Perched on a glen atop the rugged Caraballo mountain range, at Nueva Vizcaya’s remote border with Pangasinan, Malico lies in blissful seclusion—the perfect haven for tired souls seeking solace in this hurried world. Rising up at 1,348 meters above sea level, the quaint village enjoys crisp, cool weather for most part of the year. The best times of the day are the early morning when the surrounding is blanketed by a fine white mist and the grasses are still wet with dew; the late afternoon when the setting sun turns the Western horizon into a canvas of vivid colors; and the mid-evening when all is dark and still, and you are lulled by the deafening sound of silence. Malico teems with pine trees that beckon you to put on your trekking shoes and go on a slow hike and pristine waterfalls that invites you to take a lingering dip in the natural pools below. Or, if you feel like not doing anything, simply head out to the edge of the ridge and take in the panoramic view of the lushed ... » Learn More about Malico: The focus of my Personal Social Responsibility journey
Marshmallow live event
160 Bukit Batok families given food, vouchers for Ramadan
SINGAPORE - About 10 years ago, Madam Rubiah Hamid was helping to cook meals for needy families as a member of her neighbourhood residents' committee (RC) in Bukit Batok, but on Sunday (April 11), she was the one receiving a helping hand. As Bukit Batok MP Murali Pillai presented her with food and vouchers, the 58-year-old teared. Speaking in Malay, the former cook at a childcare centre said it reminded her of the days she spent helping out at the RC, an activity which she misses. Madam Rubiah, a Hokkien Chinese woman raised by a Malay family, had to stop volunteering after she was diagnosed with breast cancer 10 years ago. She now uses a wheelchair and lives with her husband, a 59-year-old heart attack survivor who does odd jobs. The couple was among 160 low-income families who received food and vouchers as part of a Ramadan giving event organised by the Bukit Batok Community Club (CC) Malay Activity Executive Committee and the Muhammadiyah Association. Each family ... » Learn More about 160 Bukit Batok families given food, vouchers for Ramadan
Managing the home while hubby battles Covid-19: 3 mums and the challenges they face
SINGAPORE - Ms Jayme Tan received the "best Mother's Day present" last Wednesday (May 6): her husband back home. Mr Xie Jiahao was finally reunited with his wife and children after 51 days away battling Covid-19 - all because of a good deed. On March 16, the 37-year-old decided to comfort his bereaved friend, who had just lost his wife, by staying over at his home for a week. His friend, who had just returned from Britain, tested positive for Covid-19 on March 22. Mr Xie, an assistant vice-president of digital marketing, was immediately quarantined and tested positive on March 30. He was moved to D'Resort NTUC in Pasir Ris on April 5 as his mild symptoms had subsided. It took another month before he finally scored two consecutive negative swab tests and was discharged - fortuitously, on his mother's birthday and two days after his own. After coping on her own with two pre-schoolers, Ms Tan, who is 14 weeks pregnant with her third child, says: "I'm overwhelmed by happiness. ... » Learn More about Managing the home while hubby battles Covid-19: 3 mums and the challenges they face
Bonding with a child born during pandemic times
No one in Ms Deena Al Mahbuba's family has met her daughter, Aara. She was born at the end of 2019, extremely premature. By the time Aara left the hospital for her home outside Boston in mid-June, the world was already months into Covid-19 lockdowns. Ms Mahbuba's close relatives, along with her husband's, all live in Bangladesh. The couple moved from there in 2013. Family members have done their best to stay connected, but Ms Mahbuba, a graduate student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, wishes her relatives were nearby. Her elder siblings could help her soothe Aara when she is sleepless. Or they could show her how they introduced foods to their babies. Aara, now 15 months old, struggles with new foods after having been tube-fed in her early life. Ms Mahbuba also hopes Aara will learn to speak Bengali, but worries she needs exposure to the language from people besides her parents. "Sometimes, I feel really sad," she said. "I feel like there is a gap ... » Learn More about Bonding with a child born during pandemic times