Camping, summer adventure survival tips, essentials 

MANILA, Philippines — Looking forward to new adventures this summer?

Mountaineer Coach Emmanuel Batungbacal encourages one to see the outdoors. One way to enjoy the outdoors is through camping.

According to Batungbacal, camping has its pros and cons, and as for the pros, first, it exposes one to nature’s beauty.

“’Remember, pag na-experience mo na ‘yung nature at nakita mo na ‘yung beauty, that’s the only time you’re going to protect it. Of course, you see it in the movies, in television, but until you’re actually exposed to it, there’s no way you’re going to protect it. So you have to experience its beauty,” he attested at the recent Summer Happy Camp in Viewscape Nature Park in Tanay, Rizal, organized by bag label Doughnut.

Here are some tips and essentials for a smooth summer sojourn:

Pack light

WATCH: Light packing tips

How to keep warm or cool

When you feel cold in a camp, what is the first body part that you should cover?

According to Batungbacal, you should cover your head first.

“Our head contains a large amount of blood vessels, so when you put on a bonnet, your whole body would follow. You’d feel hot as soon as possible,” he assured. “So always remember when you go outdoors, always bring a beanie or a bonnet.”

As for warm weather, he advised wearing white or light-colored clothes as these reflects or bounces off heat. “’Pag dark kasi, it absorbs heat,” he reasoned.

He also vouched using technical clothes that cools when warm and vice versa.

Keep food outside your tent

To prevent ants and other insects and animals from marching into your tent, Batungbacal recommended putting your bag with food outside your tent.

Clean as you go

“Eto ‘yung hindi maganda ‘pagdating sa mga outdoors: Medyo makalat tayo. So what we do is we also give lecture on LNT – Leave No Trace… Ang pinaka-importante n’yan is you have to bring down your trash. Kasi just imagine ‘di ba, nand’un ka sa isang pristine na lugar, tapos iiwan mo lang ‘yung trash or susunugin mo? So kawawa naman ‘yung next camper. Ang ‘di narerealize ng mga tao, may mga endemic species d’un,” he pointed out.

“So we have to always practice pack-in, pack-out.”

Travel essentials

At the Summer Happy Camp, Doughnut Philippines Brand Manager Luigi Wilwayco introduced the Hong Kong brand’s summer 2024 collection made from recycled materials such as Barley Skin—an innovative material developed by VegaTex and Budweiser Asia Pacific from beer waste; recycled polyester; apple-peel skin vegan recycled leather; repurposed logo lining; upcycled excess fabric from the factory; and recycled discarded fishnets. Doughnut’s stores are found in Glorietta 3, SM Mall of Asia, SM Megamall, SM Pampanga, SM Santa Rosa, SM Seaside, TriNoma, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Ayala Malls Central Bloc, select SM Department Stores, and select Rustan’s Stores. Find Doughnut online at www.doughnutphilippines.com, LazMall, Shopee Mall, and Zalora. 

Complementing these adventure bags are camping gear from Chris Sports, insulated tumblers from Stanley, playing cards from Bicycle Cards, and Victorinox Swiss Army Knives. Shop Victorinox, Celestron, and Bicycle Cards at Cutting Edge stores in Greenbelt 5, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, Mitsukoshi Mall, and Shangri-La Plaza East Wing, or online at cuttingedge.com.ph. Stanley and more camping, sports, and gym equipment are available in Chris Sports stores in Glorietta 3, Uptown Place Mall, SM City North Edsa, SM City Fairview, SM Megamall, SM Mall of Asia, SM City Sucat, SM City Bicutan, SM City BF Parañaque, UP Town Center, Shangri-La Plaza Main Wing, Ever Gotesco Commonwealth, K-Plaza Building, Robinsons Place Manila, Ayala Malls Manila Bay, and One Bonifacio High Street, or online at chrissports.com. 

Get your snack game on

For many Filipinos who love to eat, three meals a day simply aren’t enough – we happily have snacks for midmorning and a merienda in the afternoon. This is because having a light but delicious snack is perfect to get us through the hours while waiting for the next full meal. 

Thankfully, Kenny Rogers Roasters continues to excite and satisfy the Filipino palate with the introduction of its new snacks available in all of its stores nationwide. These snack selections include the Mac and Cheese Burger (P260), a fusion of their best-selling mac and cheese layered with grilled beef patty, mayo, lettuce, and tomato sandwiched between slightly roasted buns.

For those who are always on-the-go – the Nacho Wrap (P235) is made up of freshly prepared tomatoes, onion, lettuce, and chicken with a spread of yogurt and salsa and a layer of colorful nacho chips wrapped in a flour tortilla. It’s the ideal choice for a delicious and convenient on-the-go snack. Another snack offering is the Wrap and Roll Steak (P260) made of grilled steak slices, romaine lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, onions, and mushrooms mixed with sweet honey mustard dressing and wrapped in a soft tortilla. This snack comes with chips and a drink. Another offering is the Truffle Pasta – al dente pasta shells with creamy truffle sauce and served with two pieces of toasted garlic bread. 

Finally, completing the lineup are the Stuffed Baked Rolls (P180). These rolls come in three awesome flavors: Spam, Bacon, and Cheese Stuffed Baked Roll; Hawaiian Stuffed Baked Roll; and Spinach Cheese Stuffed Baked Roll. The Spam, Bacon, and CheeseStuffed Baked Roll features a soft dough generously packed with savory spam luncheon meat, bacon slices, and a blend of cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. The Hawaiian Stuffed Baked Roll consists of a combination of ham, juicy pineapples, and a blend of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, all nestled within a tender roll. Lastly, the Spinach Cheese Stuffed Baked Roll offers a creamy and savory filling comprised of spinach, mozzarella, cheddar, and cream cheeses. These new snack selections are available for dine-in, takeout, or delivery through www.kennyrogersdelivery.com.ph, hotline: 8-555-9000, or via Grab Food and Food
Panda. 

Hype up reunions

If you’re looking for a fun, memorable, and unique new treat to try with your friends, Granny Goose Krrrrunch will help level-up the enjoyment of your gatherings. This crunchy corn snack is available in two convenient pack sizes — solo and buddy — with price points that won’t break the bank. The 24g solo pack is just P16.70 SRP, while the 60g buddy pack is at a pocket-friendly P38.00 SRP.

From the excitement of competitive games to the nostalgia-inducing playlist, and the click of the camera capturing candid moments—each element contributes to the magic of the gathering. And, of course, don’t forget to level up the fun with crunchy, flavorful snacks like Granny Goose Krrrrunch, now available in stores near you or online at Shopee. Granny Goose is a snack brand from Universal Robina Corporation (URC), maker of popular food and beverage brands such as C2 Cool and Clean, Great Taste Coffee, Jack ‘n Jill Piattos, Cloud 9, Magic Crackers and Maxx.

Have a ‘Seoulful’ treat

SaladStop! unveils Seoulful Bowl, a latest addition to its lineup of delectable warm protein bowls. It’s a harmonious blend of warm quinoa, succulent pork galbi, egg roll, Korean cucumber salad, carrots, sweet corn, kimchi, and signature Yuja Vinaigrette. A perfect complement to this, SaladStop! is also launching Peach Soda, a refreshing drink infusing a delightful fizzy and tangy twist.

Defy beauty norms

In a groundbreaking move, SnowCaps L-Glutathione, a leading glutathione brand in the Philippines, launches a new film titled “Skin” that shows moreno and morena talents. The tongue-in-cheek film, created in partnership with independent Manila creative shop Leron Leron Sinta, marks a significant departure from traditional skin-whitening ads in the Philippines.

Supplemented by a series of billboards across Metro Manila, the campaign features talents who embrace their natural complexions and refuse to use the product they are supposed to endorse.

“For too long, the beauty industry in the Philippines has perpetuated a narrow definition of beauty,” says Erick Armigos, Chief Executive Officer of Vida Nutriscience. “We believe true beauty comes from within; if you’re already happy with your skin, don’t use SnowCaps L-Glutathione. But if you want to experience its effects, try our products,” he continued.

“Skin” now has almost 700,000 views on Facebook. Watch it here: https://www.facebook.com/snowcapsPH/videos/964080492044538/

SnowCaps L-Glutathione is available at Mercury Drugstore and Watsons Store branches, and in various online shopping platforms such as Watsons Store Online,
Tiktok, Shopee and Lazada.

For pimple-free holiday

Achieve nail-salon quality nails

Sally Hansen’s innovative Miracle Gel Special Effects Top Coats is a collection offering two distinct finishes: the color-shifting Unicorn Top Coat and the textured, sugar-coated Sugar Top Coat, allowing you to create a lasting manicure without a UV (ultraviolet) lamp, all while being 100% vegan and cruelty-free.

Refresh your eyes 

From walking along bustling city streets to staying glued to screens for both work and leisure, your eyes endure a lot in your day-to-day life. It’s easy to overlook them until they’re already tired or irritated — red, dry, and itchy. Eye drops help by providing moisture when your eyes aren’t making enough of their own, while also reducing friction and discomfort. No more rubbing the eyes, which can even cause irritation and infection. And when adding eye drops to your self-care arsenal, you can never go wrong with eye care brand Rohto.

The trusted Japanese brand is offering the first and only cooling eye drops in the Philippines with Rohto Cool Eye Drops providing instant relief and cooling from minor eye discomforts due to smoke, dust, wind, sun glare, and chlorinated water or from eye strain after extended screen time. Apart from washing out debris from eyes, they can also prevent dryness and germ infection all while nourishing the eyes at the same time. A unique and refreshing way to get soothing comfort, the Cool Eye Drops are great for waking up sleepy eyes, a must when driving or pulling an all-nighter for study or work. If you’re looking for something with a gentle and moisturizing formula with the same benefits, pick Aqua Eye Drops.

Whichever you prefer, these handy eye drops are formulated by Rohto Pharmaceutical Japan, which has over a century of experience in producing safe and effective eye products. The whole production process is fully automated under a controlled environment that’s designed to meet the highest standards. Made with precision and care, applying the eye drops is also a breeze as the brand’s patented nozzle ensures a precise no-mess drop at any angle. They are also suitable for use with or without contact lenses for your convenience. Find them at any Watsons store, or shop online through Watsons Online Shop and through the official Mentholatum stores on Lazada and Shopee. — Videos by Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo; video editing by Anjilica Andaya, Martin Ramos