The Curious Mom

Stability is the foundation of a well-lived life. With basic needs fulfilled, people have the opportunity to develop themselves, explore various facets of life, and contribute to the welfare of the community.

When aspiring youth, especially those from low-income households, are given the chance to stand on solid ground, they readily take the chance. They utilize it as a seedbed where they can cultivate their dreams and aspirations.

One testament to this is SM scholar alumna Jonnah Jane Sacamay, who grew up in a family where stability seemed like uncharted territory. Years back, Jonnah’s family’s main source of living was flower farming. This made them walk on a thin line as the demand for flowers was seasonal, and they were also often affected by unpredictable weather disturbances.

But while they had journeyed through life with uncertainty, they had always planted the power of education in her mind.

“Given that the nature of farming is very seasonal, our income is unstable. Aside from augmenting our daily needs, we also had to ensure that my education was secured,” Jonnah recalled.

And so, to help her family, she studied hard in grade school as soon as she learned about others who had the opportunity to pursue college through the SM College Scholarship Program. With her whole heart dedicated to learning and her eyes set on the SM scholarship, she finished high school as the class valedictorian. Once the forms were available, she immediately processed her application at the SM Store in Cebu.

“I was informed that I got accepted as an SM Scholar. From then on, a huge weight was lifted off my parents' shoulders. I could pursue my chosen degree in my chosen university,” she added.

Through the scholarship offered by the SM group through SM Foundation, she was able to focus on the development of her skills and knowledge not only in accountancy but especially in life. She became a Magna Cum Laude graduate of BS Accountancy at the University of San Carlos.

Jonnah (center) with her parents during her graduation

“The SM Scholarship helped me reach my dream of becoming a CPA, and this opened doors for me, enabling me to land a job that empowered me to help my family,” she said.

“My experience in retail has given me wide knowledge in different areas. With this, I always make sure that my family makes informed decisions in all aspects of life. One thing that has become a tradition among SM Cebu scholars during my time was to have an outreach program. In our own way, we were able to pay forward the help that we received from SM. It was a fulfilling experience that we could share our blessings in our own little way,” she added.

Jonnah currently serves as a Senior Accounting Manager at the SM Store, in Cebu. Aside from financial security, she currently takes care of her parents’ medical expenses and lets them enjoy vibrant life experiences after retiring as flower farmers.

Jonnah Sacamay serves as a Senior Accounting Manager at the SM Store in Cebu.

“Having a degree enabled me and my family to experience more in life. It paved the way for me to secure a stable job, which allowed me to travel, treat my family to a nice meal, take them shopping on special occasions, and most importantly, support my parents and their medical expenses. Aside from providing me with a scholarship grant, working in SM has provided a sense of security for me and my family,” she shared.

SM Foundation made it its goal to help create an environment where low-income families can thrive and achieve stability, just like how the SM College Scholarship Program paved way for Jonnah and her family.

For the school year 2023-2024, the application period is open from February 1-March 31, 2023. The selected scholars may specialize in accounting, information technology, engineering, and education with full tuition and monthly allowance, including enrichment programs and activities.

For more information about the SM College Scholarship program, visit https://www.sm-foundation.org/what_we_do/college-scholarship-program.

The term lifestyle has never been as popular as in recent times. People have sought to improve their lives, so they have adapted to some choices.

Lifestyle is the set of attitudes, values, preferences, and habits. Using only sustainable brands, exercising every day in the morning. Adopting a vegetarian diet, using high-tech products, and consuming fast food. And collecting luxury watches, practicing yoga, and traveling around the world. — we can call all these lifestyles.

The search for the practice of physical activities has increased. And the search for yoga clothes would not be different.

An exercise that connects body and mind, multi-benefits, and has conquered people.

For yoga is essential to wear good elasticity and resistance clothes. The top-end yoga sets improve your lifestyle. You may wear Cosmolle activewear sets in quality and style. These pieces will go with your exercise routine, ensuring better use of it.

Bodybuilding and gym exercises are usually people's favorite.

To dress for your lifestyle and rock your workouts, you should know how to invest in modern, quality items.
A tends to be quite successful is the  long sleeve legging set, The clothing is quite stylish and useful. Consisting of leggings and a long-sleeved blouse. You can wear this style of clothing in different seasons of the year. It will ensure a better visual identification with your fitness lifestyle.

Some home repairs are possible to put off. However, others could be costly or even dangerous if you don’t carry them out soon enough. Below are 5 home repairs you never want to delay.

Damage to your roof could allow rainwater, cold air, and pests to get in. This is why you should get your roof repaired as soon as you notice a hole or crack. Sometimes the damage isn’t obvious - getting an annual roof inspection is useful for this reason, especially on an old roof. You can then get any damage fixed before it leads to other problems. Frequent roof problems could be a sign that you need to get your roof replaced.

A gutter blocked with leaves may not seem like a big deal, but it can quickly put your home at risk if it rains or gets icy. Rainwater won’t be able to drain through the downspout and will still spill out over the sides where it could lead to pools of water around your property. This can quickly damage your home’s foundations and could even lead to flooding. Ice can meanwhile cause blocked gutters to freeze up. The guttering could come loose in the form of a giant ice block, which could cause a lot of damage to whatever it falls on. By getting your gutters cleaned out, you can prevent all of this.

Plumbing leaks

You should call your local plumber as soon as you detect any kind of plumbing leak. A leak could result in some hefty water bills if left unrepaired - whether it’s a dripping tap or a leaky pipe. Many leaks will also quickly cause water damage to your property if you don’t fix them. This may not be a case with a dripping tap, but other leaks could cause rotten floorboards, crumbling plaster or corroded metalwork. On top of this, dampness can attract mold and pests - which are not good for your health. Finally, water could get into electrics - which is never a good mix.

Speaking of electrics, do your home’s electrics need replacing? Constant circuit breaker trips and flickering lights are signs that it could be time to rewire your home. Old frayed wiring can be a fire risk and so needs to be replaced urgently. Exposed frayed wiring can be particularly dangerous as it could give you a nasty electric shock too. Signs that an electrical fire is imminent include buzzing sounds, burning smells, or visible scorch marks around outlets - in these cases, turn off your electricity at the mains immediately and call an electrician.

The most serious home repair that you should never delay is fixing a gas leak. As soon as you smell gas in your home, you should turn off your gas at the mains, get out of your home (open a few windows beforehand if you can) and call an emergency gas plumber. Gas is highly flammable and it may only take a spark from a light switch to set your home ablaze. Certain types of gas leaks can also lead to carbon monoxide poisoning. A carbon monoxide monitor can help you detect carbon monoxide in the air as these types of leaks typically don’t have any smell.

When we talk about financial stability, many people were skeptical if they are financially stable. How much money you're able to save in a single day? or in a month? Do you actually save anything? Whenever we aren't in need, we have a tendency to neglect to save for the future, which is not a good thing. Aside from saving, we can invest, which is prudent thinking when considering the future. There will come a time when you will have enough money to wait in emergency situations.

Everything has changed since the Pandemic, and we are all affected. It will take years for all of us to recover. So many realizations for me, that everything we have will be gone in a short period of time. Having considered saving and investing in things that will be important in the future. Now, our lives are gradually returning to normal, but the world has changed and this is our normal way of life.

When it comes to financial stability, many of us are uncertain if they are stable. Financial stability provides us with peace of mind.

I personally struggle with budgeting, and I believe that most people do as well. The household's daily budget is difficult to manage. When you become a parent, budgeting becomes more difficult than when you are single and providing becomes more difficult because members of the family may incur unexpected expenses. Because I try to save the majority of the time, everything becomes costly for me. I even tried saving money on my clothing; yes, we can do that as long as the clothes are comfortable to put on.

I want everything calculated as much as possible; trying to keep track of our expenses helps to ensure that I did not overspend. I use https://www.savingscalculator.org/ to keep track of the flow in and out and with this, I managed to follow my simple plan, my budget plan for our household. Not only that basic computation, but it can automatically calculate everything for you. Simply enter the required data numbers, and viola, all the necessary information, such as your savings after tax, will be provided. I also like to set goals because it motivates me to work harder financially. 

It’s a pleasure to be part of @makukuph First Intimate PR & Bloggers Event held last November 29 at Seda Residences, Makati City with friends from media, blogger influencers, and VIP Moms. The event aims to educate the market on the unique features of MAKUKU diapers, as well as learn about stress-free parenting tips from clinical Psychologist, Alodia Cueno-Mercado, and exciting surprises for guests.