Previously, I posted about the portion of Marikina Fault Line that passes through Alabang, Muntinlupa. That post contained a map from the Philippine Institute for Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) and a short list of places that were traversed by the fault line.

Now, let us see another area in Metro Manila that is affected by the Marikina Fault Line. This area is the city of Taguig and the southern portions of Makati City.

According to this PHIVOLCS fault line map, the Marikina Fault Line passes through the following areas in Taguig City:

1. Barangay North Signal Village
2. Area between Maria Reyna ng Apostoles Church and Heritage Park
3. Barangay Pinagkaisa
    - Sto. Niño Village
    - Wildcat Village
    - Palar Village

The Marikina Fault Line crossed the boundary of Taguig and continued to Makati City in these areas:

1. Barangay Rizal
3. Barangay Pembo
    - Area just east of Pembo Elementary School

The red lines on the PHIVOLCS fault line map above indicate the location of the Marikina Fault Line. To better understand the meaning of the red lines, please read this legend:

The map I posted here can be viewed and downloaded from the PHIVOLCS website. In addition to the PHIVOLCS fault line map, I also used Google Maps and Wikimapia data for this post.

It is scary to know that your house or workplace sits on or near the Marikina Fault Line. The fear is compounded by the fact that PHIVOLCS said that the Marikina Fault Line is ripe for movement. This means that a big earthquake will happen any time.

I hope that the city governments of Taguig and Makati take a serious preparations for the big earthquake. Residents, for their part, should also do some preparations like strengthening their homes or moving to another place that are far away from the Marikina Fault Line.

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Do you wish to know if your house stands on or near the Marikina Fault Line? I suggest that you read the following posts:

PHIVOLCS Fault Line Map for Alabang, Muntinlupa City
Index Maps of Marikina Fault Line
Areas Affected by the Big Earthquake of the Marikina Fault Line

You should also read PHIVOLCS’ tips on how to be prepared for earthquakes.

I also recommend Nababaha.com’s map of Marikina Fault Line because it overlaid the fault line on Google Maps.
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Earthquake is one destructive natural phenomenon. It can topple skyscrapers, bury whole community, and destroy a whole city in just few seconds. The problem is that the occurrence of earthquakes is cannot be predicted. All that we can do is prepare for it.

Preparing for earthquakes means getting as much information as you could regarding earthquakes. Good thing that the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) is active in its information campaign. Providing the Marikina Fault Line maps is part of that information campaign.

I posted about the index maps of the Marikina Fault Line. However, those are not adequate to answer the question of many readers of this blog. So, to help you and other people like you want to know more about the Marikina Fault Line I will be posting the detailed (large scale) Marikina Fault Line maps.

For this article, I will be posting about the Marikina Fault Line map in the Alabang area:

Based on this Marikina Fault Line map from PHIVOLCS, the fault line passes through the following areas:

Liberty Homes
New Alabang Hills Village
Capri Condominium
Pleasant Village
Lake View Homes
Freedom Hills

The red line on the above map indicates the location of Marikina Fault Line. Here is the explanation of the type of lines used in the map:

The map that I posted here is just a portion of PHIVOLCS Marikina Fault Line map covering Alabang, Muntinlupa City. If you want to view the whole map, I suggest that you visit PHIVOLCS website for the Marikina Fault Line map in Alabang, Muntinlupa.

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Be prepared for earthquakes! Know more about the Marikina Fault Line by visiting these articles:

PHIVOLCS Fault Line Map for Taguig City and Makati City

Areas Affected by Big Earthquake of the Marikina Fault Line
New Index Map of the Marikina Fault Line
Map of Areas Affected by the Marikina Fault Line
How to be Prepared for Earthquakes
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I noticed that there is a new update to the website of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS). This update brought both good news and bad news not only to me but to everyone who wanted to get plenty of information about the West Valley Fault, or more popularly known as the Marikina Fault Line.

The good news is that they replaced the old index for Marikina Fault Line maps (which you can check on this blog post) with a better looking one:

Index of Marikina Fault Line map (Source: PHIVOLCS website)

The new index map is colorful and gives a clearer overview of the areas affected by the Marikina Fault Line.

The new index map shows that the Marikina Fault Line passes through the Bulacan towns of Doña Remedios Trinidad, Norzagaray, and San Jose Del Monte City; Rizal town of Rodriguez (Montalban);  Metro Manila cities of Quezon, Marikina, Pasig, Makati, Taguig, and Muntinlupa; Laguna towns of San Pedro,  Biñan, Santa Rosa City, Cabuyao, and Calamba City; and the Cavite towns of General Mariano Alvarez, Carmona, and Silang.

The bad news is that the large scale Marikina Fault Line maps are gone. They can not be viewed on the PHIVOLCS website. I am not sure if the link to the maps was just broken or the PHIVOLCS people removed the maps intentionally.

We do not know if PHIVOLCS will return the maps or not.

It is good that PHIVOLCS improved the map index but that improvement is useless if the more important large scale Marikina Fault Line maps are hidden from the public view.

If PHIVOLCS really want people to be informed about earthquakes and the hazards that they brings then should upload the large scale Marikina Fault Line maps back to their website.

My Beloved Wife Lei and I were just few months married. This means that we are only beginning to build our home. One thing that we did at the start of our marriage is to buy some appliances that will make our lives easy. One such appliance is the refrigerator.

We need to have a refrigerator because it serves as storage space for our food. It prolongs the life of meat, vegetables, and fruits. The refrigerator also keeps vermin, like cockroaches and rats, away from our food.

Of the many refrigerator brands that we checked, it is the Condura refrigerator that got our approval.

A salesman from Emilio S. Lim appliances shop convinced us to buy our Condura refrigerator. Some of the advantages that he mentioned are:

1. The condenser (or the coil located usually at the back of refrigerators) of Condura fridge is not covered but exposed to the air. This means that heat can escape easily, thus making the fridge cool faster.

2. Condura uses Panasonic motors for their refrigerators. This means that our refrigerator has the same output as Panasonic refrigerators but at a lower price.

3. Condura refrigerators are locally assembled, thus our fridge is a local product (Pinoy made).
 

Our Condura refrigerator (Source: eBuy Philippines)

We bought the single-door, model CSD210SA Condura refrigerator. It cost around 14,000 Php (pesos)


Our fridge has the following specs:

Total storage volume: 173 liters
Rated power input: 87 W
Rated voltage: 230 V
Rated current: 0.71 A
Rated frequency: 60 Hz
Energy consumption: 0.64 kilowatt-hours per 24 hours
Energy efficiency factor: 282

My Verdict on Condura Fridge

We like our Condura fridge. Lei's only complaint is the color because she didn't like grey. She preferred that our Condura fridge be white or the more trendy red.

I noticed that our Condura fridge makes ice very quickly even if it set on the lowest cooling level. In fact, ice get thick very quickly that we have to defrost once every two weeks.

Despite this observation, I still give our Condura fridge two thumbs up. I highly recommend this refrigerator.

My experience with PRC license renewal is fine since I didn’t encounter any problem. I renewed my professional license at the central office of the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) in Morayta, Manila. The whole process has lots of pila (queue) and time consuming.

Other Filipino professionals were not as fortunate as I am and encountered problems.

What are these problems? Just continue reading this post to find out.

(Source: PRC website)

Problem 1: Delayed Release of PRC License

Delayed release of PRC license is the major problem in PRC satellite offices in SM malls. Some commenters reported that her PRC license is still not available after a month had passed after her submission of requirements for PRC license renewal.

Read my posts about PRC license renewals at SM malls and SM business centers.

Problem 2: Penalty Fees

Another problem that isusually raised is about the penalty for professionals who didn't renew their PRC license for many years. The PRC is not clear about this and the information is not available at their website.

Problem 3: Authorized Representative

Pinoy professionals are very busy people. That's why many of them don't have the time to go to the PRC office for the PRC license renewal. The usual question is if the PRC allows their representative to renew their PRC license for them. The answer is “yes”. For the details, please read my post about authorization letter for PRC license renewal.

Problem 4: PRC License Renew before the Expiration Date

This problem was raised many times by some commenters. Unfortunately, I don't have answer for it yet.

Problem 5: Lost PRC License

Another common problem is the losing the PRC license. Pinoy professionals are worried about getting a copy of it from the PRC. Good thing that the PRC issues new PRC license to replace the missing ones. All the professional need to do is to submit an affidavit of loss.

For more information, please read my tips for PRC license renewal.

These are five common problems or questions that I received from commenters to this blog. I know that there are more problems that I failed to include. Anyone is free to share their problems or their experiences in PRC license renewal. Tell us about it by leaving a comment below.

Registration of professionals and the PRC license renewal have plenty of steps. Aside from that, Filipino professionals had to fill-out many forms and submit a lot of documents. This means that the probability of error is great. It is not surprising that some PRC license received by Filipino professionals have incorrect information.

Good thing that the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) corrects wrong information on the PRC license. Filipino professional can do the correction by making a petition for correction of entries/ data.

Requirements in Correcting Information on Your PRC License

1. PRC Petition Form, which is officially known as PRC SRB Form No. 0002. You can download the form here.
2. Passport size colored picture in plain white background with complete name tag,
3. Money for payment of fees.
4. Community Tax Certificate or cedula

You should also bring your PRC license (PRC ID) and the documents that support the correction that you are petitioning.

For correction of your name or for the correction of birth date you must bring the following supporting documents: NSO Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate from the National Statistics Office (for married Filipino professionals only), and personal affidavit.

For the reversion to maiden name and change of legal status due to death of the spouse, annulment of marriage, and the presumptive death of an absent spouse; you must bring the following supporting documents: NSO birth certificate, NSO death certificate (in case of death), Certified copy of the court's decision (in case of annulment or presumptive death), and certificate of finality or entry of judgment (in case of annulment or presumptive death).

For the change of married name to another married name due to remarriage you must bring the following supporting documents: NSO birth certificate, NSO death certificate (in case of death), Certified copy of the court's decision (in case of annulment or presumptive death), and certificate of finality or entry of judgment (in case of annulment or presumptive death), NSO certificate of marriage of the latest (subsequent) marriage.

Procedures in Correcting Information on Your PRC License

1. Fill-up the PRC petition form.

2. Proceed to Registration Division  at the ground floor of the PRC Central Office main building for verification of your registration. Teachers should proceed to the Office for Professional Teachers at the 3rd floor of the PRC Central Office annex building. Marine Deck and Engineer Officers should proceed to the Marine Deck/Engineer Division at the 4th annex building.

3. Proceed to the Records Section the ground floor of the annex building for the verification of examination records.

4. Pay fees at any of the cashier windows in the PRC Central Office and obtain the official receipt.

5. Proceed to the Customer Service Center for the notarization of your petition and pasting of documentary stamp.

6. Submit duly accomplished PRC Petition Form to the PRC Regulations Office at the 2nd floor of the main building together with the official receipt and other required documents.

Note: These procedures are only applicable in the PRC Central Office at P. Paredes St. cor. Morayta St., Sampaloc, Manila.

Do you want to know how to change the name on your PRC License due to marriage? Read this blog post. Also read my tips for PRC license renewal.

PRC license renewal is already available at selected Shoe Mart (SM) malls nationwide. As I had mentioned in an earlier blog post, Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) satellite offices are present in nine (9) SM Malls in Metro Manila and four (4) SM mall in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas.

But a more good news is that you can also have your PRC license renewed by going to any SM business center. This is good news because professionals can renew their license without going to any PRC office. Renewal can even be done before or after shopping.

Professionals who want to renew their PRC license at SM Business Center should follow these general procedures:

1. Fill out the PRC license renewal form at the Business Center of any SM Mall.

2. Pay at the SM Business Center the following fees: assessed fee for PRC license renewal, photo fee, and convenience fee. Additional courier service fee should be paid if the professional want his/her PRC (professional) license delivered to his/her address indicated in the renewal form.

3. If you paid the courier service fee then you just need to wait for your PRC license to be delivered at your address.

Those who did not pay the courier service fee must claim the PRC license on the date indicated in the claim stub.

Here are some reminders for PRC license renewal at SM business Center:

Representatives claiming the PRC license must present the official receipt, the claim stub, the ID of the representative, and a letter of authority or Special Power of Attorney (SPA) from the professional.

The photo fee, convenience fee, and courier fee are collected by SM Mart. Only the assessed renewal fee form part of PRC's fees.

To know more about PRC license renewal, please read these blog posts:

Tips on Renewing Your Professional License at PRC
How to Change Your Name on PRC ID due to Marriage
How to Apply for PRC Express ID
Authorization for PRC License Renewal

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Information in this blog post was obtained from the PRC official website.

We received plenty of wedding gifts and most of them are appliances. One of the useful appliances that we received is the Hanabishi Induction Cooker. This electric-powered cooker was given by my sisters because they believe that it will save us a lot of money. It is very thoughtful of them and yeah, we really need to save money because our savings were wiped out after the wedding.

(Source: Hanabishi website)

What’s Good with Hanabishi Induction Cooker

Induction cookers are getting popular because of MERALCO’s TV commercial promoting its use. According to MERALCO, cooking with induction cooker save 645 pesos as compared to cooking with gas stove.

(Source: MERALCO)

More savings is one of the advantage in using Hanabishi induction cooker.


Another advantage is cooking can be done by pressing buttons. There are buttons for frying, hot pot, boiling, braise, and making soup. Temperature can be adjusted by pressing buttons. The buttons that we usually use are the ones for hot pot, boiling and frying.

Hanabishi Induction Cooker in action.

Cooking is done quickly with Hanabishi Induction Cooker. Soupy meals can be boiled from few seconds to a minute (depending on the amount of water in the pot). Thus, we can finish cooking in no time. This is perfect for us, especially in the morning when we need to make breakfast quickly.

The Not-So-Bad Things with Hanabishi Induction Cooker

One problem with our Hanabishi Induction Cooker is that we have to put plenty of oil when frying because it tends to make the oil evaporate very quickly. The trick, of course, is to reduce the temperature.

Also, the pan will go red hot if you leave it without water or oil. I saw this happened and it scared me. I thought that the pan will melt.


One thing that some of you may not like is that the pan darkens once you use it with Hanabishi Induction Cooker. I think that this phenomenon is common with induction cookers. Another blogger, Melloyello, had the same observation.

Finally, what I didn’t like with induction cooker in general is that the pots or pans compatible with them are very expensive compared to regular pots or pans.

My Final Say

Despite the not-so-bad things that I said about Hanabishi Induction Cooker, I still give it a thumbs up. It is good that we save money when using Hanabishi Induction Cooker. The not-sobad things can be tolerated, anyway.

BPIExpress Online, website of the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), has a new announcement for BPI clients who use the BPIExpress Online to pay their MERALCO bills.

Here is the announcement shown on the BPIExpress Online website:

(Source: BPIExpress Online website)

According to the announcement, “MERALCO subscribers will now be issued a new reference number which will be reflected in the revised billing statement format.”

BPI prepared a step by step procedure on how to enrol the new MERALCO reference number. The step by step procedure can be read at this BPIExpress Online page.

Users of BPIExpress Online should take note of this advisory. BPI did not mention of any effect if you used the old MERALCO bill reference number in paying your electric bill. One possibility is that your payment may not be received by MERALCO.

So, if you are using BPIExpress Online to pay your MERALCO monthly bills, then I suggest that you urgently follow the step by step procedures by BPIExpress Online. It is better to be safe than sorry.

If you have a BPI account but you have not enrolled account to BPIExpress Online, then you should read this blog post: “How to Enroll Your Account in BPIExpress Online”.

Also read my post on how to enrol your bills in BPIExpress Online.

The Polytechnic University of the Philippines College Entrance Test (PUPCET) for 2014 is almost at its end. PUP – Sta. Mesa and other campuses already released the list of passers for this year’s PUPCET.

Many students still aim to enter PUP and, unfortunately, their choices are getting slimmer by the day.

According to PUP’s iApply website, there are only 3 remaining campuses that are still to hold their PUPCET. These campuses are: (1) PUP - Biñan (Laguna), (2) PUP - Pulilan (Bulacan), and PUP - Parañaque City.

Here are the schedule of PUPCET for these campuses:

PUP - Biñan (Laguna)
Schedule of online PUPCET application: April 21 to May 19, 2014
Start of claiming PUPCET permit: April 22, 2014
Deadline of Payment: May 19, 2014 (until 3:00 PM only)
Last day of claiming PUPCET permit: May 19, 2014
Exam date: May 25, 2014 (Sunday)

PUP – Pulilan (Bulacan)
Schedule of online PUPCET application: January 6 to May 6, 2014
Start of claiming PUPCET permit: January 20, 2014
Deadline of Payment: May 7, 2014
Last day of claiming PUPCET permit: May 9, 2014
Exam date: May 10, 2014 (Saturday)

Please note that only the graduates of any high school can take the PUPCET for this campus.

PUP - Parañaque City
Schedule of online PUPCET application: December 15, 2013 to May 20, 2014
Start of claiming PUPCET permit: December 22, 2014
Deadline of Payment: May 20, 2014 (until 3:00 PM only)
Last day of claiming PUPCET permit: May 22, 2014
Exam date: May 23, 2014 (Friday)

Payments of PUPCET fee may only be made in Landbank.

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Want to know more about PUPCET, read these blog posts:

Qualifications and Requirements for PUPCET
Tips for PUPCET
Where to Find Help in PUPCET.

I posted about the available birthday cakes for Jollibee party. Each Jollibee party theme (My Best Friend Jollibee, Jollitown, Hello Kitty, and Batman) has its own cake design.

Jollibee party birthday cake is made by Red Ribbon Bakeshop, so you are assured that it is delicious. The birthday cake comes in two sizes: medium (8 inches by 12 inches) and large (12 inches by 12 inches). It also comes in two flavors: chocolate and mocha. Take note that Jollibee party birthday cake may not be available in Jollibee branches.

Jollibee allows you to place the name of the birthday celebrant and your special message. You can also give special instructions regarding the birthday cake.

The price of birthday cakes for Jollibee Party is not included in the party fee nor the price of the food package that you will select for the Jollibee party. The birthday cake has its own price.

Jollibee party birthday cake that is medium in size costs 900 pesos.

This 900-peso price applies to both mocha and chocolate flavored cake. The price is the same for all Jollibee party theme.

Jollibee party birthday cake that is large in size costs 1,100 pesos. This price applies to both mocha and chocolate flavored cake. The price is the same for all Jollibee party theme.

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Do you want to know more about how to prepare for a Jollibee party? Feel free to read the following blog posts:

How to Plan Your Jollibee Party
Jollibee Party Package Themes
Jollibee Party Package Price for 2014
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People are panicking over the latest disease that entered the Philippines. It is not the fictitious flesh eating disease invented by ABS-CBN. It is the deadly Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERSCoV) brought home by an OFW nurse working in the Middle East.

According to the infographic released by the Department of Health (DOH), MERSCoV is a respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus, which is a member of a large family of viruses that cause common colds and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).

Symptoms of MERSCoV Patients

It was reported that those who have MERSCoV experiences the following symptoms: fever, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and coughing. Other possible symptoms are diarrhea and kidney failure.

Symptoms of MERSCoV.

I suggest that anyone who experiences these symptoms should call a doctor or have a check-up in the hospital, immediately. You may also call the DOH 24-hour hotline at the following telephone numbers:

How to Prevent Getting MERSCoV

Here are the ways to avoid contracting MERSCoV, as listed by DOH in their infographic:

1. Wash your hands with soap and water often.
2. Avoid touching your face; especially your eye areas, nose, and mouth; with unwashed hands.
3. Avoid close contact with sick people.
4. Regularly clean frequently touched surfaces like doorknobs, cell phone, handles, etc.
5. Make sure that your children follow the precautions against MERSCoV.

Aside from what’s listed by DOH, I suggest that you also eat fruits and vegetables, and take multivitamins to strengthen your immune system against MERSCoV. It is also a good habit to cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing to prevent other people from getting ill.

MERSCoV is a dangerous disease but it doesn’t mean that it cannot be avoided. We just need to practice good hygiene and eat healthy foods to combat MERSCoV.

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Images on this post were obtained from the MERSCoV infographic posted in the Official Gazette.
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Birthday parties will never be complete without a cake. This delicious treat is part of many celebrations that it is less fun without it. Cakes serve as centerpieces of celebrations. Aside from birthdays; weddings, anniversaries, and other milestones in life are celebrated by having cakes.

Jollibee knows the importance of birthday cakes, that's why this restaurant teamed up with Red Ribbon Bakeshop to create cakes that are perfect for Jollibee party.

Jollibee party currently has four party themes; namely (1) My Best Friend Jollibee party theme, (2) Jollitown party theme, (3) Hello Kitty party theme, and (4) Batman party theme. Each Jollibee party theme has their own design of birthday cakes.

Jollibee party cakes comes in medium (8 inches by 12 inches) and large (12 inches by 12 inches) sizes. Flavors available for the Jollibee party cakes are chocolate and mocha.

Here are the different design of birthday cakes for each Jollibee party theme:

My Best Friend Jollibee Party Theme 

This cake is all about Jollibee and it fits perfectly to this Jollibee party theme. I think that this cake is good for those who are super-fan of Jollibee.

Jollitown Party Theme

Jollitown Jollibee party theme means a party with Jollibee and gang. That's why everyone from Jollitown is on this cake.

Hello Kitty Party Theme

The cake is pink, which is perfect for little girls. Hello Kitty, of course, is the centerpiece of this birthday cake.

Batman Party Theme

Batman and friends are the centerpiece of the cake for the Batman Jollibee party theme. This perfect for little kids who love watching Batman and other DC heroes.

These cakes were made by Red Ribbon Bakeshop so it is guaranteed to taste yummy. Your child will definitely like it.

Are you planning to have a Jollibee party? Read these articles to help you make your child's dream Jollibee party come true:

How to Plan Your Jollibee Party
Jollibee Party Brochure
Jollibee Party Package for 2014
How to Create Your Own Meal for Jollibee Party

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Do you have questions about Jollibee party? Do not hesitate to ask those questions. Give us your questions and other reactions by posting your comments on this blog post.

I posted in this blog, about two years ago, a list of prices for each Jollibee party package. The prices listed in that blog post are already out-dated. It seems like Jollibee is also affected by increasing prices of commodities. The new prices of each Jollibee party package or each food package are higher than its prices two years ago.

Jollibee party package price increase may be bad news for parents who want to celebrate their children’s birthday party at Jollibee. On the bright side, the Jollibee party fee did not increase because it’s still pegged at 1,250 pesos. Also, the medium-sized Jollibee party cake is 900 pesos, similar to its price about two years ago.

The new price listed on this post is for Jollibee party with 30 people (guests and birthday celebrants).

2014 price for Jollibee Party Food Package A:

The Food Package A’s price is 3,930 pesos. It is 90 pesos more expensive than its old price two years ago.

2014 price for Jollibee Party Food Package B:

The Food Package B’s price is 5,250 pesos. It is 120 pesos more expensive than its old price two years ago.

2014 price for Jollibee Party Food Package C:

The Food Package C’s price is 4,800 pesos. It is 120 pesos more expensive than its old price two years ago.

2014 price for Jollibee Party Food Package D:

The Food Package C’s price is 6,090 pesos. It is 180 pesos more expensive than its old price two years ago.

I did not include the “Create Your Own” food package since its price depends on the how you customize it.

Read my post “How to Plan Your Jollibee Party” to help you prepare for the Jollibee party for you child.

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Images used in this post were obtained from the Jollibee Party website.