today's necessities

 

All of these, you can probably consider as COVID 19 or the Novel Corona Virus (do we still call it that, though?) protection starter kit. I've been working on collating things like these that are actually Philippine-made because, you know, the best thing to do nowadays where recession is everywhere, is to support everything local. This is the only thing that can keep our countries' respective economies afloat.

I only ever buy made in China things very rarely now. Only when I see there's no other way but to do so. Everything else I go for from everyday necessities like these to skin care and beauty products are all Philippine-made therefore making them Pro-Philippines, Pro-Environment and Pro-Poor. 

Anyway, onto the items on this list:

1. MEDIPLUS Disposable 3 Layers Face Mask 

I think I bought this one at Php 299 but still, it's quite a good price for 50 masks in a box. It's gotten cheaper now since it came out, yes. I got mine for the family from Lazada Philippines because they can now conveniently link your shopping account to your Gcash account, if you have one, and thereby makes it easier for one to purchase anything.

2. & 3. 3 PCS Washable Cotton Plus Organic Face Mask in WHITE, also available in BLACK here 

I'm still contemplating getting this one in both colors. My dad brought home a mask that's of this kind that's made in China for my mom and I sometime ago but I never really used it. So this is something I'd rather get, also for the family. If one at least gets a pack each, that'd be 6 masks in total for the family already. 

Oh, and also, feel free to follow Cotton Plus NCR on Lazada Philippines for more of these great Philippine-made products that keep us all safe from contracting the virus, yes!

4. 10 PCS Sterling Premium Face Shields 

Bought about three of these when news broke out that we're all going to required to use face shields when going outside. It took a while to get to where I am but I was able to get all three so it's all good. Plus it's quite durable and can last a while with multiple uses so it's definitely good value for money.

Sterling is generally known here in the Philippines as a stationery brand. They sell mostly notebooks, paper and more. But that they've turned to making face shields as well and I saw that they now also make face masks, the single use, disposable kind, so well...yeah, they're doing their part to help out more now as well. Might as well support them, too. Their face masks are kind of pricey at Php 390 compared to Mediplus's that's below Php 250 right now but still worth getting if you're thinking of supporting our local producers and makers for these things.

5. Printed Disposable Masks, also available in non-patterned but different colored here 

If you're bored of the usual blue on the outside and white on the inside face masks then you're going to like these in pretty blue and multi-colored patterns and in different colors.

Materials that are used to make this may be from South Korea but they are manufactured here in the Philippines. So if you'd like to support the Filipinos on their team to make these, then go for these. They'd break the monotony of using the using blue and white ones, yes, and make wearing masks less boring outside.

I'm thinking of getting these in pink or yellow next since they're about the same price I got the Mediplus ones in. Yeah, must make the most of the money I have on Gcash.

6. Indoplas, Disposable masks for only Php 99 a box of 50 or so pieces here.

They're in Shopee and I haven't really ordered much from Shopee for a long while now although I have been thinking so for just as long. The thing with Shopee is that I got used to ordering from it using COD (cash on delivery) payment method. I don't think they allow Paymaya or Gcash still, in there. But it seems now, they do allow online bank transfers or so which is good. Credit card payments as well. So let's all see how this goes. It still holds however that unlike Lazada, they still do not have the convenience of allowing customers and sellers alike to link their Gcash accounts, if they have any, to their accounts on site. Where selling and buying is concerned, I've been volleying between using Gcash, Paymaya and online payments more so that I don't have to carry a lot of cash with me. Haha. It's just, much more convenient, to be honest. It's good that we have a lot of options now for online payments than anything, yes. Bottom line, I need to explore Shopee more.

So yes, let's go to Indoplas. Indoplas is a company that makes or manufactures medical tools. So if you go to their Shopee page, you'll find that they have a lot of those. If I'd continued being a nurse way back when I first started college, I'd've had this one bookmarked. But coming from a family of mostly medical practitioners or health care givers, I've had them bookmarked now or followed, I guess, since I discovered them there recently. They usually manufacture medical tools. So given that they are such, it's no surprise they priced a box of their disposable masks at Php 99. It's the cheapest I found on this sort. I'm also sorely tempted to get their electric thermometer or automatic thermometer. It seems to be of Japan quality which is tons better than the China made ones and priced just right...hmn...we'll see.

On a side note, I've thought about 3M products too and was of the impression that some 3M products are manufactured here. I just...happen to not have a lot of information on that one yet but I'll get back to y'all here on that one, one day soon.

Honorable mentions or, more accurately put, some bonus items not on the photo above:

7.  KN95 face masks in 10s, 30s and more

While crafting this post, I looked up DecoPro, the maker of these KN95 masks online and yes, they are Philippines-based. Some of the reviews on the page for this one do not look promising but hopefully, the more people patronize their product, the more they can improve on it. 

If you find the usual disposable, medical grade masks uncomfortable because it does hardly offer the right fit (it's fine for me, though, I only use it for hours while outside anyway) for some and the ear loops can be, well, flimsy for some, you can always go for this KN95 that likely offers better fit.

8. Island Souvenir shirt with free washable mask 

I've already ordered my 3rd washable fabric mask from elsewhere but THIS IS just GREAT value for money. I love Island Souvenir stuff even though they can skew towards the expensive side when one buys them in store. Their t-shirts are of good quality---really soft and light to wear, so, soooo comfortable---and I'm looking to stock up on some, particularly this one on the link on number 8. Cool, minimalist-ish design plus free washable facemask for under 200 Php? Yes, I'd get this one in a heartbeat. Maybe, err...one day soon. I still need to stock up on some white shirts, mostly v-necks since I have a lot of round necks already. I'm not really that much into printed shirts but I'd been easing into them as of late.

And that's it for this post. Yes...please, PLEASE do support local despite China-made products being very sellable these days due to their cheaper, more competitive prices. WE NEED TO KEEP OUR NATIONAL ECONOMY AFFLOAT and we need to support our own Filipino makers, workers and more. Even if one has to spend so much on something that's Filipino-made, keep in mind that it's worth it because someone that's also Filipino had a hand in making it and thereby know that quality we are looking for. 

school girl-like style in polo ralph lauren

blazer, Polo Ralph Lauren

Polo Ralph Lauren is now on Zalora and I'm all but dreaming of this blazer for a random 90s throwback. School girl style. Ugh. Want. Why is it sooo out of my budget? 

pictures and my new kicks! yay!

photos from tumblr and fashiontoast.com and Primadonna via Zalora PH

Two new pairs of shoessss! Can you guess which ones? Kind of wish the Chloe x Doc Martens ones are still around but I guess everyone else cool has snapped them up on eBay and everywhere else otherwise. I did see one for sale eBay but way out of my budget, as per usual.

The bulk of my clothing budget goes to shoes. Yes. It rarely goes to clothes and a few others. Typical of a shoes obsessed someone. I don't really mind if they're a tad bit uncomfortable either. Hmn...yep.

More pressing matters at hand: the COVID 19. It's wide spread in South Korea right now as well. I hope everyone stays safe. It's still somehow well-managed here in the Philippines and the 1 death we'd had recorded here is an elderly Chinese man. I think some of our own countrymen have tested positive for the virus but there's nothing really definite about that one yet, either. But as it is important to take the necessary precautions, still, I was not really THAT surprised that SM Downtown Premier in my area have temperature checks and large containers of alcohol at the entrance. All their entrances are, I think, equipped with those. Good one, SM! What I'm more surprised about is that Ayala Centrio, the better mall I kind of prefer, do not have these measures. I haven't been to the other one, Lim Ketkai Mall, so I can't compare the three yet. Anyway, what I mean to say is that as someone who doesn't really go out as much and just prefers to do most things online and in smaller shops in the Divisoria area of the city, this hardly affects me much. One of the necessary precautions is not to go out to crowded places because you never know what you'll get there. The COVID 19 may be quite rampant there, we don't know. So it's best to be safe than sorry. 

Let's find better ways to entertain ourselves in, yes? Yes.

to come on treasure chest of sorts and what went down on a pretty Saturday afternoon

photos by @michi.dums on instagram

wearing @treasure_chest_of_sorts, red ninewest clutch, secondhand gucci backpack, zalora ph heels (black) - from last year, so fab! via zalora ph modern heels - from last year

The BFF and I shot a storm of stuff yesterday afternoon for the shop and others...well, this blog. It was a random bite of the creative bug, I suppose, for both of us. I was there mostly just for photos of items I am putting up on the store here: @treasure_chest_of_sorts. 

Yes, I'm uploading clothing items for sale on that instagram shop account soon so watch out for it! The soonest is this coming week.

Kind of can't wait for another shoot up next week. I'll have to probably add more clothes to the fray soon. Yep, soon. I have other summer-friendly stuff in mind I'm adding to it, of course, yes...among other things. I intend to make @treasure_chest_of_sorts not only a local beauty and skin care as well as all things eco-friendly store but also a shopping destination for all things fun to wear over the sunny summer season to answer the beach wardrobe needs of most people! So yes, feel free to visit it from time to time and shop! I am always available for direct messaging on the said site! 

Photo of my shoes I wear to events and more on rotation reminds me I need new stuff soon. I'm, admittedly, a shoe addict. It's where most of my budget for clothes go... yep.

Until the next post, then!

scalloped and black

something borrowed scallop bow bustier swim top, something borrowed scallop hem bikini bottom

I've been eyeing these since they came out on Zalora Philippines as they reminded me of these Chloes and especially Marysia's Antibes swim top and bottom. They're on sale now, and at a really more accessible price therefore off went the clicking of the purchase button... They sadly only come in black (low-key wishing they came in nude too...) but that can be overlooked.

It's officially monsoon/rainy/wet season here in the islands but there are still enough sunny and pleasantly partly cloudy days ahead so these could still come in handy. 

P.S., they're still on sale. Also, another brand, Shapes and Curves from Zalora has something similar as well: the sexy scallop two piece swimwear.

new additions

Emoda asymmetric drape cami, Emoda 2-way top

Hmn...can't wait for these to come in the mail though it may take two weeks or so. Emoda = wispy basics heaven.

Next stop: this. But that is if I'd have enough to spare for it by the end of this month or the 15th of next month...unless it's put on sale...again, like these two.

of caving in

(forever21)

After a month or so of debating things...a month or so of no shopping whatsoever except for that shirt from Ateneo de Manila University I had my room mate get for me when she was in Manila late last month, I had to cave in. I'd been eying these for weeks now and needless to say, I caved in. I just had to. I justified getting this by reasoning with yours truly that the two bodycon skirts in black I direly needed from the same store needed company somehow. (I have a shortage of skirts of this kind, don't even ask. The ebay-ed one is getting lonely.) This would be perfect for walks out to beaches and stuff, I suppose sans the not-so-high heels. I needed a pair of thong sandals too but I decided to put off buying it for later. I'll probably just look around here for a substitute. The last gladiator flats I had for beaches was something I procured from the local SM department store brand, Parisian that later fell apart after a year of productive over-usage. I used it running around the university back home a lot. It's destruction was sad and yet inevitable.

Oh and because the following day---today, a pair of ankle cowboy-like boots I lusted over which was on sale (yes, on sale---I'm still moping over losing it) disappeared really quickly. 

There are a few other trivial things I have plans of obtaining from Forever21 in mind, namely a suede-like moto jacket or faux leather jacket (contemplating white and red/burgundy but I'll settle with black first), but I'll probably reserve that for another day. At least not until I get my daily uniform in of white shirts, denim shorts, really basic formfitting (bodycon)- and mini-skirts and everything boring and basic. This basically sums up my existence in this world.

In other news, I have no class today because teachers are in a meeting until around 5 or 8 p.m. tonight. I shall be working in on academic papers (research) as per usual. Yesterday's date with myself to the local staging of the Vagina Monologues and the launch of One Billion Rising was anything but eventful, I ended up dancing (even when I really am timid around that act and can only dance sparingly, not at all like someone so lose and limb-y and all) with the cast along with others in the Luce Auditorium towards the night's conclusion. Yep, fun~

tights

Tights and over the knee socks, and a great variety of them: yay or nay? This one came to me after my mother affirmed we resided in a place where it's colder than the rest of the Philippines. I'm not talking about Baguio. Let's just say, it's one of the coldest around the island of Mindanao. I'm a strong proponent of the denim shorts + tights and have a decent few from SM department store and elsewhere else in my closet whose stash somehow needs to be updated. This will be my next F21 haul, I suppose. Most of the time, it's really hot in my locality so I'll see about wearing them at the right time like these days when rain clouds loom over the city most days of the week.

Crime increasing everywhere in the Philippines. It's not good news but have you seen what TV Patrol reports about recently? Utterly disappointing. I continue to ponder over question why such people with no remorse over what they do to harm others exist. I'll never get an answer, I suppose.