Canva’s Health and Well-being Lead Shares Quick Pointers for Busy Dads

There is no one-size-fits all way to being a father, but most working dads want to do the best to support their loved ones. With all the pressure that comes with these responsibilities, dads also need to look after their own wellbeing too.

Donato Avellana is the Health and Wellbeing Lead for the Vibe Team at Canva Philippines, and as a father himself, he acknowledges the importance of work-life balance. He has helped build programs at Canva that empower employees to have a healthy work-life balance, with holistic programs for all domains of wellness. Taking his learnings from this, he shares some helpful and practical tips to help dads to develop healthy habits that can boost their happiness at work and at home.

1. Rest and recover well
Rest and relaxation is crucial to improve our overall health. Try your best to get at least 7 hours of sleep, go to bed an hour before you go to sleep, and stay away from your TV or mobile phone, as several studies show that the blue light from screens can disrupt sleep. Sleep is often a neglected component of overall well-being, but this is where the body repairs itself to get ready for another day. Remember that you deserve to rest.

2. Start your day with a cold shower
Showering can also offer more benefits than many realise. By using water that is a little cold, you can improve blood circulation, with the lower temperature causing blood to run to the skin’s surface. Good blood circulation plays an important role in our health for proper nutrient distribution throughout our body.
This is also a good time for dads to have their ‘me’ time. Breathing exercises are a great way to start the day, by offering the opportunity to regroup and reflect.

3. Move more, make it a habit
The health benefits of movement have been scientifically proven time and time again. Your body is connected to your brain and your movement habits can positively impact how you think and feel. Inactivity can make you feel sluggish and tired, making it hard to find motivation and deliver on responsibilities.
Add regular walks, stand often, or follow stretching routines that you can commit to during the day. Taking time for a short 10-15-minute walk is a great way to have a mental and physical break.

4. Eat smart: practice a mindful eating habit.
We have been educated about what healthy eating is since we were kids. Eating intuitively on a regular schedule is very important. Eating with no structure creates mindless eating that can lead to poor nutrition choices. Think of nourishing your body with healthy fuel for efficient performance instead of just eating. Eat a variety of whole foods, have fruits and vegetables, and hydrate smartly.

5. It's okay to ask for help
This shortlist might not be easy for everyone, so I encourage dads to seek help when they need it. You might want to start at home with your spouse, ask for help from co-workers, peers, fellow fathers, professionals such as your doctor.

Showing appreciation to your father
If you’re still looking for heart-felt gift ideas for your dad, you can browse through Canva for free design ideas and inspiration.
Make your dad, grandfather or any other special figure feel loved and appreciated by designing personalized cards. A wide variety of photos, customizable templates, and full-color professional layouts are available. You can also find Filipino templates by changing the language settings to Tagalog and searching for the word ‘tatay’.

For more information about Canva, visit https://www.canva.com/

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ABOUT CANVA

Launched in 2013, Canva is an intuitive online design and publishing platform with a mission to empower everyone in the world to design anything and publish anywhere. Featuring a simple drag-and-drop user interface and a vast library of templates ranging from presentations, social media posts, posters, invitations to resumes, a huge collection of stock photography, illustrations and fonts, anyone can take an idea and create something beautiful. Canva is available on web, iOS and Android

Essential Health Checklist for Dads

Father’s Day is the perfect opportunity to let our dads know how important they are to us and how much we want them to be healthy — even moreso with the current pandemic.

As we celebrate this special day for dads, AXA Philippines, one of the country’s leading insurance providers, offers an essential health checklist so you can help dad achieve optimal health.

Remind him to get annual health screenings. Preventive healthcare is the most effective measure men can follow to live healthier lives. As your dad ages, it is important to encourage him to have regular medical check-ups to prevent health risks common among men such as colon and prostate cancer, stroke, diabetes, and heart attack. As soon as he turns 50, it is vital for him to get an annual prostate screening to detect prostate cancer, especially if it’s in the early stages, which may be easier to treat.

Encourage him to exercise. Studies have shown that exercising has great effects on one’s physical and mental wellness. It reduces the risk of developing diseases like diabetes, heart attack, obesity, and many more. It also reduces stress and the risk of depression, while improving one’s mood. It can even be a bonding activity with your dad. Invite him to start this healthy habit with you and exercise together at least 20 to 30 minutes a day.

Invest in his health. Sometimes, there are unforeseeable circumstances that affect our health and are beyond our control. When this happens, it’s better to be prepared by gifting your dad with health insurance like AXA Health Start which provides coverage for the top three critical illnesses such as cancer, heart attack, and stroke and some of their minor forms at very affordable prices.

Promote a well-balanced meal at home. Living healthy means eating a well-balanced diet consisting of protein, fruits and vegetables, healthy oils such as omega 3, olive oil, coconut oil, and many more. Make sure his diet is rich in vitamin C to boost his immune system to fight coronavirus, as well as other diseases, fatigue, and infection. Guavas, kiwis, and oranges are vitamin C-rich fruits that he can eat as a snack or dessert.

Help dad stress less. Stress can lead to a heart attack, obesity, and stroke. Help him reduce his stress by supporting his favorite relaxation rituals. On Father’s Day, you can help him relax by giving him a memorable celebration with the whole family.

As the provider and ultimate protector of the household, it’s important for dads to be in their best shape. Help them protect their health by encouraging them to follow these tips from AXA Philippines. To know more about AXA Health Start, visit www.axa.com.ph.

DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez Reaches out to the Americas’ Business Sector with Message of the Philippines’ Economic Resilience

Manila, Philippines — Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez presented the government’s response to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on the Philippine economy and its initiatives to lay the groundwork for a new business environment in a webinar entitled “Philippine Business Environment: Post-COVID19,” held on 9 June. Hon. Jose Manuel Romualdez, Petronila Garcia, Demetrio Tuason, Philippine Ambassadors to the United States, Canada, and Mexico respectively, also gave special messages.

Secretary Lopez stressed that despite these challenges, the Philippines is still well-positioned to recover because of its solid macroeconomic and fiscal management. The recent legislation of crucial economic and tax reforms such as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law, the Sin Tax Laws of 2019 and 2020, the Rice Tariffication Law, the Universal Health Care Law, and the Ease of Doing Business Law have all helped the Philippines prepare for any crisis.

“Investors are interested in our country because we’re the 2nd fastest growing economy in ASEAN and one of the fastest growing markets in the world. Our people are highly capable, highly trainable, fluent in English, and with cost-competitive talent. Plus, we have a robust electronics and semiconductor industry with strong support industries. Lastly, we have our FTAs and GSPs in several key markets,” he shared.

“The Economist magazine ranked the Philippines 6th among selected emerging economies in the world, and the best among those ranked from Southeast Asia, in terms of financial strength. This shows that the country has gained and continues to enjoy the confidence of the international community, which puts us in a position to finance our COVID-19 response measures sustainably,” he added.

Trade Secretary Lopez also highlighted that even during the imposition of the Enhanced Community Quarantine, the IT-BPO sector remained operational and able to support global clients, particularly the IT-BPOs in healthcare which operated at a high 90% capacity. He also highlighted that the Philippines was one of the few countries that did not impose any restrictions on the export of critical medical products at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He also revealed that one of the key strategies is to position the Philippines as a strategic complementary host country or alternative hub for manufacturing and production facilities, specifically to those looking to diversify their business locations to enhance competitiveness. Secretary Lopez also identified a number of key sectors such as electronics manufacturing, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals as areas where companies in North and South America can look to the Philippines for potential partnerships.

He explained that there is a compelling case for the Philippines to specialize in higher-value manufacturing. A successful core of high value manufacturing requires low cost of capital, access to technology, an educated workforce, and spending on research and development. The Philippines holds a number of key advantages in these sectors, including having a large pool of cost competitive and skilled labor.

During the Q&A session, Secretary Lopez provided updates on the government’s Build Build Build program and shared that many roads, highways, ports, airports, and bridges are being constructed to help lower logistic costs, which is a challenge in an archipelagic country. He stated that while many roads and highways have been inaugurated and airports already upgraded and reopened, there are more logistics-related infrastructure projects expected to be finished in two years before the end of President Duterte’s term. Actual projects include a connector road north of Manila that will bypass the main thoroughfare EDSA scheduled to be finished by December 2020, as well the opening of the last segment of the Tarlac–Pangasinan–La Union Expressway (TPLEX), which is expected to cut short the travel from the end of Manila to La Union from three hours to less than an hour.

When asked about the free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the US, Secretary Lopez stressed their committed to pursue FTA discussions. He also mentioned that there is strong interest from the Mexican government to explore bilateral discussions and a potential FTA, since Mexico has historically been a strong trading partner of the Philippines.

The Department of Trade and Industry’s Philippine Trade and Investment Centers in Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, and Mexico City, in coordination with the DTI - Foreign Trade Service Corps and the Board of Investments, organised the webinar aimed to reassure the international business community. 338 participants from North America and other parts of the world attended the webinar, while the Facebook Live video garnered over 11,000 views as of this writing.

(From Left to Right, Top to Bottom) PITC-Toronto Senior Trade Representative Maria Roseni Alvero, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, and BOI Managing Head and Undersecretary for Industry Development and Trade Policy Ceferino Rodolfo.

(From Left to Right, Top to Bottom) Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez, Philippine Ambassador to the United States Hon. Jose Manuel Romualdez, Philippine Ambassador to Mexico Hon. Demetrio Tuason, and Philippine Ambassador to Canada Hon. Petronila Garcia.

6 Ways to Treat Dad this Father’s Day at SM Supermalls

Dads are everything rolled into one – a personal cook, driver, family comedian, DIY specialist, motivator and a lot more. This June, show your love and appreciation for your one-in-a-million dads by throwing him a feast fit for a king with the whole family at your favorite SM mall!

“This Dad’s Day, SM puts the spotlight on our idol dads who have brought nothing but laughter and love to our homes. We celebrate them through exciting deals, events, and fun feasts made especially for them,” invites SM Supermalls SVP for marketing Jonjon San Agustin.

Here are six ways to spoil the king of the family this Dad’s Day at SM:

1.    D-day for your main man. Reminisce about the good old days over beers and barbeque until

June 16 from participating restaurants because let’s be honest, dads invented BBQ Sundays.

2.    Makeover and wellness time. Dad always puts the family first. On his special day, make him feel like the king that he is by pampering him at SM. On June 16, get exclusive deals for haircuts and massages.

3.    Toys for the big boys. Fill your dad’s heart with excitement by bringing him to a showcase of classic and contemporary automobiles and motorbikes at the Cool Cars and Bikes Exhibit from June 14 to 16.

4.    Daddy belly. Take your dads to a steak date and make reservations at his favorite restaurant this June 14 to 16. It’s never too late to treat your Foodie Daddy to a sumptuous feast!

5.    Dance machine. Relive great childhood memories! Work as a team and show off supreme dance moves by joining Dad’s Fortnite Dance Challenge on June 16.

6.    Create memories with dad. Take snaps and play with fun Facebook filters with your super dad for a chance to win exclusive #DadsDayAtSM2019 giveaways until June 16!

Create new memories with your dad through an exciting celebration of fun, food, and treats at SM Supermalls.