#ThankYou, Tatay Ko

2016 is one of the best years of my life!

This year marks memorable and major personal and family milestones in this journey of discovering the wonders and beauty of the world. Some of the unforgettable simple joys I achieved in the last 12 months includes scoring my first-ever “touchdown” in an inter-company patintero competition; conquered my fear of driving a car after more than a decade of avoiding the steering wheel due to a minor accident; and got promoted from being a contributing writer to a columnist for the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

I achieved these small victories on my 40th birth year which coincides with my only child Charles’ 7th birthday and 10th wedding anniversary with my dearest Leah.

Truly, I am very thankful to God for all the blessings that came my way in 2016. That’s why when I saw the AirAsia #ThankYou campaign video online, I was inspired to write about thanking someone who has rode and stuck with me in every bumpy and turbulent ride life had offered me. The clip was sincere and moving that it will make us realize that saying thank you is more than just an expression of appreciation but is also to tell someone that he has done well and should continue with his kind ways.

Being more close to my mother, I hate to admit it but I might have sometimes forgot to show my appreciation to my father and all the things he has done for our family. I hope that through this story that I will share, I would be able to really say the words I should have told him years ago. And what a perfect time to tell him this during this season of love and gratitude.

I’ve met people who consider their nice-looking cars or different gadgets as their prized possessions. Not my Tatay Momoy. For a simple man like him, his old but reliable hammer is his well-kept treasure. I want to share an anecdote that happened 10 years ago a few days before Christmas.

Tatay came here in Manila from Agoo, La Union in the late ‘60s as an innocent just-got-20-years-old man armed only with the tool he purchased using the money he have saved for years.

Good thing he easily got a job as a carpenter in Paco, Manila where he also met our future Nanay Conchit. To make the story short, they got married and had six children. I am the eldest and have witnessed how Tatay have raised this family for more than four decades and counting, though thick and thin.

I still remember my Tatay's way of expressing his appreciation every time I got high grades in school. When I was in third grade and entered top 10 in class, he made me a wooden scooter that was the “in” thing during those times. When I was second honor in 2nd year high school, he built me a pigeon house for my pets. I just can't remember if I even thanked him for all his efforts.

With Tatay Momoy, Nanay Conchit, my son Charles and my wife Leah

Today, Tatay no longer works as a carpenter because he claims that he already lost his “carpentry skills.” I think that is just his way of denying rheumatism and arthritis.

But of all the great things Tatay has given me, the one that he did in December of 2006 before my wedding day was the most memorable and touching of all. I just came home from work when Tatay approached me. He asked me to come with him and check something he made for the house I was building for my future family.

He led me to the kitchen and showed me a pink (favorite color of my wife) cabinet that he made under the kitchen sink. His voice sounded apologetic, “Pasensiya na anak ha? ‘Yan lang ang nakayanan ng Tatay. Wala pa kasi akong perang pambili ng wedding gift e.”

I know I wiped my eyes that time but I did not show it to him because I felt it was kinda corny. I can't minced a word to thank him because I might just burst into tears. But I know he knows I was very thankful that time with the way I reacted. I can’t help but smile when I saw a familiar fellow near the just finished cabinet --- the hammer that was used to build our home 40 years ago.

P.S. For the curious souls, below is a snapshot (almost) of the pink cabinet :-)

#ThankYou, Tatay Ko. Thank you for being the second tatay to my son Charles who you nurture with the same love (or even more) you have given me. If ever I’ll be blessed to win this blog contest sponsored by AirAsia Philippines, I will be able to finally fulfill one of your life-long dreams of being able to travel on a plane.

I prepared a list below of possible destinations you may want to consider. Pili ka na, Tay. I will hammer things out to make this possible. Promise, hindi mapapako.

Imagine you and #AlDub

For someone who has a full-time day job, my excitement for the weekends starts as early as Monday morning while trying to convince myself to rise up for work.

My Saturday lunchtime is booked all year round in front of the boob tube to watch my favorite noontime show ever since I learned how to open the TV. It’s been a lifelong routine which I think I will never get tired of doing. I am a proud laking Eat Bulaga happily married to someone who also grew up breathing the TVJ humor.

That’s why when Kalye Serye was born last year, we are one with the millions of dabarkads who followed the story through replays via YouTube and live broadcast on Saturdays when we don’t have work.

We love every member of EB especially the phenomenal love team of Alden Richards and Maine Mendoza that captured the hearts of every loving and sentimental Pinoys of all ages in and out of the country. That’s why this Saturday, after watching Eat Bulaga, my wife and I will have a movie date with our favorite pair.

The movie Imagine You and Me, shot in Italy, is a romantic film directed by Mike Tuviera that will be shown on July 13, 2016, three days before AlDub's 1st anniversary on July 16, under APT Entertainment, GMA Films, and M–Zet TV Production, Inc.

The movie also features Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Irma Adlawan, Yayo Aguila, William Martinez, Luis Alandy, Elijah Alejo, Cacai Bautista, Jerald Napoles and Cai Cortezas.

Last July 10, I was one of bloggers invited to the blogcon held at Relish, Tomas Morato, Quezon City as part of the promotion of the film.

For those who want to catch the happenings during the blogcon, watch this full coverage from Orange Magazine TV:

Life is sweet at Linden Suites

The face of my 7-year old son Charles lit up when I told him that we’ll spend Father’s Day in a hotel. He has always associated hotel with vacation, fun, family bonding, and a huge soft bed. 

My wife and I both have full-time jobs so we make sure that our weekends are spent with our one and only child. We usually do food trips, go to the mall, or watch movies together on our day-offs.   Hotel staycation is something we do during special occasions.

Every time we book an overnight stay in a hotel, we have a number of things to consider. More than what we adults want, it’s what will make our kid enjoy the moment that matters more. Is there a near mall, toy store or play/ activity area? Does the hotel accepts deliveries from fastfood shops? How big is the “huge soft bed?”

Many hotels definitely fits the bill but there is something in Linden Suites in Ortigas that made us decide that it’s the perfect place to spend Dad’s day this year. Well, this catchy meme that I saw on Facebook has something to do with it in a way.

And so on the afternoon of June 18, Saturday, I found myself inside the very comfortable and big 2-bedroom suites at Linden with the company of my brother-in-law, his wife and their son Nico. There was a big dining table at the middle of the room, two sofas, a CD component, a kitchen (with a ref, microwave oven and electric stoves) and still, we can ask 15 more people to join us and we have enough space to play tag. I’m not kidding.

One of the room has a queen-size bed with a comfort room featuring a bath tub (yay!) while the other one has twin beds with its own bathroom which has a shower cubicle.    

Of course, how can we miss the covered swimming pool of Linden Suites? It’s kid-friendly because it’s just 4-feet deep plus a hawk-eyed lifeguard on standby anytime of the day.  By the way, there’s Jacuzzi on the side of the big pool (yay again).

The pool is located on the 9^th floor of Tower 1 of Linden where the gym is also situated. If you’re a health buff or someone who just want to do some lifting and stretching, you can stay at the gym where helpful assistants are on duty. The pool and gym are both open from 6:00 am to 10:00 pm every day.

While booked in Linden, our family decided to go out for a walk. We did not find it as a hassle to stroll along the busy street of Ortigas at night time because there are a lot of things to see.  It is the home to shopping malls, office buildings, bars and restaurants, and hotels. We even have a harder time choosing where to shop: SM Megamall, Podium or St. Francis Square. In the end, we picked SM, or should I say our kids want it to be there because of Toy Kingdom.

After our dinner at the mall, we went back to our hotel room and had a movie night. Actually two different movie sessions: Disney movie for the children and we adults got to own the remote and go for HBO. Thank God we have two LED screens in the room.

When we woke up in the morning, we marvelled on the great view of Ortigas in a fine Sunday morning. Since the kids stayed wide awake last night, we agreed to just go by couple. A breakfast buffet was waiting for us at Mesclun restaurant at the 2^nd floor of Linden. We definitely enjoyed international buffet and new dishes that were whipped up in the kitchen. I had a blast, especially my stomach, feasting on the Asian, European, and Mediterranean fusion cuisine that were served.

The staff members of Mesclun were also accommodating and understanding. When we informed them that we have kids in the room, they allowed us to bring a plateful of bread and jam and a glass of orange juice so we don’t need to go down again for their meals.

As much as we want to stay longer at Linden, we need to go home by 12 noon because of a lunch treat that we prepared for my father-in-law. While driving home, we never got tired discussing about our great hotel experience which we also shared to other family members. Definitely, we’ll be coming back soon. Indeed, life is sweet at Linden Suites.

The Linden Suites is located at 37 San Miguel Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. You may contact them via tel. no.  +63 (02) 638.7878 or you may visit their official website www.lindensuites.com or like their Facebook fanpage www.facebook.com/LindenSuites.

How my 7-year old son got a driver's license

A couple of weeks ago I was with my family in UP Town Center in Quezon City when a young lady in blue approached me. (Please continue reading, this is not at R18 post).

She said, “Do you have a child who is 4 to 8 years old?”

I was a bit caught off guard because I have never slept with anyone else other than my wife in the last 10 years. I looked at her face checking if she’s one of those I had flings with in college. She did not resemble anyone who I dated but she did look like my bestman Rommel with her short hair.

I replied, “I have a 7-year old son (and I have a birth certificate to prove it).”

“Do you want him to take a short driving course and a driver’s license today,” she smiled.

At first I thought this was just one of those mall-based marketing scheme that after if I agree, I’ll find myself surrendering my credit card and signing a contract that will insure my future ‘till I’m 99. But hey, there’s a line of kids with their parents in the mall’s activity area with the Volkswagen posted in every corner. Definitely legit.  So I got Charles enlisted and here's the fun learning journey he went through in around 30minutes:

Workshops and Presentations.

A representative from the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) educated the children how to become safe and responsible road users through two segments. First, there was a classroom-style lecture where kids were introduced to different road signs and what they mean.  Second, it was followed by a demo by the facilitator using toy cars in a miniature city map where the young ones literally learned the traffic rules while playing.

Junior Driving Course

Volkswagen set up a  50-meter junior driving course with VW push cars designed to simulate real life road situations. There were professional driving instructors who explained the importance of road safety visuals and correct passenger and pedestrian behaviors.

The young participants were also asked to complete a task of going to the a specific location in the driving course without violating any traffic rule. A junior driver’s license is given upon completion of the program.

If you are interested to introduce your kids (4-8 years old) on how to be a responsible driver, here’s the updated 2016 schedule of the Volkswagen Philippines' Child Safety Initiative (CSI) program.  This advocacy is FREE to interested individuals and is on first come, first served basis. 

Date /   Venue

June 20-21 / Glorietta

July 25-26 / Market! Market!

June 27-28 / Robinsons Metro East

July 11-12 / Robinsons Place Antipolo

July 18-19 / Robinsons Galleria

August 1-2 / Alabang Town Center

August 8-9 /Robinsons Place Malolos

Be on Guard: Even the funniest mosquitoes can kill

I was looking for some insect repellent online when I came across some mosquito jokes that I can’t resist sharing because they are so silly yet amusing.  Below are some of my favorite Q and A gags from Jokes4us.com.

What do you get if you cross the Lone Ranger with an insect?

The Masked-quito!

What is a mosquito's favorite sport?

Skin-diving!

Why are mosquitos religious?

They prey on you!

Why did the mosquito go to the dentist?

To improve his bite!

How do you know if you have a tough mosquito?

You slap him and he slaps you back!

What is the most religious insect?

A mosque-ito!

What's the difference between a Mosquito and a fly?

A mosquito can fly, but a can't mosquito!

Funny, right? But I would like to emphasized that mosquito bites are no laughing matter. According to the Department of Health (DOH), there were more than 200,000 dengue cases recorded in the Philippines in 2015, including 598 deaths. 

That’s why my wife and I are very protective with our 7-year old son against dengue especially when we travel to unfamiliar places. Last week before my family headed to a trip to Ilocos Norte, I searched online of an insect repellent that will not only protect us from mosquitoes but against other insects as well.  

I found Guard insect repellent which has 10% Picaridin to guarantee protection versus mosquitoes, flies, ticks, and fleas. I was impressed because its action involves blocking insects’ sensors for the smell of human blood. So we become “invisible” to them and safe against their bites.

The gentle protection of Picaridin is based on a compound found in plant peppers that naturally repels insects. It is just as effective as DEET, but does not cause skin irritation or corrode materials.

Picaridin itself is non-sticky. That’s why Guard is non-sticky and non-greasy, plus comes in a clean, powder-fresh scent. That’s why during our long travel, it feels lighter and fresher on our skin and keeps us insect-free for 4-6 hours when applied on skin.

I also learned that Picaridin is the preferred insect repellent ingredient in Europe and Australia, and is widely used in the US. And because it is less prone to irritate skin, Picaridin has been approved and recommended by the World Health Organization, American publication Consumer Reports, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

Guard can be safely applied on children ages 12 months and up, and ideal for use on your whole family and available in major drugstores and groceries nationwide. Guard is having an online promotion this Mother’s Day and is giving away gift packs to lucky winners. Click HERE for the contest details.

We are on Guard at Paoay, Ilocos Norte

Hot Wheels is Epic and other things you might not know about it

If there is something I am avoiding these days, it’s anything hot.

I hate going out in the afternoon because the sun is just unforgiving these days. Sizzling plates will be my final option when ordering in a restaurant because the last time I had it, I accidentally burned by right arm while taking a call. And lastly, I can’t bear looking at hot chicks walking by the beach… when my wife is around, of course.

However, there’s always an exception. For a daddy like me, bonding moments and great memories with my son can start in great looking cars that we can put in our pockets. These cute yet astig die-cast toys is our favorite especially the ones bearing the brand Hot Wheels.

Last April 9, my wife and I accompanied our son Charles to the first of six qualifying races of the Hot Wheels Epic Race held in SM Megamall. The succeeding races are scheduled next day on the same venue and on April 16 and 17 at SM BF Paranaque and at SM San Lazaro on April 23 and 24. The Semi-Finals and Finals Round will be on May 14 and 15 respectively.

My son Charles was like walking in Hot Wheels paradise with the great set-up created by the organizers. Children were very busy that day. Well, I did had a chance to play a little because that day, everyone in the venue are kids of all ages. Let's say I was also busy that day.

Charles was the last participant among 64 registrants and he did not mind waiting because he never had a dull moment because of the fun play area and displays at the activity center. 

My son’s entry was not able to finish the whole orange race track and only registered 155 inches of length covered. I just hope it makes the Top 20 cut. But whether he make it to the next rounds or not, Charles is a winner that day because we bought him new Hot Wheels, met new friends and experienced the Epic Race.

For fellow Hot Wheels fans, here are some trivia you might want to know about our favorite car brand. Did you know that...

... Since 1968, more than 1,000 models and over 20,000 variations of Hot Wheels cars have been created.

....Hot Wheels make 8.9 million cars every week. That's more than five times the worldwide production of life-size cars.

... 10.5 Hot Wheels cars are sold every second worldwide.

.... 6,000 miles of orange track are produced and sold each year enough to go from Los Angeles, USA to Rome, Italy.

....1.1 million die-cast were sold in the Philippines in 2015.

...  HW is the no. 1 Selling store's product at Toy Kingdom and Toy Kingdom Express for 2015 based on units sold

... and lastly, it is the no. 2 brand of Toy kingdom and Toys R Us for Boys last 2015, next to Star Wars Movie tie-in toys.

You still have a chance to bring your kids in the next Epic Races. It's an experience you and your child will truly remember for a long time.

  

Batman v Superman v Me and my Pop Corn

When I was young, I had this crazy fantasy that I will be a superhero someday.

I would often draw in my notebook my possible costumes and even had a list of my superheroes name that I will use in case a beautiful female reporter asks me during the post-battle-with-a-sinister-villain interview.

My weekends are spent watching Super Friends, the DC animated TV series featuring Superman, Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and the Wonder Twins with their pet monkey Gleek.

I’m already in my thirties but the illusion of being able to wear a cape, fly high and run as fast as a bullet train still tickle my imagination.  Now, if the Gods from Planet Krypton can read this, I hope they can lend me the powers of Clark Kent even for a limited time only. Or if only I am rich as Bruce Wayne, I will build my very own Batmobile that has special features like traffic-detection alarm, videoke machine and a donut holder. I also welcome a ride in Wonder Woman’s invisible jet if I will be offered.

Simply nostalgic.

That’s why when it was announced that the live action flick Batman v Superman was announced several months ago, the DC fanboy in me just went berserk (in a good way) and followed every updates I can find online.

Last March 29,  I was fortunate to be invited by Devant, makers of the most technologically advanced and smart TVs in the country today, for the special block screening of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” at Greenbelt 3 Cinema 5 in Makati City.

With fellow bloggers, Devant’s corporate partners, and other VIPs, I experienced all an exciting evening to be among the first to watch the thrilling and most anticipated movie event of the year, where Batman (Ben Affleck) and Superman (Henry Cavill) clash in an epic collision for supremacy and power between two of the world’s greatest super heroes, a monumental collision to gain the trust and confidence of the people of the world as to who will be their ultimate savior.

For more than two hours, I was that young boy again munching a bag of popcorn while watching with awe the Dark Knight slugging it out with the Man of Steel. Not to mention the amazing moments of the eye-catching stunning beauty of Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot).

And that’s not all as premium loot bags and exciting raffles prizes were given away by Devant for lucky moviegoers prior to the screening, much to their delight.

Ms. Aileen Chan President  of 1st Megasaver

Devant also reminded their guests that the “Battle for Supremacy” promo is still ongoing. For every purchase of Devant’s big-screen TVs like the 65-inch UHD200 Ultra HD TV, the 55 and 50-inch UHV200 Ultra HD TVs, the 58 and 50-inch DTV700 Smart TVs, customers can enjoy quality home entertainment by pairing them with equally impressive home entertainment accessories, all offered at special add-on prices.

Enjoy clear and distinct audio of your favorite movies, concerts or sporting events with the DV-5270 Devant 5.1 Channel multimedia speaker (270W), DV-280 Devant 2.1 Channel multimedia speaker (80W), and DV-5160 Devant 5.1 Channel multimedia speaker (160W).

Be Secured, Be Insured: Take the ER Vantage

If there is one thing I dread to hear at any given time, it’s an emergency call from someone dear to me. Well, who does not?

Merriam-Webster.com defines emergency as a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action. As you can see, even the dictionary sounds a bit nervous describing it. 

Kidding aside, emergency situation is something I take seriously. That’s why I see to it that I am secured, or should I say, insured at all times. Just to make sure that I am covered if in case accidents come. This will also take away any burden from my family financially if I’ll be required to be hospitalized.

In both my personal and professional journey, Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) has been dependable partners to me, my family, loved ones, friends and colleagues. HMO Philippines are life savers that we can lean on for basic medical expenses and outpatient care, medical treatment and hospitalization. This is something that employees should be thankful for if their organization gives such benefit because not all employers provide this to their workers, aside from the government health insurance plan provided by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth).

I just hope that companies would realize that HMO Philippines insurance plans are not mere expenses but instead, they’ll look at it as a good investment. A healthy and happy employee will work hard for organizations that take care of them and their families.

I am sharing my personal experience about our company’s health insurance provider Philcare. I underwent a medical procedure last December. Since the clinic I went to was not accredited by Philcare, I just paid in cash. After the holiday season, I filled out some documents and reimbursement claim form from Philcare and in a month’s time, I got my money back sent as a check straight to my office without me needing to call for follow-up. Bottom line is, Philcare has been my dependable ally for years now.    

That’s why I want my family to enjoy the same experience I get from this trusted company which I just found out is a pioneer and a recognized leader in the HMO industry in the country for more than three decades now.

PhilCare sets the pace for the HMO industry not only with the reliable in-patient and out-patient health care it provides, but also with the total wellness and healthy living it actively promotes.  One of their product innovations that I discovered are the ER Vantage prepaid cards for one-time use emergency care leading to admission health card for individuals 6 months to 64 years old.  It can use one-time for a private room. The card covers the patient’s emergency room care such as expenses for room and board, and necessary diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.

I would like to believe that the ER Vantage card is PhilCare’s contribution to meet the healthy Filipino’s changing needs. PhilCare understands that being healthy means more than not getting sick; it also means getting you and your family prepared for any emergency.

The prices of the insurance packages are reasonable with prices. For a one-time payment of P900, P1,100, or P1,300, users can avail of P40,000.00 up to P80,000.00 worth of emergency hospitalization expenses.  Upon text registration, the card will be activated within a 7-day period. The benefit of the card runs for an entire year where the registered can avail of the emergency hospitalization at any of PhilCare’s affiliate hospitals and clinics nationwide.

Emergency cases covered by ER Vantage health cards are sudden, unexpected onset of illness or injury which at the time of availment reasonably appeared as having the potential of causing immediate disability or death or requiring immediate alleviation of severe pain or discomfort. Examples of these are dengue, typhoid fever, leptospirosis, pneumonia, acute gastroenteritis.

The bestseller among the packages is ER Vantage 80 which offers the following benefits:

a.   P80,000 coverage for emergency room care and hospitalization inclusive of doctors’ fees, laboratory and diagnostic procedures, room and board, and medicines (except vaccines) as medically necessary during confinement except for cases declared as non-coverable.

b.  Covers special modalities of treatment  as medically necessary during ER and confinement and subject to Php 5,000 inner limit.

c.  Inclusive of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures as medically necessary during ER and confinement.

d.  Covers hospital emergency care for animal bites except vaccines.

e.  Room and board: Private room.

f.  No hospital deposit required.

g.   Access to 400+ accredited hospitals nationwide (www.philcare.com.ph/erhospitals)

h.  No medical examination required to apply.

i.  Hassle-free SMS registration.


Here's a step-by-step direction on how to order a card online via www.philcare.com.ph.

Step 1: On the Philcare website, click the SHOP NOW tab.

Step 2: Browse to to the products available and click on the image of the one you would like to purchase online.

Step 3: Indicate the quantity of your order then click "Add to Cart"

Step 4. Click "Check Out" to finalize your order.

Step 5: Accomplished the online form for your delivery details.

Step 6: Choose your preferred payment option then click the "PURCHASE" button.

That easy! Now you will receive two notifications for a successful order. One will immediately appear on your screen and the other one will be emailed to you. Please see the screen shots below.

Delivery rates starts at P65 per order depending on your location. Please click HERE to see the full details of delivery fee and time frame. 

When is the best time to avail of the product? The answer is NOW! Don’t wait for any emergency to come and be sorry to find out that you are not prepared for it. 

Daddy, you have a tummy like Kung Fu Panda

I was minding my own business watching basketball on TV last Sunday night when my 6-year old son butted in, "Daddy, you have a tummy like Kung Fu Panda."

Charles must have been watching me caressing my just-had-dinner stomach while lying in bed.  I just smiled at my little boy and asked him to play outside the room with his cousins instead of staring at my belly.

How could this boy be that insensitive after bringing him to the special advance screening of Kung Fu Panda 3 at SM Megamall Imax Theater courtesy of the generous people from 20th Century Fox, Warner Brothers, Dreamworks, Dream Play and WWF Philippines (I just have to thank them this way because we really had a great time last weekend).

That's my son (nope, not the Panda) with his newly-met friends during the advance screening of Kung Fu Panda 3 in 3D.

Just in case you don't know, Kung Fu Panda is one of the most successful animated film of all-time featuring the voice of ace comedian Jack Black as the clumsy yet heroic Panda named Po. For the third installment of the series, other Hollywood heavyweights were included in the cast namely Dustin Hoffman as Shifu; Angelina Jolie as Tigress; Jackie Chan as Monkey; Seth Rogen  as Mantis; Lucy Liu as Viper; Kate Hudson as Mei Mei; and a lot more.

Now, I'm starting to think the what my son said s actually a compliment. Imagine how many big stars were assembled just for a Panda film. Now here's one trivia you might want to know (no matter how useless it may sound): In the movie, Po is known as the Dragon Warrior. But did you know that Panda's has a list of aliases?  The Chinese call giant pandas daxiongmao or “large bear cat.” Pandas have also been known as “beast of prey,” “white leopard,” “iron eating beast,” and “bamboo bear.

Now, if you still have a few minute to spend reading, here are three more interesting Panda trivia that you can pass on to your child:

1. A panda mother is 900 times bigger than her newborn cub, which weighs less than 5 oz. In comparison, an 8-pound human baby would have a mother that weighed 7,200 pounds.

2. On average, a panda eats 25-30 pounds of bamboo in one day. In the spring, a panda may eat 100 pounds in a day.

3. Under its fur, the skin of a giant panda is black where its fur is black, and pink where its fur is white.

Coo, right? Anyways, just in case you want to catch Kung Fu Panda 3 in your favorite movie house, regular screening nationwide starts on March 9.

Panda trivia source: facts.randomhistory.com.