Being stressed for longer periods of time can eventually become an obstacle, preventing you from handling your responsibilities well and achieving your goals.

Generally known as a sport for men, women can benefit too from playing golf. While it’s true that playing golf isn’t easy, it is, however, a humbling sport. Hitting a small ball a long way until you can finally put it into a small hole in the ground requires both patience and perseverance— which are some of the few traits you need in stress management.

But there’s more to golf than just feeling good and coping with stress. See how golf opens you up to lots of wonderful aspects that can even help you change your life.

Good form of exercise

Playing golf is a great way to burn calories without you noticing it. Golf requires long hours of walking around the course and swinging your club, depending on how many holes you plan to play. So on the average round of 18 holes taking about four hours, you can burn up to an amazing 1,500 calories.

On top of that, playing golf also provides you with life-lengthening benefits such as lowering cholesterol, regulating your blood pressure, and cutting your risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

Improve your social life

Golf is probably one of the most social sports ever invented. Each round of golf allows you to chat with your friends and partners for hours. And as golf is a sport played by all sorts of people, it’s a great opportunity to meet and gain new friends.

Be surrounded by great views of nature

Playing golf requires you to be outside, in areas mostly surrounded by trees, which allows you to breathe fresh air. This is good for you as fresh air is full of negative ions which refreshes your body and gives you a natural lift.

Moreover, playing golf on beautifully manicured greenery set in nature’s wonderful views is breathtaking and peaceful. It allows you to relax and be one with your thoughts which enhances your mood and takes you away, even for a few hours, from the real world and all your daily problems.

So leave behind the city’s noise, traffic and pollution, and look for golf courses located in the country’s most beautiful surroundings like the Clark SunValley Golf & Resorts— a project of the Donggwang Clark Corporation (DCC), the Philippine subsidiary of the SunValley Group of South Korea.

Nestled atop rolling mountains right beside the historic Sacobia River with a majestic view of Mount Pinatubo, the Clark SunValley Golf & Resorts is within a vast 304-hectare mountaintop property with two challenging courses (the 18-hole Sun and Valley Course and the 18-hole Clark Course for members only) and a clubhouse.

This masterpiece private golf course is located at an altitude of 370m above sea level. Aside from letting golfers admire great views of nature, its location provides the right amount of hazards and a fair share of windy conditions which makes each hole challenging, yet fun and enjoyable.

“There are still too many women who are unaware of how great golf is as a sport. And this is what we want to communicate to Filipino women, that in the Clark SunValley Golf & Resorts, we are providing them a unique leisure experience that will make each game of golf more valuable and entertaining than anywhere else,” said Managing Director Tug ho, Rhewy of SunValley Group of South Korea.

Aside from the golf courses, the Clark SunValley Golf & Resorts will soon also feature residential villas, a commercial mall, international school, waterpark, casino and a luxury five-star international hotel, making it a world-class recreational village.

DCC is currently offering one-time membership fee good for two persons, with no green fees, monthly and annual fees. Just sign up and enjoy its two challenging courses while enjoying a perfectly relaxing view of nature. For inquiries on golf memberships, you may call at (+63) 45-499-5184, (+63) 45-499-5185.

The nine chilly mornings that come with each simbang gabi, the delightful smell and taste of puto bumbong and bibingka treats, the joyous singing of carols, the light that the iconic parol brings, and the warmth of sharing each moment with family and friends over Noche Buena—these are some traditions that make up the unique qualities of a Filipino Christmas.

This holiday season, KidZania Manila is rekindling the magical experience that only a Filipino Christmas can bring with Paskong Kai Saya sa KidZania Manila. Homegrown traditions come alive right at the heart of the play city, enchanting children, and their families and friends.

KidZania Manila is celebrating Paskong Kai Saya with a 15-foot Christmas tree at the play city’s main square where famillies can have their pictures taken.

Igniting the spirit of Paskong Kai Saya is a Christmas tree standing in the middle of the main square, accented with capiz ornaments, and topped with a classic Filipino parol. It also serves as a festive backdrop for group photos. Misters and misses can even spread the love and share their positive Christmas messages to others by completing the sentence “Ang Pasko ay Kai Saya dahil…” on the message board near the Christmas tree. To commemorate the moment, developed pictures can be purchased at the PikZ station after the session.

Making Christmas the sweetest time of the year at KidZania Manila is the Magnolia Ice Cream mamang sorbetero.

Adding to the merry atmosphere is a vintage ice cream cart from Magnolia, manned by friendly Mamang Sorbetero. Even Zupervisors, all ready to guide Christmas activity participants, sport the traditional Filipino garb of red scarves and distinctly local straw hats.

Zupervisors in their straw hats and red scarves say kai to a merry Filipino Christmas.

A very merry Pinoy Christmas
Exciting activities that tie-in notable Filipino traditions with the important values that KidZania upholds—To Know, To Care, To Share, To Play, To Create, and To Be—are also in store for misters, misses, and their loved ones to enjoy. These interactive and hands-on activities are located at the play city’s main square.

This season of sharing, the play city invites kids and kids-at-heart to give the gift of KidZania Manila and purchase thesecapiz ornaments for the benefit of Bantay Bata children.

Kids can celebrate the spirit of giving and share their blessings by being a part of KidZania para sa Bantay Bata. Misters and misses can purchase star-shaped Paskong Kai Saya capiz ornaments that they can hang on their tree at home. All proceeds from the sales of these trimmings can help send the kids of ABS-CBN Foundation’s Bantay Bata program to KidZania Manila to experience the marvels of the play city.

KidZania Manila and Via Mare present a delicious learning activity for kids: making their favorite puto bumbong andbibingka.

A feast for the senses awaits the kids as they learn the Filipino way of making delicious childhood favorites puto bumbong and bibingka, courtesy of Via Mare. They can also try their hand at making their own colorful paper lanterns at the Paper Parol-Making Station.

Kids can get crafty this Christmas with KidZania Manila’s paper parol-making activity.

At the Acting Academy, kids can experience the simple joys of Christmas caroling with instruments made of recycled materials, including drums, coconut-shell maracas, and bottle-cap (or tansan) tambourines. They can also have their faces painted and their portraits drawn by Zupervisors.

Apart from these fun activities, families can go home with loot bags filled with special treats from participating Industry Partners: Mercury Drug, Green Cross, Champion, Nestle, McDonald’s, Oishi, Universal Robina Corporation, Pioneer, Toy Kingdom, and Coca Cola.

Celebrate the joy of a traditional Filipino Christmas and be a part of Paskong Kai Saya sa KidZania Manila! Christmas activities will run all the way up to January 15, 2016. To book tickets and for more information, visit manila.kidzania.com now.

About KidZania
KidZania is an interactive kids’ city combining inspiration, fun, and learning through realistic role play for kids four to 14. Kids can independently explore a kid-sized city with over 100 exciting roles. Each experience is designed to empower kids, giving them the confidence to be their best selves, and inspiration to be great global citizens. One of the world’s most inventive, most awarded and fastest-growing kid’s educational entertainment concepts, KidZania has 20 locations in 17 countries, including in the Philippines.

KidZania, Inc., headquartered in Mexico, was founded in 1997, opened its first park in 1999, and is privately held. For more information about KidZania Manila, visit manila.kidzania.com.

KidZania is locally franchised by Play Innovations, Inc., whose majority stakeholder is ABS-CBN Corporation.

All roads lead to KidZania Manila, the kid-sized city built for children that opened at Park Triangle Mall in Bonifacio Global City. Providing a unique and realistic educational environment, KidZania Manila allows kids between the ages of four and 14 to get hands-on experience on their dream jobs.

Built to scale for children, KidZania Manila is the first-of-its-kind indoor play city for kids, where they can explore a myriad of opportunities. But what makes the KidZania experience truly meaningful and authentic are the realistic places and recognizable brands that make up an actual city—from paved streets and kid-sized vehicles, to hospitals, shops and, dining destinations.

KidZania Manila banks on the power of personal experience as a learning tool to help kids find out about how society functions, and develop their independence, self-esteem and real-life skills, so they can get ready for a better world. The goal is to spark kids’ imaginations, ignite their minds, nurture creativity, and inspire real-world exploration.

Here are 10 big things kids can do at KidZania Manila:

1. Become a citizen.

Visit the PaZZport Office to sign up as a KidZanian and get your real PaZZport.

KidZania Manila establishes itself as a fully-functional society for kids, primarily promoting good citizenship. Here, kids can apply for a paZZport to become naturalized citiZens and fully enjoy the benefits of belonging to this great nation. They can enroll in the B•KidZanian program that has three Citizenship levels. With each visit, KidZanians accumulate stamps that allow them to upgrade their citizenship level and thus unlock privileges, earn more kidZos, and have more fun.

2. Seek employment.

One of the popular jobs at KidZania Manila is to be a Veterinarian. Here, kids learn how to take care of pets.

There are over 100 professions to choose from at KidZania but first, they’ll need to go through an orientation that will help them identify their strengths and careers that fit them. Kids get better direction in the jobs that they wish to pursue inside the city after consulting the employment office.

3. Tell the story of KidZanians.

Kids work on their stories at the Newspaper.

Children’s storytelling skills can be developed further as they play the role of a journalist in KidZania Manila’s Newspaper office. Here, they learn the basics of newswriting after which, they are given the chance to write their own story for the city. They can also let their creativity soar at the Magazine Publishing Company, and write a feature story or illustrate their very own comic strip.

4. Investigate a crime.

Kids get to solve a case at the Crime Scene Investigation.

For kids who dream of helping keep the peace and order in the real world, KidZania also has its own law and order institutions, such as a Court House and a Police Department. When they sign up to work at the Police Station and Crime Scene Investigation establishment, they will get to play detectives investigating and solving cases, and participate in trials at the Court House.

5. Learn how to fly a plane.

Pilots-in-Training get to use real flight simulators as they learn the basics of flying a plane.

Wannabe pilots will be in awe once they step inside the Aviation Academy where they train on real flight simulators, and learn how to take off and land an aircraft. Aside from being a pilot, they can train to be a cabin crew member, too!

6. Save lives.

Kids learn how to respond to emergencies as paramedics.

Becoming a doctor is a top choice among children, and they can live out this dream at KidZania Manila. They can role-play as surgeons, paramedics, or veterinarians, and perform simulated procedures, giving them a glimpse of what it is like to save lives for a living.

7. Earn as they work.

KidZos are KidZania’s own currency.

Inside KidZania Manila, kids will learn the value of their hard work. Kids earn kidZos, KidZania’s currency, for every job they perform. Through this, they get an introduction to financial literacy through basic transactions involving their earnings. They can use their kidZos to buy items from stores like the Joy Basket and Department Store, and avail of services inside the city.

KidZos earned from other KidZania facilities are accepted at KidZania Manila after having them exchanged at the bank. This leads to another fun learning opportunity for kids that entail managing their finances.

8. Open a bank account.

After working hard, kids can choose to save their hard-earned kidZos at the bank.

On their first visit, kids can open their own personal bank account and will be given their own personalized ATM card which can be used at any of the city’s ATMs to withdraw their kidZos. Kids learn about saving money by apportioning their earned KidZos and enrolling for a savings account that will earn interest.

9. Get the license to drive.

Kids learn responsible driving at the Driving School. Once they get their license, they get to drive on the driving streets.

Getting their hands on the steering wheel is always an exciting activity that kids can’t wait to learn. KidZania Manila has its own driving school where kids can eventually secure a driver’s license and be able to operate a car within the play city.

The play city also has a car dealership shop where kids can know more about car design and assembly and a gas station where they can learn how to check tire pressure, change oil, and operate a gas pump.

10. Discover their green thumb

At the Farm House Store, kids learn about harvesting fresh produce.

Kids can foster an improved appreciation for food as they learn its value and also the responsibility of growing something through KidZania’s Farm House Store and Urban Garden. As green grocers and urban farmers, KidZanians will understand how fruits and vegetables find their way into their homes as they go through the process of planting, harvesting, and delivering the produce.

They also get to examine and care for trees in the garden and around the city as they assume the role of an arborist. They are taught how to take care of the native trees—narra, bitaog and balete—seen in the city.

Let your kids enjoy the KidZania Manila experience! For more information, visit manila.kidzania.com.

About KidZania
KidZania is an interactive kids’ city combining inspiration, fun, and learning through realistic role play for children four to 14. Kids can independently explore a kid-sized city with over 100 exciting roles. Each experience is designed to empower kids, giving them the confidence to be their best selves, and inspiration to be great global citizens. One of the world’s most inventive, most awarded and fastest-growing kid’s educational entertainment concepts, KidZania has 20 locations in 17 countries, including in the Philippines.

KidZania, Inc., headquartered in Mexico, was founded in 1997, opened its first park in 1999, and is privately held. For more information about KidZania Manila, visit manila.kidzania.com.

KidZania is locally franchised by Play Innovations, Inc., whose majority stakeholder is ABS-CBN Corporation.

Loyalty truly has its rewards, and 67-year-old Lourdes Estoquia learned this in a surprisingly great way. Attending the regional draw of Great Taste White: Choose Great, Win Great Raffle Promo at Robinsons Galleria, she was pleasantly surprised when she was announced as the winner of the P100,000 tax-free cash prize.

Together with a neighbor who also joined the promo, Lourdes decided to drop by the mall to watch the raffle draw. Little did she know that she would be coming home that day as one of the nationwide promo’s lucky winners.

Lourdes Estoquia (center) got the surprise of her life after hearing her name being called as one of the lucky winners in the regional draw of the Great Taste White: Choose Great, Win Great Raffle Promo.

“Nasa harap po kami ng stage nang nabunot ‘yung entry ko at makita ko ‘yung pangalan ko sa screen na winner ng P100,000. Nung ikinuwento ko sa asawa ko, hindi siya makapaniwala,” said the housewife from Caloocan City.

Lourdes admits to being a loyal Great Taste coffee drinker. Even her husband, Roberto, enjoys sipping cups of Great Taste White Smooth & Creamy. “Kahit wala pa po ‘yung raffle promo, umiinom na kami ng Great Taste, kaya marami po talaga akong entries na sinali diyan,” Lourdes said.

“Malaking bagay po ‘yung panalo ko dahil meron na po kaming pambili ng maintenance na gamot para sa vertigo at hypertension ko,” said Lourdes who admits she and her retired husband rely only on the allowances given by their three sons who all have their own families to take care of.

Aside from buying medicines, Lourdes also wants to share her winnings with her six grandchildren. “Gusto ko rin magbigay sa simbahan na malapit sa amin, bilang pasasalamat sa Diyos,” she shared.

Lourdes is very happy and thankful that their loyalty to Great Taste White has been the key to their good fortune.

For more updates on the Great Taste White: Choose Great Win Great Raffle Promo, check out their official Facebook Page (Great Taste 3in1).