy would wake up at 8:30 a.m. to help out in the family store, selling such products as soap and toothpaste. At a young age he learned the value of money. “You don’t just throw away money, it isn’t that easy to earn. For every Colgate I sold, I’d earn one centavo. You then realize that everything counts,” he says. These childhood lessons came in handy as soon as he landed a summer job at Multinational Bancorporation where he worked in fixed income, money market and equities—his first foray in investment banking. He moved on to investment banking pioneer Bancom after finishing a Management Engineering degree at the Ateneo. After the 1986 Edsa revolution, he chose to work at Wealth Securities after a seat in a stock brokerage was offered him. After one client after another asked him to manage their portfolio, Sy, with several stockbroker friends, decided to launch a fund management company called Philequity Management, Inc. (Pemi). This was in 1994. Twenty years later, Pemi has become the distributor of the best performing mutual fund in the Philippines, Philequity Fund, Inc., with an average annual yield in excess of 20 percent. Through the years, Sy has made it a habit to read newspapers, analyze tables on Bloomberg, give talks in investor briefings, sit on the board of big companies, and trade stocks. He tries to learn something new every day. “No matter what your status in life is, be grounded. When you start believing that you’re the best, that will be the start of your downfall. You have to keep working hard and learning new from other people,” he points out. Why invest? “If you don’t know how to invest or manage your own money, your money will run out.” Sy believes that learning how to invest is as important or even more important than learning how to make money. He also stressed that the beauty in investing in stocks is that you get to become partners with the best brands, the best managers and the biggest names out there, while still remaining anonymous. Moreover, the stock market is very liquid; you can easily get out when you want to. “Companies make mistakes and they’re stuck, but you aren’t. If you see a mistake in a company, you can easily get out of it if you’re a stock investor,” he says. “When you have something good, keep it. When your stock is doing well, hold on to it; keep your bulk. When your stock isn’t doing so well, learn to let go.” Sy practically eats, sleeps and breathes the stock market: “When you get into stocks, you get hooked. Something new comes up every day; nothing is the same. You never get out of stocks once you get hooked because nothing is similar. Even if it’s similar, there’s always some twist that makes it different.” The only other thing that keeps Sy awake are NBA games, as he is a big fan of the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s rumored that he even memorizes the statistics of the players the way he keeps in mind stock price quotations. More focus Sy is a firm believer in education as the solution to our country’s rich-poor gap. He constantly stresses the importance of going to school and how it gave him the different values he practices to this day. Sy tries to do his part in helping educate Filipino investors by sharing his ideas, opinions and thoughts on market trends through the Philequity Corner, which is published both on the Philequity website and in a major broadsheet. With Philequity hitting the 20-year mark this year, Sy plans to release a compilation of his best articles, ideas and lessons on investing. I ended my interview with Sy more inspired than ever. I had just talked to my dad’s idol and arguably the best Filipino fund manager. The last piece of advice he shared with me: “I’m not really more intelligent than other people. It’s just that I probably have more focus. So listen to your father, keep working hard, read more, study what the best in their field do, and stay focused.” Read more: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/168010/words-of-wisdom-from-the-warren-buffett-of-the-philippines#ixzz39loC0tPZ Follow us: @inquirerdotnet on Twitter | inquirerdotnet on Facebook

8 coffee hacks that will save you a penny

By Alixandra Caole Vila MANILA, Philippines - If you think that coffee grounds are a waste, think again. Here are coffee ground hacks that would definitely save you a penny. Use as plant fertilizer - coffee grounds are a source of nitrogen for plants, which is the nutrient that produces healthy green growth and strong stems. It also contains calcium and magnesium, which are beneficial to plant health. Keeping away cats - Not every one is a fan of the furry cat. Much like citrus, the smells of coffee and tobacco are often disgusting to most cats. Apparently, the pungent smell of the coffee is a total no no to the kitties. Serve as cockroach trap - While cats do not like the smell of coffee, cockroaches are attracted to it. Fill a bottle with moistened coffee grounds, then put a double-sided tape on the neck. The scent will draw the roaches into the bottle and they will get stuck eventually on the tape. Freezer deodorizer - Fill a couple of bowls with used or fresh coffee grounds and place them in the freezer overnight. For a flavored-coffee scent, add a couple of drops of vanilla to the grounds. Lifestyle Feature ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: Cleaning utensils - coffee grounds can be used to scour away grease and grime. Cover furniture scratches - Keep your furniture as good as new. Dip a cotton swab on the coffee ground and dab it on scratches to hide them. Insect repellant - Surround your house with a protective border of coffee grounds. This will keep ants, bugs, and other insects away. Removes dead skin - Coffee grounds may serve as an exfoliant. Just rub it between palms to remove dead skin and help eliminate smells from foods with strong smell.

Did I Experience a Miraculous Multiplication of Food?

August 3, 2014 by Fr. Dwight Longenecker When I was a young Anglican minister I lived in an apartment with my younger brother. I complained to him one day that when I was a theology student I lived by faith. I really had no money and was living from hand to mouth with the little I could earn while I studied. Now that I had a job and a house and a salary it seemed boring. So he said, “Why don’t you give half of your money away? That will make it interesting.” I said, “Okay. Let’s do it.” “By the way,” he said, “I think we’re also going to have lots of other people come to live here.” I started giving half my money away and we lived on the rest and he was right. Within the year my apartment was filled with about six other guys living with us in an informal kind of religious community. We prayed together and did church work. When they got part time jobs they contributed to our financial needs. I didn’t tell anyone I was giving away half my salary and that what I had left (and there wasn’t much to start with) had to provide for eight of us. To help feed everyone my brother would get up early and bake two loaves of bread. He went to the local bakery and bought a big 50 lb. bag of flour. This was in June. The baker estimated that if my brother baked two loaves a day the flour would last until September. We had to use it up by then because if we didn’t it would get weevils. We needed more bread and my brother started baking three or even four loaves a day. That was good bread. In December we noticed that the flour had not been used up. It lasted three months longer than it should have and it didn’t have weevils. In December one of the guys got a good job and we could afford to buy flour as we needed it. Did we experience a multiplication of food similar to the one with Elijah and the widow woman? I believe we did, and that’s one of the reasons why I believe in miracles. That’s also why you should not buy into any preacher who holds forth on the feeding of the 5,000 saying “the real miracle was that they all shared their lunch” That is so lame. That’s baloney. Either it was a miracle or the gospel is a lie. For other miracles of multiplication of food check out some of the stories about Fr Solanus Casey and check out the now dated, but still fascinating 1981 video from Catholic Charismatic Services of American Catholics–members of a parish in New Mexico who went to take Christmas dinner to Mexicans…and experienced a multiplication of food. The video is called Viva Christo Rey.

How OFWs can come back to Philippines for good

from a report by Salve Duplito, ANC MANILA, Philippines - There’s been much ado about how Filipinos working overseas are putting our economy in a sweet spot. That is something the whole economy must applaud, but then at some point, the OFW must face his own economic mortality and ask: "Until when am I going to be a hero for everyone and start being a hero for myself?” Imelda Dagus started working in Yemen right after college as a flight attendant. She has worked and lived abroad for 25 years —more than half her life, far away from her home in Jolo, Sulu. This September, however, she is finally coming home. She reached out to entrepreneurship expert Chit Juan, who inspired her to expand her father’s coffee shop called Dennis’ Coffee Shop. She will leave a high-paying job in Oman in an oil and gas exploration company to promote Sulu coffee culture in Zamboanga, using her ancestral home as a venue for a unique coffee shop experience. In the process, she’s also providing employment and hope for her people in war-torn Jolo. Imelda is now an ambassador for entrepreneurship and financial literacy among OFWs. And she is pumped up for her new adventure. “I have found that bag of gold and I wanted to share it with friends, family, everybody. And what is surprising is that you start talking about these things, but nobody seemed to really believe. Like I found a bag of gold, would you like to share it with me? And nobody would… Come on. It’s just uh… Maybe you’re pulling our leg. But the truth is, that’s what I really feel. Like opening your eyes and knowing what this financial literacy is all about. It’s really a big thing to living your dreams," Dagus said. Dagus said she found it hard to come home because she was so distracted by the ease of living in first-world countries and shopping, among other things. “You see one bag, and then you like the color, you like the style, this year you see another color, at least two. And you don’t really think about it. So looking back, when I have realized what I have been doing in the past, I really consider myself you know, like, why did I act so stupidly before? My message is that I hope people will realize that this retail therapy is really something that OFWs must learn to control," she said. But all that changed when she started getting hooked on financial literacy in 2008 and realized that she had to build a roof while it wasn’t raining yet. "You don’t want to end one day, but of course, it’s an illusion. It will have to stop one day whether we like it or not. So to me, we might as well prepare for that," she said. Dagus bought five condominiums which is now valued at around P16 million. She also has savings in the bank for emergency funds, and a start-up capital of P2 million for her business. She has realized that she shouldn't have some of her money and properties, but now, she knows better. She lost money to scammers. One of whom was her downline in a network marketing business. But she refused to be defeated. She consistently saved money and was wise of her spending. Dagus' financial awakening allowed her to save and invest to provide additional income for herself and her family. She could have achieved so much more with a concrete strategy and financial plan but what she has done is already a major achievement. For overseas Filipinos who want to come home for good, find a way to do the following: 1. Have a clear mindset that the income will end at retirement age. First, have a clear mindset that one day, all of the things you enjoy will disappear. So you should prepare to come home as early as you can. "When you find that work abroad, it is the ultimate goal, because I think that is what the OFWs miss. They forget to do the exit plan. It’s like, ‘Oh, I’ve signed the contract abroad. This is it. This is the ultimate goal.’ And then they get trapped in that comfort zone if you will and never plan of coming back," Dagus said. 2. Prepare financially. Don’t just save. Invest your money. Learn about creating passive income. "Saving is not actually making your money grow, because you lose on inflation. If you save your P1,000 today, it will not be P1,000 in value tomorrow. So I think financially, Filipinos have also to prepare," she said. 3. Build the skills of an entrepreneur. "OFWs in particular should think of building a business back home instead of coming back and looking for another job, because you will definitely not get the kind of income that you earned overseas back in the Philippines," she said. Dagus said the truth is, most OFWs are afraid to leave their jobs and come home. However, OFWs should look beyond your current comfort zones. Coming home for good will turn from dream to reality only when you push yourself to make goals and move from wishful thinking into creating a concrete plan.

Business bustling in booming Philippines

MINORU SATAKE and YASUO AWAI, Nikkei staff writers Economic growth has been a boon to chains such as Uniqlo. MANILA/HONG KONG -- The Philippines is enjoying rapid growth after a long stretch of political turmoil and economic stagnation, and foreign companies are looking to take advantage of strong consumer spending while successful local businesses start to look abroad. Customers continue to flock to the Uniqlo store in the Mall of Asia near Manila even two years after its opening. In its 1,550 sq. meters of floor space, the store offers nearly the same T-shirts and other apparel as its counterparts in Japan. On weekends, it overflows with Filipino shoppers with clothing crammed into their baskets. The casual apparel chain, run by Japan's Fast Retailing, has opened 15 stores in the Philippines, chiefly around Manila, since moving into the market in 2012. It is enjoying brisk sales and aims to more than triple this network to 50 by 2015. And Japanese convenience store operator Lawson has set up a joint venture in the country with Puregold Price Club, which runs shopping centers and other facilities, and plans to open stores this year. Famous ramen chains such as Santouka and Ippudo have branched out into in the Philippines as well. From "sick man" to Asian miracle After the end of World War II, the country, once under U.S. administration, boasted one of Asia's leading economies. But the long-standing regime of Ferdinand Marcos crumbled in the 1980s, and coups and other developments threw the country's politics into disarray. Japanese companies fled amid deteriorating security, and an economic slump led to its labeling as "the sick man of Asia." The inauguration of the current administration under Benigno Aquino stabilized the country, allowing its potential to fully blossom. The Philippines has a population of around 100 million, with an average age of 23. Its gross domestic product growth is outstanding, reaching 7.2% last year. Per capita GDP is seen exceeding $3,000 next year, and the International Monetary Fund estimates that it will surpass Indonesia's in 2019. In fact, the title of one session at the World Economic Forum on East Asia, held in the Philippines in May, went so far as to call the country "the next Asian miracle." Its main growth driver is consumer spending, which accounts for 70% of GDP. For a long time, many Filipinos have worked abroad as maids, sailors or in other occupations. More than 10 million now live outside the country, and remittances from abroad swelled to $22.9 billion last year. This, combined with political and social stability, as well as the success of such policies as low interest rates, has lifted domestic demand even further. Retail giant SM Group is building a massive shopping center on Cebu, a famous resort destination. It will also expand into areas seen as less affluent, with plans to open four malls on the southern island of Mindanao, which has many poor residents. The problem is the sluggish manufacturing sector. The Department of Finance plans to hold a seminar in Japan as early as this fall to attract investment from Japanese businesses. Philippine companies on the rise A Jollibee location in Hong Kong's Central business district was nearly full Thursday afternoon. Businessmen in dress shirts were scattered among the Filipino women who made up 80% or so of the customers, chatting while eating hamburgers and spaghetti. "I like the golden-brown fried chicken," said one Hong Kong bank worker in his 30s. "I come a few times a week." Philippine fast-food chain operator Jollibee Foods runs some 2,800 stores worldwide, rivaling Japanese beef bowl company Yoshinoya Holdings. The key to its buildup is a food selection catering to local tastes. Although it is a burger chain, it also offers such items as spaghetti and Chickenjoy, a meal with fried chicken and rice, attracting a variety of customers. The slightly sweet seasoning is a hit with Filipinos, and it has been called one of the country's national foods. Jollibee is using its success at home to ramp up expansion abroad. It brought Chinese fast-food chain Yonghe King under its umbrella and is adding more stores there, and it has moved into Vietnam, Singapore, the U.S. and the Middle East as well. Its 588 stores outside the Philippines account for around 20% of the total, but Chairman Tony Tan Caktiong aims to raise this to 50%. Strong demand has helped the company grow at home, and it is making use of its know-how abroad. Filipinos working in other countries enjoy the chain's food, boosting its sales. Universal Robina, a snack and drink maker owned by the Gokongwei conglomerate, is building a $30 million snack plant in Myanmar. It has three factories in Vietnam, including one slated to come online this year, and facilities in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia as well. Brandy maker Emperador announced in May that it will purchase Scottish whisky distiller Whyte & Mackay for $725 million. The Philippine company makes and sells low-priced brandy domestically and is overwhelmingly popular with middle- and lower-class consumers, success that has helped it expand abroad.

New possibilities with Super Napier

by Zac Sarian An organic farming entrepreneur is excited about the new possibilities with the Pakchong 1, the Super Napier that was developed by Dr. Krailas Kyiothong of Thailand. The planting materials of this fast-growing and highly nutritious grass are now available in the Philippines and that’s what excites fellows with entrepreneurial mindset. One guy who is most excited is Ronald Costales of the Costales Nature Farms in Majayjay, Laguna. Why? BIG PLANS WITH SUPER NAPIER BIG PLANS WITH SUPER NAPIER — Ronald Costales has big plans with Pakchong 1, the so-called Super Napier, which he has acquired lately. He intends to formulate fermented feeds out of Super Napure leaves and stems for feeding to organic pigs and chickens. He is also eyeing extracts from Super Napier as organic foliar fertilizer because this fast-growing grass contains 17 to 18 percent crude protein. Photo shows Costales with 10-days old Super Napier which he intercropped with Frillice lettuce to maximize production from precious farm space. He believes that with the super grass that contains 17 to 18 percent crude protein, it could significantly boost organic pig production not only for himself but also for other ordinary pig raisers. He said that Jess Domingo of Alfonso Lista, Ifugao, has already proven that growing organic hogs with fermented feeds that include even chopped water hyacinth can be profitable. Domingo has proven that he can make a profit of P5,550 per head of organically grown hogs in a growing period of 5.5 to 6 months during which the piglet will attain a weight of 90 kilos. An engineer who is adept at figures, Ronald has been making his own computations of feed formulations for fatteners, brood sow and piglets. He has come up with figures showing how much of Super Napier can substitute the costly soya and fish meal in formulated feeds. He is also now experimenting in making silage out of napier tops with the addition of molasses and effective microorganisms (EM). King Ranch has supplied him some napier tops. This early, Ronald is crafting schemes that could benefit not only himself but also other farmers who don’t have access to essential inputs in raising organic pigs. So he is going to grow Super Napier in big scale and make use of the biomass to produce fermented pig feed for sale to other farmers. JOINT VENTURE — One possibility is to have a joint venture with selected farmers. The farmer will be trained on the basics of raising organic pigs. The farmer will put up his own hog house similar to the system used by Ronald. One scheme could be this way. The farmer provides the hog house and labor. Ronald, on the other hand, provides the piglets with value indicated, and the feeds with the value also indicated. After the growing period of 5.5 to 6 months and the piglet has attained 90 kilos or thereabouts, Ronald will buy the fattened pig at the prevailing price in the market. From the total proceeds, the value of the piglet and the feeds is deducted. The remainder is then shared equally by Ronald and the farmer. MORE VARIANTS — Other variants are also possible. For instance, the farmer can put up his own housing, buy his own piglets and also buys the fermented feeds from Ronald. At harvest time, the farmer can sell his fattened hog to Ronald or to some other buyers. He is free to sell to any buyer. Farmers can also undergo training in organic hog production, including formulation of feeds. That way they can make additional profits for themselves if they formulate their own feeds. One advantage that Ronald will get from the increased interest in organic hog production is that he will be assured of adequate supply of organic pork that he can sell to his fast growing clients for organic farm produce in Metro Manila. ORGANIC CHICKENS, TOO — Ronald is also into the raising of organic eggs and poultry meat. And he is also excited in formulating fermented Super Napier for feeding his chickens. Currently, he raises a lot of native chickens. At the same time, he is producing the Sasso-type broilers and layers which he supplies to a well known distributor of organic foods and wellness products in Metro Manila. ORGANIC FOLIAR FERTILIZER, TOO — Ronald also sees the possibility of producing Super Napier extracts which will be used as fertilizer for his salad green crops like lettuce, arugula, French beans, Japanese cucumber and culinary herbs. Oh yes, there are a lot of possibilities with the Super Napier. And the above are just for organic farming. **** **** ****