Even as public hospitals in the Philippines clamor for a piece of the Sin Tax pie (which they’re doing so rightfully), the U.S. is also experiencing their own health budget dilemma. If you’re an American citizen and you want your hospitals to serve you better, this is one blog post you shouldn’t pass up.

If you care about American healthcare, lend me your ears.

According to the new budget act that President Obama signed in December 2013, community hospitals serving indigents will be suffering from budget reductions. If you’re not a fan of Obamacare, you might not like this, either.

No to Health Budget Cuts? Here’s How You Can Help

For community hospitals to give the best care, they need the budget. In my country, that’s certainly true: Our public hospitals can’t even cater to the poor because of budget deficits.

In the U.S., community hospitals will soon be experiencing budget cuts as well. If this is something you don’t agree with, here is your chance to speak out.

It’s not too late yet. Any wise president will listen to his country. Now is not the time to “let others do it”. After all, all you have to do is lend your voice – find out how when you scroll down.

In case you haven’t heard yet, Panadol is now available in the Philippines. Its generic name may be Paracetamol, but GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) claims that Panadol is different from other types of Paracetamol.

Is it, really?

You’re probably wondering why they said that in the first place. But before I go into what GSK discussed regarding Panadol’s bragging rights, let me first show you what happened when I attended Panadol’s press launch at The Peninsula Manila in January 24, 2014.

Pardon me for leaving things hanging a bit, but I’m a sucker for suspense. But if you’re anything like me, then you’re going to like the ride.

When photos of Vhong Navarro and his bashed-in face first went viral a couple of days ago, I wasn’t interested. But after I read about why he got beat up (he allegedly raped a girl and got beat up by the girl’s friends), I started to pay attention. That’s because a theory started to form in my head.

Is the assault on Vhong Navarro based on a movie’s plot?
(photo: Vhong Navarro interviewed in Buzz ng Bayan)

I am in no position to judge. I do not know Vhong Navarro. I see him on TV, but that’s about it. And even if I did know him, I still wouldn’t have been in any position to act as judge and juror.

But you see, the reason I’m blogging about Vhong Navarro and the alleged rape right now is because the whole story seemed too familiar. I am not in a position to judge. But as someone who writes for a living, I can’t help but speculate.

Now, let me share with you the details of the movie I’m referring to.

What caused the recent measles outbreak in Manila? Does the measles vaccine cause autism? Is the outbreak really over? These sound like very simple questions, but the answers are not as simple as I would like them to be.

And if you think the measles vaccine causes autism, please give me your undivided attention.

“It is not the government’s fault if parents don’t find the time to have their children vaccinated against measles,” said Dr. May Montellano, President of the Philippine Foundation of Vaccination, during a media discussion on the recent measles outbreak in Manila. The discussion was organized by Merck Sharp and Dohme (MSD).

Measles Outbreak in Manila: What You Didn’t Know

During the round-table discussion which I attended last January 27, 2014, Dr. Montellano emphasized the integral role of a family in preventing outbreaks. “Immunization is the most cost-effective preventive health measure in this century,” she added, quoting the joint position statement of the Philippine Pediatric Society and the Pediatric Infectious Disease Society of the Philippines.

Members of the press attend the round-table discussion on measles vaccination.

Well, that’s not really news, you might think. But there are a few things I learned that day which didn’t exactly make it to the news – and those are the things I wanted to share with you.

• The outbreak is worse than you think. The outbreak you once saw in the news was focused only on specific areas in Manila, but the outbreak has now spread to different provinces in the Philippines. (You probably haven’t heard that news bit yet because the Vhong Navarro story is taking up too much airtime.)

Do you want to find out how to get free tickets to The Moonshine Jungle Tour: Bruno Mars Live in Manila? You’re not alone – but you just might get them if you pay close attention. (Spoiler alert: You get a chance to win every single day! And even if you don’t, I might actually give you – yes, you! – something every Bruno Mars fan should have!)

You’ve memorized the lyrics of Bruno Mars’ Treasure like it’s your Facebook password. You think Bruno Mars is the hottest thing you’ve ever laid eyes on. You can’t quite decide if he sings or dances better – or if he’s better at playing the drums like it’s the only way to keep us all alive! And yes, you can’t wait to see him live during his concert!

Eeek! Gigil squeal from all Bruno Mars fans! I know, you’re probably his biggest, baddest fan out there. But in case you haven’t heard, upper box tickets to his The Moonshine Jungle Tour concert are sold out. In fact, they’ve been sold out since last week.

Aw. Too bad, huh? Well, not really, because there is still a way for you to win tickets to Bruno Mars Live in Manila!

There are many reasons you don't earn from blogging, but these five are at the top of the list. Spoiler alert: You might get butt-hurt.

You have a blog and you spend day after day trying to get people to read it. So far, your efforts have been futile - and this list tells you why. (Of course, I may be wrong. After all, who am I to tell you how to blog? Keep reading and be the judge.)

When I started blogging almost 10 years ago, I never thought it would be a major source of income. Like many other bloggers, I just wanted an online space where I could air my opinions. I realized years later that there was money online.

Of course, I didn't earn much from blogging back then. I had just graduated from medical school and maintaining a blog, more so earning from it, was not on my list of priorities.

5 Reasons Your Blog Isn't Earning

Things are different now. It has been about a decade since I first signed up for a blog and I have learned a lot about how the cogs and wheels of blogging work. I developed my own blogging standards and tried to stick to them as much as possible. Looking back, here are the five reasons my blog wasn't earning in the past.

Let's see if these are also reasons your blog is broke! Ready?

Reason #1:
You don't care much about your grammar because you claim you have a "personal blog".

I'm actually not a grammar nazi - skim through my blog and you are bound to find a grammar faux-pas or two. But not knowing grammar is different from not wanting to learn it.

Want to know the reasons your blog is broke? You have probably read about the first two reasons your blog isn’t earning. Here, we continue the list – and I’ll tell you why posting your selfies all over the place just might backfire on your blog.

Reason #3:
Your idea of earning from blogging revolves around - surprise, surprise - your own blog only.

Did you know that you can also earn from other people's blogs? Oh, you did? How come you haven't gone down that road yet?

There are websites who pay guest bloggers for excellent content. You don't always have to get paid for guest posts, but if you can get paid, why not?

If you haven't Googled for paid blogging opportunities yet, then you're not really serious about earning from blogging. Oh, you are? Then prove it; look for a blogging job, pronto!

FYI: I hate to rub it in, but websites will not hire you if your grammar sucks. Scroll up and see reason number 1.

Reason #4:
Your impression of social networks boils down to selfies and food porn.

News flash: Filipinos are saying "No!" after GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and the Philippine Dental Association (PDA) announced their partnership. But it's not exactly a bad thing.

But before I go further into details, here's some good news: Sensodyne toothpaste is now available at your favorite sari-sari store!

Spoiler: Vigorous toothbrushing might actually lead to tooth sensitivity! More myths debunked later.

"Sensodyne is too expensive." Does that sound familiar? I can't tell you how many times I've heard people say that. Too many people believe Sensodyne toothpaste is something they can't (or won't) afford to buy.

Little did we know that GSK has been listening to us all along. They now join the "tingi" bandwagon, giving us Sensodyne in sachets. Every sachet of Sensodyne has a suggested retail price of  PhP10.

Sensitive Teeth: You Probably Have It

About nine out of every ten people living in the Philippines actually suffer from symptoms of dentin sensitivity. (It's also what we all know as pangingilo.)

But people still don't put a primer on proper oral care because they think it's not as important as, say, exercising regularly or eating a balanced meal. (That's a myth, of course; dental caries have been linked to serious heart disease. But I digress.)

Yes, all you get from using Sensodyne may simply be relief from pain due to dentin sensitivity. But mind you, do not underestimate this pain!

Tooth sensitivity involves branches of the trigeminal nerve. Trigeminal nerve disease has been known to lead to severe pain syndromes. (You probably know what I mean if you experience ngilo while you enjoy your halo-halo this summer.)

Are you suffering from ngilo, even if brush your teeth regularly? I won't judge you. Actually, even the charming Luis Manzano confesses to a few oral blunders himself.

It’s official: My old personal blog, www.lifeandfever.com, is now a Filipino lifestyle blog! It’s about time, actually. We’ve done a few things to usher in the transformation. (We also have a little something prepared for both bloggers and readers!)

Here’s how the old blog looked like.
Which look do you like better, this or the revamped template?

Life and Fever used to be a personal blog. As of today, you can still see the seven topics I used to write about, including pets, clothes, and personal musings. But it’s time I moved on to a more reader-friendly blog, thus the change to a lifestyle blog!

“Hot” Lifestyle Blog: Life and Fever

I know that lifestyle blogs are a dime a dozen, but it’s not like I’m trying to compete, so it’s okay. (Weird; I just wrote about the three reasons your blog is broke!) I just feel that, given the tasks I’ve been taking on, shifting to a lifestyle blog is just about right.

But how exactly does one make the shift? I started with a rebrand, of course! Thankfully, the name “Life and Fever” already has the word “life” in it. All I had to do was say it was the hot lifestyle blog and voila!

Old Blog, New Tricks

But that’s not all. It’s an old blog (circa 2008), but there it’s not like it doesn’t have something new up its sleeve!

There are many bullies out there. But did you know that bullying also occurs on Facebook? Here are 4 surprising reasons you’re actually a Facebook bully.

“I’ll push you around! Just you wait while I log on to Facebook…”

I bet that the only bully you’re familiar with is the bully who pushes kids around in school, the bully who is plain mean and rude. How many times have you heard of the bully who doesn’t know he’s actually a bully? If you haven’t, then read on – because YOU might actually be a bully and you don’t know it yet.

Facebook can be bad for your health. Okay, maybe that’s nothing new given the bad rap the internet has been receiving lately, but I bet you didn’t know these 5 surprising ways Facebook can do you harm!

“Aha, 10 news likes! I can use Facebook all day.
Who cares if I don’t ever get a life?”

Now, ask yourself, how much time do you spend in front of the computer just so you can check your Facebook?

Once you’ve answered the above question, ask yourself: Is that your final answer? C’mon, you know you spend more time on Facebook! And that’s what just might get you in trouble.

5 Ways Facebook Can Be Bad for Your Health

Different companies restrict access to Facebook and other social networks because it decreases productivity. Sociologists also believe excessive Facebook use should now be deemed a legit form of addiction.

Perhaps studies should be conducted to establish a correlation between Facebook and different medical conditions. Haha, nerdy much?  

In the meantime, I want to share some of the reasons why Facebook may be bad for your health.

Haters are every person’s bane. Haters stalk you online, post anonymous comments on your Facebook page or blog that are rude or sarcastic, and become a source of annoyance. But having haters is not always a bad thing. In fact, it may be good to have haters once in a while.

Always remember that hatred is not the opposite of love and admiration; indifference is. So, if someone hates you, it means they feel strongly for you and their hatred may just be a form of defense mechanism called reaction formation.

Haters: An Example of “Reaction Formation”

In reaction formation, when a person knows he admires or envies you but he can’t handle that fact, he develops the exact opposite reaction of what he really feels. The typical example of reaction formation is a spiritual person who happens to be a pedophile: although he loves children (in a sick sense), he knows it’s wrong, so he forms a reaction and overtly starts hating pedophilia instead. He may even go to the extent of joining rallies against known pedophiles or lobbying for a heavier punishment for pedophiles… despite the fact that he is one.

So, if you have haters, they are most probably people who have one defense mechanism in common: reaction formation. They secretly envy and admire you but they can’t live with it.

Haters: Why It’s Good To Have Them

We should avoid fights and arguments, acting as peacemakers whenever possible; however, we can never avoid having haters if we are in the public eye. As explained above, haters are a mutated form of fans – and they will always be part of the package.

Do not fret; having haters can actually be a good thing! Here are a few reasons why it’s good to have haters once in a while.

• Haters are mirrors that show the mistakes you might have overlooked. Having a busy life, even when it is dedicated to noble causes, may distract you from noticing some of your mistakes. Haters are one of the first people to point these mistakes out, serving as a sort of moral checkpoint. And yes, we all need those checkpoints.
• Haters are fans, in a twisted way. A normal person who hates a public figure will not go out of his way nor spend extra time just to stalk or annoy his object of hatred. An admirer-turned-hater, on the other hand, will do exactly that. Haters usually obsess about the person they hate. Their worlds may revolve around the person they so hate – and really, isn’t that a little flattering? Read on for more.

August 2014 update: Now that I’m about to move out of the DLSU Taft Avenue community, I will definitely miss Exile on Main St. I will forever crave their monggo and super crispy pork chop. Farewell, Exile.

I was in the mood to eat out and explore – thank God, or I wouldn’t have chanced upon Exile On Main St. If anything, this quaint little restaurant won me over instantly! Let me tell you why.

Its name is appropriate, given how it’s an out-of-way restaurant which you can access only by walking down an unassuming footpath. It’s also no coincidence that this restaurant-bar was named after a Rolling Stones album, given the good music wafting through the speakers the moment I stepped inside.

Exile On Main St. Bar and Restaurant in Manila

Exile On Main St., located in a building a little distance from the main road, is the kind of small restaurant bar that gets a cult following. It has the oddest, most curious trinkets and installments, from a table – complete with dishes and cutlery – suspended on the ceiling, to curtains made of spoons and forks.

They’re located at 2428 Leon Guinto Street, Malate, a stone’s throw away from DLSU, College of St. Benilde, and St. Scholastica’s College. I can’t help but think how students from these schools are lucky because they live right beside Exile On Main St., a restaurant that offers good food, good music, and quirky décor.

And I haven’t even touched on the food yet. Once I do, you’ll just be as in love with Exile on Main Street, too.

Enough with fastfood burgers! If you love burgers but hate the idea of swallowing fillers, preservatives, and oily patties with questionable meat, here's one burger joint you and every other healthy foodie are sure to love: Teddy's Bigger Burgers! FYI: You might win an entire year's supply of burgers - details later!

Flanked by Ted Tsakiris and Rich Stula, the owners of Teddy's Bigger Burgers. Aloha!

They opened their doors to us bloggers last August 20, but they're officially opening to the public on August 23, 2014. If you come on their opening day, you just might win enough burgers to last you three, six, or even twelve months!

5 Reasons Health Buffs Should Visit Teddy's Bigger Burgers

Never heard of this burger resto before? That's because they're not from around here! Teddy's Bigger (and definitely better) Burgers hails all the way from Hawaii.

But before I share with you how exactly you can be one of the twenty lucky winners of Teddy's Bigger Burgers, here are 5 healthy reasons you should drop by their flagship store at Greenbelt 3 one of these days.

Have you ever wondered what makes a medical school excellent? Will De La Salle Health Sciences Institute (DLSHSI) fulfill that criteria? Let me help you make up your mind with my unofficial review of DLSHSI. (Spoiler: You might want to read these 6 reasons you should – or shouldn’t! – enroll at DLSHSI.)

I get a lot of emails from college students who want to pursue medicine, with questions pertaining to scholarships, passing the NMAT, and the top medical schools on my list. Coincidentally, I received an invitation to visit the DLSHSI last month, giving me the opportunity to take a look at a medical school other than my own. (Full disclosure: I graduated from the University of Santo Tomas.)

5 Things You Should Know about De La Salle Health Sciences Institute

Let me walk you through what I learned about DSLHSI before I give you a rating based on a 5-point scale, as recognized by Google’s search engine.

Does today (and yesterday, and the day before that) feel a little too blah? Before you self-diagnose and blame it on depression, it's time you checked out these six unexpected reasons you're unhappy.

Spoiler: I'm giving away a Shu Uemura loot bag - feeling better already?

It's normal to have an "off" day. I have it, you have it, even Mother Teresa had it. But there are things we do – bad, naughty habits, I tell you – that betray our physiology and make us feel blue!

6 Unexpected Reasons You're Not Happy and Loving Life

Loving life is not a simple choice. It's  actually a series of choices made over a period of time!

To cultivate an attitude of positivity all day, observe your habits, starting in the morning and up until nighttime. (Take a look at how you sleep, too!)

That’s what I learned during the Go Love Life feel-good makeover party organized by Sangobion on August 16, 2014 at Crowne Plaza Hotel. Take a look at how many women that day had their photos taken to make this beautiful Instax collage.

That said, let's see how many of these five reasons for your unhappiness don't catch you by surprise. Ready?

As a new owner of the Mi 3 phone from Xiaomi, I just have to share with you what I’ve experienced thus far. Is Mi3 really worthy of the tagline, “Android at its best”? Let’s see of Mi3 really is an affordable option that’s worth every penny.

Is the Mi 3 phone from Xiaomi worth your money?

Full disclosure: Xiaomi’s Mi3 phone might very well have outperformed every other smartphone I’ve used, including one from HTC which I used to be quite proud of (until I got my hands on a Mi3, that is).

Mi 3 Phone: Is It Worth It?

I got myself a Mi 3 phone, which I bought online from Lazada (because right now, that’s the only way you’re getting your hands on one if you’re from the Philippines). Is it worth it?

Maybe, maybe not. Perhaps it’s best if you decide.

I’m now the happy owner of a Nomi backpack from Deuter Philippines! (It won’t hurt your back like other backpacks and it’s not as expensive, either.) It met all the five criteria of a perfect backpack that I mentioned in another blog post.

No, you don’t pronounce “Deuter” the same way you do the word “neuter”.

It’s a good thing Deuter now has a flagship store at SM Mall of Asia! (Oh, and if you’re looking for a discount, I have a tip for you below.)

Here’s my Nomi backpack from Deuter. Pretty and comfy!

But before I gush about the wonderful backpacks Deuter has to offer, let’s go back to my “perfect backpack” criteria and see if my new backpack really meets all of them. (And keep reading if you want a discount from Deuter!)

So you’ve learned to shop for second-hand furniture and you know what to do with your expensive rug. Let’s continue with the third tip on saving money while furnishing and decorating the living room!

Tip #3: Want your floor to look expensive but you’re on a budget? Layer your rugs!

If having a rug is a must for you (as it is for me), buy two (or more!) affordable rugs and layer them, instead of purchasing one expensive shag rug!

Initially, I wanted an expensive long-pile rug, but I knew it would break the bank. I bought my sisal rug for PhP4,500 and decided to buy a smaller (read: cheaper) shaggy rug, which I layered on top of the sisal. I didn’t have to sell my kidney but I got my soft, shaggy carpet!

Tip #4: If you’re looking for a small shag rug, try the bathroom section.

I found my soft, long-pile rug in the bathroom section of the department store! It’s made of microfiber so it’s really soft underfoot.

See that soft rug? Believe it or not, it cost me just over PhP700!

It costs much less than a shag rug you might find in the carpet section, but it accomplishes the same effect. My 26” x 45” microfiber rug cost me just about PhP700 (I got it at 10 percent off), a far cry from the PhP2,500 you’re likely to spend on a carpet of the same size!

“Expect to spend more than PhP70 thousand if you want to furnish your living room,” my friend, an interior designer, told me.

I believe I shrieked at the moment. “Seventy thousand?!? That’s ridiculous! Perhaps your estimate is based on expensive furniture?” I asked – no, I hoped.

I had hoped she was wrong. I was asking her how much it would cost me to furnish my living room from scratch and her estimate just shocked me. No way was I spending seventy thousand anything on living room furniture and décor!

This is now my living room. Spoiler: It did not cost me PhP70,000!

I took a peek at the piece of paper she was writing on. Her list included a rug, couch, table, a big painting for one of my walls, and a few other items. The total screamed out to me like a morbid number, making me forget any hope I had previously clung to.

I shook my head; I had no plans of spending 70 friggin’ thousand just to furnish a living room!

After all, I had two bedrooms, a dining area, small kitchen, bathroom and a small closet to work on after I finished with the living room. Did renting a house really have to be this expensive?

Working at Home: Why Home Improvement Matters

I work at home. I need an environment that makes me want to work, one that makes me feel energized and awake. A dark, gloomy home environment is the last thing!

“Why not just buy cheap laminate furniture?” you might ask. Although they are cheap, they last just a couple of years before the wood starts warping or getting mold. I’m too old to buy laminate furniture! It’s time I invested in pieces that will last me a long time.

I asked my friend how I could furnish my home for less. She gave me a few tips and together with a few things I learned on my own, I’m sharing with you how I saved more than PhP40,000 while furnishing my living room.