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