Hey Kidsters! It’s Mom’s Day today. Still don’t know what to give her? You don’t really have to break the piggy bank to make your mom, mama, nanay or inay happy. Here are a few tips to give you an idea:

1. Wake your mom with a kiss. Mother’s Day happens just once a year. It’s not a big favor to wake up so early in the morning to give your mom a morning kiss with a “Happy Mother’s Day” greeting.

2. Set the table for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Cooking unsupervised is dangerous for kids like you. So instead of cooking food for your mom, you can simply set up your dining table. Put some art in it, like having a flower at the center of the table. You can also wash the dishes after eating. Read the rest…

Nicole Louise M. Manto
Sacred Heart School-Jesuit

The minimum wage of an ordinary worker in the country is at P 5,500 a month. Also, they have at least day-off in a week. A worker is required to work for eight hours a day. More than that, overtime pay is given.

But, I wonder how different our house helpers are from an ordinary worker? Let’s compare their pay to an average worker who gets paid the minimum wage. Read the rest…

Brittney Ryan

Santa Claus is the King of Forever, Land of the Immortals. When one special boy writes to Santa asking what no other child has ever asked — what he wants for Christmas — a miracle occurs: Santa and his wife are blessed with a daughter. But the birth of Holly Claus also brings about a terrible curse — from an evil soul named Herrikhan. Holly’s heart is frozen, and the gates to Forever are locked, barring exit or entry.

Now grown into a beautiful and selfless young woman, Holly becomes consumed with the desire to break the spell that holds her people hostage. Accompanied by four faithful and magical animal friends, she escapes to the wondrous world of Victorian New York and embarks on a series of dangerous and life-changing adventures.

With fanciful characters, rich language, and evocative imagery, The Legend of Holly Claus pays tribute to the great fairy tales and myths of our time. This beautifully illustrated picture book filled with mystery, magic, and wonder is sure to become a Christmas classic.  (from The Julie Andrews Collection)

By E.B. White
Off the shelf

When a farm girl finds out that her dad is about to kill the runt from the newest litter of pigs, she rushes to the aid of this helpless animal. Her dad sees that she is genuinely concerned about the pig and so he gives him to her as a pet. This is the start of a long lasting friendship between Wilber and Fern.

Fern instantly falls in love with her new pig, Wilber and is at his side every step of the way. As Wilber grows up though, it becomes increasingly obvious that Fern’s dad, Mr. Zuckerman, still plans to sell Wilber to the market. That’s when the star of the book, Charlotte the spider, steps in to help. She, along with the other barnyard animals, don’t want to see their friend, Wilber, sent to his death so she devises a crafty plan. She weaves a web that says “Some Pig”. Mr. Zuckerman is awestruck and soon people from all over the county are coming to see this amazing hog.

As the buzz around Wilber continues to grow, the Zuckermans decide that they should take advantage of his fame by showing him at the local fair. Wilber is trucked down to the fairgrounds, with a few stowaways like Charlotte and his friend Templeton Rat, to begin his days as a prize pig. Fern continues to visit Wilber and his friendship grows with Charlotte. Wilber is learning so much everyday - it’s kind of overwhelming for him. Despite the drama and hardships that Wilber and his friends face, they each bring something unique and helpful to the group. Read the rest…

In the northern municipality of Liloan, an old but beautiful lighthouse stands. Called the Bagacay Point Light (named after its home, the Bagacay sub-village), it towers to a height of 72 feet in an uphill area, overlooking the Mactan Channel. A narrative by Paul Perez at the website waypoint.ph states that “it sits on an elevated 5,000-sq m government property, 22 km from the main road.”

This white and octagonal tower was built in 1904 through an executive order issued on July 28, 1903 by William Howard Taft, who came to the country in 1900 as president of the Philippine Commission and later appointed US governor general. Read the rest…