As these voices continue to speak to me, I wonder more and more about the world around us. 

Imagine that there was a bell somewhere on the Earth that could be heard by everyone. A large bell whose sound could easily be understood by everyone in the world, would you want to ring it? A bell whose ring would resonate with your feelings? The bell’s ring would be so useful right now, especially when people are about to break loose and fight to the death. Nowadays, it is really so hard to advise people with words. It’s like they wouldn’t even understand a single thing since they are so selfishly absorbed in trying to get to the top. 

Some say the bell exists. God would have to ring it since he’s the only one who could see the bell. But is there really a God? I haven’t met him and if he were to exist I’m sure he would have rung it multiple times by now, every time people would fight, but nothing has changed one bit. This fighting of the adults has left us, young people, confused. If there’s truly a bell somewhere in this world, it would have been rung by someone close to it by now.

It feels like everyone is competing to reach that bell that probably doesn’t exist. The bell that has many stories we have heard of but never know which one that speaks the truth. Some want to ring that bell so that they can rule over everyone and have almost everything. Some may want to ring it because they want a god to hear them, while I, myself, just want to ring it to free the youth from the cycle of having to stop dreaming once they grow up. It feels like I don’t care what other people believe in, I mean, we are all humans trying to survive in this world that we messed up. Is equality still possible for us?

These thoughts don’t seem to stop. However, there must be an ally somewhere who shares the same thoughts as me.

Ringing the bell sure looks like a heavy responsibility. You’re making a choice for the whole world and won’t know the outcome until after the bell is rung. Almost everyone who dreamed of ringing it has given up since they couldn’t bear the burden that comes with it. I wonder about those selfish people who are trying to climb the mountain just so that they can ring the bell, have they fallen down? It’s like the childish dreams we used to believe in, dreams that soon disappear as we grow older. 

Why hasn’t it rung yet? Is there even a bell in the first place? I’m tired of waiting for this war to end. If only someone yelled out something that could be understood by everyone, it would end. We’ve grown tired of the adults fighting to the point that the only thing we can do now is sit in silence, watching them as they carelessly yell and hurt each other. Some wanted to join in the fight, some wanted to keep quiet and pray for it to end, while I just wanted everyone to understand each other, no matter the difference.

In the middle of everything, I closed my eyes and silently listened to the hustle around me. A lot of unneeded noise, more shouting and the everyday chatter. Peace isn’t still achieved just yet, there’s still a long way to go before we can call it a peaceful world.

If there is a god, I should have met him. 

It doesn’t matter, right? If I meet him or not, I think He too is praying for one of us to ring it.

Maybe if I had more hope, everything would be fine... Maybe it has been right in front of me all along.

Last I saw summer's bloom

Ere pestilence and gloom

The thought never occurred

Yearning desire be spurred

To play the fool and jest

To vex and be a pest

To discourse and contend

To bother and pretend

Just a moment once more

With sunshine I adore

E'en if a single mote

This all I shall denote

Though a fool would I be

To cling to this mute plea

Even without the blight

Mustn't play the moth to light

Come too close and fire burns

Too far and frost returns

You be content and glad

Over all you have had

From the moment you saved me from falling down the stairs, I knew I’d fall for you. Since then, I had been wishing that you’d catch me once I fall for you too. 

It wasn’t easy getting your attention; right from the beginning you were the star of the show. How hard it was not to notice the hands stealing lingering touches, how they’d always fight just to keep your attention, or even how there was always a trail of people behind you, but what right did I have to you? I was pretty sure there was none, nor would there ever be. So with a subtle pain in my chest, I’d look away. 

But looking away never took the problem away, did it? The months passed by and the pain just increased, constantly nagging at me to just talk to you. But who was I? I was but a shadow behind the long trail of people vying for even a moment of your attention. Yet I wish I had failed to notice the way you’d squint to see what lies behind the line, how a small smile would form on your lips when you find what you were looking for. I shake my head, squishing that spark of hope the small smiles ignited in my heart. 

A year passed, and though the line had shortened, the spark of hope still lied locked away in fear of more pain. People have never been kind to my heart, you know? They had always pushed it around, and given me hope when there was none, so it was easy to accept that I will never be who you really look at. I have never been more sure. But when I began to turn away from you, a feather-light touch made me turn back. Imagine my surprise when I was met by none other than you. 

Ever since you stopped me from turning away, you hadn’t failed at making me feel like your attention was mine. Every second, I spent trying to turn you away, to try and make it stop. Don’t make me hope, please spare my heart. The silent pleas of my eyes that you never seemed to get. But as the days passed by, I swear I saw a determined look in your eyes. For what, I might never know. 

Five months since, and I still wonder why you stopped me from looking away. Nowadays, I can almost swear you’re stealing glances every chance you get, trying to make touches last longer than they need to, and calling my attention for the littlest things. I’m beginning to wonder if you’ve just started calling the wrong name, if you’re looking at someone behind me, or if your lingering touches have been nothing but my cruel imagination, but when you say my name as if I’ve hung the moon and the stars, that hidden spark of hope seems to try and shine brighter, and I find myself caring less and less about trying to put it out.Two years have passed since that accident on the stairs, and if anything, I can now say I am close to pleading for you to save my heart from pain. Take away this feeling of fear and uncertainty. A little longer and there’d be no saving left to do. There is no turning back from the words I would say because I might just blurt out my love for you. So as I walk up the stairs at the busiest time of the day, a small push is all it takes for me to feel that rush of fear I did two years ago. As I approach the impending pain, I think of how you’d been looking at me and how warm you feel when we’d touch, of how I wish there’d be no pain because of falling, not only off these stairs, but of falling - completely - for you. I resign myself to my fate and wait for the impact. Instead, I feel arms catch me exactly as they did two years ago, along with the most genuine whisper of “I’ll always catch you."

Lagi ko siyang nakikita,

At kapag nagkataon ay nagbabago ang lahat

Napapangiti tuwing umaga

Sumisigla sa kanyang presensya

Pero hanggang pagngiti lamang ang aking kaya

Ayokong tumaya.

Kuntento na akong

Ngumingiti lamang dahil sa kanya.

Pero bakit ganoon?

Sa tuwing mawawala siya

Siya ay gustong hanapin

‘Di mapakali

kung siya’y mawala sa paningin.

At kung magkataon

Kung noon ay kami lang ang nagtitinginan
Ngayon pati na rin ang iba
Ano kaya ang masasabi nila
Sa aming pagsasama?


Masakit mang isipin
Ngunit ako’y higit na sasaya
Kung mas karapat-dapat
Ang iibigin niya.

lost in the sea of light, 

wandering 

through the ends of time. 

I woke up 

wearing a dress made of 

dreams, 

enchanted by how delicate it seemed. 

I woke up 

with an air of maturity, 

mesmerized 

by every degree of serendipity. 

I woke up 

without a grasp of reality, 

wandering 

through the beginning of time. //by Ursa Major

When I was a child,
I hated the darkness
for bringing the wolves
until I became one.

Amongst the trees, the wolves were padding,
being summoned by the moon.
Their howling tore the night apart,
they came just too soon.

Whoever is bitten by the werewolf
will turn into one.
And in the blink of an eye,
everything I loved became everything I lost.

They say that I'm no longer a human
but a hopeless beast instead.
They own the night with fangs and claws,
they prowl our darkest fears and flaws.

I fed the wolf inside my heart
with the wilderness from my soul--
he devoured each and every part
and stayed to keep me whole.

BELIEF

Growing up,
I resented the night
for taking over the day,
until the moon revealed itself.

The moon, a spotlight of what took place,
of the tragedy of darkness that couldn't be erased.
The moonlight breaks the blanket of black,
and the stars sweep the sky, illuminating the path to dawn.

Now I see with my own eyes
a glimpse of light and shed a tear.
Continuous nightmares are the proof
the moon knows all too well.

As I breathe in her magical light,
burdens released into the moonbeams,
following my dancing heart
into the depth of my dreams.

These are the nights when the wolves are silent
and only the moon howls
for what I feel is not fright,
but utter love mystique.

DESIRE

And so, the werewolf fell in love with the moon.
My heart is a wolf ruled by two moons:
one, which beckons me back into the night,
the other which calls me home.

Desolate and distant,
yet a mere shift of the eye,
always waiting in the sky,
whether or not I choose to say goodnight.

As I look across the sky,
she casts magic tonight
for it is the full moon again--
I'll run into the wilderness.

I'm a wolf trapped in a human body.
Every time the moon shines,
I come alive
but slowly turn into a beast.
I watched as we were both swallowed,
slowly in possession every night:
she, by the illumination,
I, by the dark.

Each full moon,
I feel the need to kill.
Each full moon,
I run wild and free.

LIMITS

A revelation of what we are:
She is the clock to my curse.
In her full light, she glows,
and I howl, as a lonely being, enslaved by the night.

Maybe wolves are meant to fall in love with the moon,
hearing the howls in the distance.
And every night,
the beast cries for a love it could never touch.

The moon that captivates the heart of the wolf
is the same moon that summons the beast.

There is a shape I see,

That never stops following me

Like how the night follows the day

or a lion stalking its prey

It grows slowly like a child in care

feeding on my worst despair

I can always feel its faint presence

Sneaking, chasing, hunting

I’m getting pulled into its voracious maw

Eating, consuming, devouring

I can’t seem to cut its deathly tether

Gripping, clinging, suffocating

I can feel it creeping slowly

coming close as I lay steady

Like a spider climbing down the drapes 

or a cold sweat running down my nape

I’m hoping that someday I will escape

this dark, twisted, cruel shape

Close your eyes for a second and
Breathe in, breathe out
Then open them

You are here, right now
Forget the past or future for a moment
You are in the present
You are the present
You are a gift of life

Sinong makaka-forget sa problem ni Conyo Girl towards the one she likes?

Ang sagutan ni Ms. Takes at Dimasawi ang isa sa mga lits na nakapukaw ng maraming atensyon sa kauna-unahang edisyon ng #MCPakisabi. Sa unang bahagi, malalaman natin ang saloobin ni Conyo Girl tungkol sa kanyang crush, kung bakit siya naging “so so conyo”, at kung bakit siya “unlucky”. Sinagot naman ng kanyang crush ang kanyang mga pag-aalinlangan sa ikalawang bahagi ng lit.

Balikan ang kanilang nakakakilig na kwento sa: https://upismc.blogspot.com/2014/08/literary-submission-confessions-of.html.

2. Oo* - Bella Swan

Narinig mo na ba ang kantang “Oo” ng Up Dharma Down?

Ang kuwentong ito ni Bella Swan ay kanyang hinango sa nasabing kanta. Ito ay tungkol sa isang normal girl na “just there” at sa kanyang knight-in-shining-armor. Ikinuwento ni normal girl kung paanong ang simpleng pagkahulog ng Gtec ay nagdulot daw ng “sparks” sa kanila. Hanggang sa nagtuloy-tuloy ito at ang pag-irap at hindi niya pag-intindi sa mga GM ay nauwi sa hindi na siya makapag-concentrate kaaabang sa mga text ng kanyang knight-in-shining-armor. Ngunit kalaunan, nalaman niyang ang pinoprotektahan pala ng shining armor ay isang chickboy.

Maki-sing along at samahan si normal girl na masaktan nang so much sa kanyang pagsesenti sa: https://upismc.blogspot.com/2014/10/literary-submission-oo.html.

3. Prom? Prom. - Faber Castell 0.7

Anong kaya mong gawin para mapasagot ng “oo” ang nais mong maka-date sa prom?

Ang tulang ito ni Faber Castell 0.7 ay nagsilbing pasasalamat sa pagsagot ng “oo” ng kanyang promdate. Dito, ibinahagi niya kung paano siya naghanda para sa kanyang promposal. Mautak si Faber na nagpaalam muna sa magulang ng nais niyang maging ka-date dahil alam niyang kokonsulta rin muna ito bago pumayag.

Alamin ang paghahanda ni Faber sa: https://upismc.blogspot.com/2015/02/literary-submission-prom-prom.html.

4. Two-Sentence Stories - Various Writers

Nasubukan mo na bang gumawa ng Two-Sentence Stories sa C.A. English?

Ang mga two-sentence stories, katulad ng pangalan nito, ay mga kuwentong binubuo lamang ng dalawang pangungusap. Kadalasan itong ipinagagawa sa mga estudyante sa Grado 10. Ang mga compilation na ito ay tatlong beses nakatanggap ng pinakamataas na views mula sa sampung edisyon ng #MCPakisabi, noong Agosto 2015, Oktubre 2016, at Oktubre 2017.

Basahin ang iba’t ibang maiikli ngunit malaman na kwento sa: https://upismc.blogspot.com/2015/08/literary-two-sentence-stories.html.

5. Walang Kalalagyan - emrys

Nahihirapan ka bang bumuo ng tula na ipapasa para sa #MCPakisabi?

Sa tulang inilaan ni emrys sa taong laging nasa kanyang isipan, ibinahagi niya ang kanyang hirap sa pagbuo ng tula upang masabi ang kanyang damdamin. Sa pagpili ng tamang pamagat, dami ng saknong, at salitang magkatugma, napagtanto niyang, “may mga bagay na hindi maibibigay.”

Tuklasin kung paanong isinatula ni emrys ang kanyang nais sabihin sa: https://upismc.blogspot.com/2016/02/literary-submission-walang-kalalagyan.html.

6. Ikaw ang Unang Nag-chat - GT

Naranasan mo na bang ang taong nagpapakilig sa iyo ay naging partner mo… sa project?

Sa tula ni GT, inilahad niya kung paano siya nakatanggap ng isang hindi inaasahang chat, mula sa hindi inaasahang tao, sa kalagitnaan ng pagsasagot niya ng kanyang IPSA. Bukod sa kopya ng pagpapalitan nila ng mensahe, ipinarating din niya sa atin ang nais talagang sabihin ng kanyang utak at puso.

Magbalik-tanaw sa hindi malilimutang araw ni GT sa: https://upismc.blogspot.com/2016/10/literary-submission-ikaw-ang-unang-nag.html.

7. Prom? - Tigerlily

Kung may pagkakataon kang mamili sa pagitan ng kaibigan at ng taong gusto mo, sino ang nais mong maging promdate?

Ang napakasaklap na kuwento ni Tigerlily ay tungkol sa promposal sa punto-de-bista ng tatlong magkakaibigan. Nagsimula ang kuwento sa punto-de-bista ni “Friend” na nag-iisip kung paano niya tatanungin ang kanyang kaibigan upang maka-date ito sa nalalapit na prom. Tumalon ang eksena sa promposal ngunit nasa punto-de-bista naman ito ng nais maka-date ng unang karakter. Nagtapos ang kuwento sa paglalabas ng saloobin ng pangalawang karakter sa kaibigan ni “Friend” dahil sa pagka-guilty niya sa kanyang pagre-reject.

Alamin kung bakit niya ni-reject si “Friend” sa: https://upismc.blogspot.com/2017/02/literary-submission-prom.html.

8. Parati na Lamang sa Huli - 00101

Sanay ka ba na mag-cram ng iyong mga requirements?

Sa sulatin na ito, malalaman natin kung bakit sa kabila ng pagbibigay nang maaga ng guro ng panuto para sa isang gawain, pinili pa rin ng karakter na palampasin ang dalawang buwan bago ito gawin.

Tuklasin kung bakit una niyang sinagot ang taong kanyang gusto kaysa sa ipinagagawa ng kanyang guro sa: https://upismc.blogspot.com/2017/10/literary-submission-parati-na-lamang.html.

9. Bukang Liwayway - Faith

Nasaksihan mo na ba ang pag-angat ng araw?

Isang malikhaing pagsasalarawan sa bukang-liwayway ang tema ng tula. Bukod sa pagsasalawaran, binigyan din ni Faith ng kahulugan ang tagpong ito.

Halika’t ipinta ang bukang liwayway sa ating isipan sa: https://upismc.blogspot.com/2018/10/literary-submission-bukang-liwayway.html.

10. Ray - China Oil

Ray pa nga ba ang tawag kung patungo na ito sa iba’t ibang direksyon?

Sa tulang nilikha ni China Oil, inihalintulad niya sa isang ray ang taong kanyang nagugustuhan. Kung saan ito nagsimula, paano ito nagtagal, at hindi naglaon, natapos. Kanyang ikinuwento ang mga dahilan ng kanyang pagkahulog, ang kanyang napagtanto, at kung saan na siya patungo.

Unawain kung ano ang punto ni China Oil sa: https://upismc.blogspot.com/2019/10/literary-submission-ray.html.

Tunay ngang isang mabisang paraan ang #MCPakisabi sa pagbabahagi ng mga estudyante ng kanilang nararamdaman. Tungkol man ito sa pag-ibig, personal na problema, isang natural phenomenon, o kahit pa tungkol sa isang konsepto sa Geometry, maaari itong ibahagi sa #MCPakisabi. Mamaya, ano naman kayang kuwento ang makapupukaw sa atensyon ng karamihan at magsisilbing dahilan upang ipagpatuloy ang #MCPakisabi? //ni Reneil Grimaldo

Has your Facebook notifications become flooded with requests to like pages of certain small businesses? Mine certainly has. 

Small businesses usually rely on social media to serve as a bridge between them and their customers. Many of the Facebook invites I received have come from fellow UPIS students who recently started businesses with the help and support of their family.

If you’ve never heard of their businesses before, you may find them in this article. If you’ve heard about them but are hesitant to buy, let me shed a little light on what you’re missing out on. Not only will we learn about their products, but also the stories behind how they came to be. Maybe their stories and wise words of advice will even inspire you to start your own business.

COOKIES & MILK. Chelo’s Homebaked Cookies’ Blanca de Leche is served on an elegant plate along with a glass of milk. Source: Rain Tiangco

After a week of hard work, treat yourself with Chelo’s Homebaked Cookies. I guarantee that you won’t regret it!

Chelo’s Blanca de Leche cookies are chunky dense thick palm-sized golden indulgences sent from the heavens. Upon opening the box, the faint sweet scent of caramel immediately excited me. As a cookie lover (or should I say “cookie monster”), I’ve always been a fan of soft and chewy but not rubbery textured cookies. Chelo’s cookies are exactly that—the type of cookies that makes you want to keep on biting and pinching into. The batter itself was very buttery, and along with the caramel fillings and white chocolate chips, created a wonderful sweet and salty mix. The white choco chips also had their own soft texture in contrast to the rougher cookie base which made each bite more exciting. What I also found worth noting was that the mix-ins were not concentrated in particular areas but evenly spread throughout the cookie. 

The butter plays a big role in the cookies success but it is also its downfall. Though I love Chelo’s Blanca de Leche cookies, my older family relatives found the savory taste to be a little too savory, and joked about feeling their arteries clogging. The rich taste of the cookie is five-star for me, but to others, it may be a little overwhelming. If you're not much for savory tastes or if you’re a bit health-conscious, you might want to find a friend or relative to split it with (but if you're a cookie monster like I am, you would definitely enjoy keeping the whole cookie to yourself). Washing the sweetness down with milk is also something that can lessen the umay.

Make sure to consume these cookies when they are at room temperature or after microwaving if coming from the fridge so that you get the ultimate cookie heaven sensation with each bite.

Chelo’s Homebaked Cookies’ products are quite expensive but I can say that their quality is at par with similarly priced products from bigger businesses. If you are as much of a cookie enthusiast as I am and don’t mind paying an amount of money as long as it gratifies your need for exquisite food, Chelo’s is definitely for you.

Chelo’s Homebaked Cookies is a small business started by Maria Consuelo “Chelo” Neri of Batch 2023 and her older sister. Baking has been a hobby of Chelo ever since she was young and she took lessons to further enhance her baking skills. With extra free time brought on by the quarantine, she was able to start experimenting on recipes and send the goods to close friends. With encouragement from friends and family members, and the initiative of earning a little more income for the household, she started to make money out of her passion for baking.

Chelo takes care of all aspects of the business—from finances, to social media, to the recipes. With Chelo’s Homebaked Cookies’ steady growth, the number of orders had dramatically increased and couldn’t be handled by Chelo and her sister alone. Her supportive parents and other older siblings started to help with the mixing processes and packaging. As Chelo is a student-athlete who has early morning trainings which she balances alongside school requirements, baking from noon ‘til evening and the next day had started to wear her out. The willingness to help and the support of her family members always uplifted her and made her efforts worth it.

Chelo shares that having your own small business is actually quite fun, “especially if you enjoy what you’re doing.”

“It’s super fulfilling when they (customers) send you their kind yet honest reviews because you always want your business to grow.”

Chelo’s Homebaked Cookies sells Blanca De Leche cookies, Classic Chocolate Chip cookies, and Chocolate crinkles, with prices ranging from P220 to P475.

Facebook: Chelo’s Homebaked Cookies

Instagram: @chelosph

GOLDEN DESSERT. Cream n’ Crumble’s Sans Rival Cake sits upon a golden platter. Source: Cream n’ Crumble’s Instagram

A birthday, graduation, or even the simplest celebration of life calls for good cake and therefore calls for Cream n’ Crumble’s Sans Rival!

Majestic, elegant, simple. These are the three adjectives that come to mind when staring at Cream n’ Crumble’s Sans Rival Cake. Sitting upon a gold cake platter, the 6-inch cake is neatly topped and lined at the bottom with cashew bits, perfect for a small semi-formal or casual gathering.

Living up to the business’s name, the cake was indeed “cream” and “crumble”. Let’s talk about the “cream” first. The buttery taste of the Sans Rival’s cream was delightful—not too strong, not too faint. The nutty taste was also prominent as it was evenly distributed throughout the cake. The flavor is suitable for those with more “mature” taste buds, like parents, aunts, and uncles who aren’t too fond of sweets.

Unlike many Sans Rival cakes that scratch your tongue or make your throat itch, this wasn’t too dry. The amount of buttercream was just enough to balance out the dryness of the meringue layers.

Now, here comes the “crumble”. I have to admit, slicing the cake was quite tricky. The cake’s layers quickly dismantled and broke apart. I was not able to enjoy a slice that remained intact and aesthetically pleasing. Nonetheless, this Sans Rival was a treat for my tastebuds.

Like most Sans Rival Cakes, it is best served cold or straight from the fridge, but even if it’s been out on the table for a while, it can still be satisfying.

Cream n’ Crumble is owned by Zemirah Aragones of Batch 2021. With the help of her mother and older sister, Zemirah started this business during quarantine, while there were no classes yet and therefore more time and less stress. Baking became her hobby and coping mechanism which kept her busy during these trying times. Instead of keeping her favorite desserts all to herself, she decided to sell them to others.

Zemirah shares that proper time management is very important in running a business. She found it challenging to get things done when there was more than the usual amount of orders, especially when classes had resumed. Zemirah learned to be more mindful of time and to be more productive.

Zemirah urges aspiring business owners to not be afraid and to not let your doubts and worries keep you from reaching your goal. She says that it is better to make mistakes than to not try at all because these mistakes will help you grow and improve. She stresses that business is not always only about earning a profit, but also about doing the things you love and that make you happy. 

Cream n’ Crumble offers Sans Rival Cake for P250 and P500 (varying sizes), Red Velvet Cake for P400, and Thin Chocolate Chip Cookies for P150.

Facebook: Cream N’ Crumble

Instagram: @creamncrumble.ph

CREAMY GOODNESS. Sweets by PB Bakes’ cup-sized Oreo cheesecake invites you to have a bite. Source: Sweets by PB Bakes’ Facebook page

Satisfy your cheesecake cravings with Sweets by PB Bakes’ Oreo Cheescake Cups!

Served in a box of six, these cheesecake cups are really the cutest, each with its own colored cupcake liner. The tangy and slightly salty taste of the cheesecake balances the sweetness of the Oreo cookie piece at the bottom and the chocolate button on top. Add to that the creaminess of the cheesecake and you end up with a masterpiece. Personally, I would enjoy this delicacy more if extra Oreo cookie pieces were topped on the cheesecake for added texture and greater intensity of the chocolate cookie flavor, but that would probably interfere with the aesthetic of the dessert.

What I find highly commendable is the cheescake’s consistency: not at all lumpy, but smooth and firm. I find that a number of big businesses sell cheesecakes that are too soft—the kind that feels more like pudding instead of cake. Sweets by PB Bakes really knows what they’re doing.

Though they recommend that we consume these Oreo Cheescake Cups cold, I advise you to not consume them right out of the ref. Let them sit in room temperature for a few minutes in order to soften the Oreo cookies at the bottom. If you skip this step, a scoop into the cup won’t go too smoothly. The Oreo will still be too stiff to scoop and you’ll only get a piece of cheesecake without the cookie crust.

Sweets by PB Bakes offers sweets baked by Pamela “Pam” Beatrice Marquez of Batch 2021. Pam had started baking even before entering high school. Despite her early failed attempts when starting out, she kept on learning and practicing because she found herself having a lot of fun.

“It was one of the first times I felt really passionate about the actual act of doing something,” Pam shares.

Her father used to pay her to bake sweets for his business colleagues. The idea of starting a baking business had been with Pam then but she later on found less time to bake and eventually stopped. Now that we have more time and are advised to stay at home 24/7, the idea of making a business out of her passion had seemed to be perfect. It was an opportunity to earn extra income and gain new learning experiences.

At first, Pam had been putting the idea off. Her fears and doubts later on subsided when she found that many others were also taking the risk of setting up their own businesses. Pam had finally started Sweets by PB Bakes with the encouragement and guidance of her business-oriented family. 

Pam bakes the products herself and manages the business’ social media accounts and finances. Her family is very supportive. Her eldest sister gives feedback on product quality and her other older sister helps with the photography of the products. Her mother also assists her with keeping track of the finances and ordering ingredients. 

Sweets by PB Bakes started off on a rocky path. Pam had gone through many sleepless nights—she wasn’t used to baking in bulk and she was also encountering problems in packaging. She did not give up though. She later on learned to bake more skillfully and quicker, and she found the very supportive community of Facebook baking groups. She posted an inquiry regarding her packaging problem and received very helpful advice. She found many others who were also struggling with their own baking and business problems and was touched by the genuineness of her fellow bakers.

Her advice for those interested in starting their own businesses is to build it around something you honestly enjoy doing so that you will be more motivated to work on it. In relation to this, she highlights the importance of time management: “...even if you do enjoy something, you're gonna start to hate it if you get sleep-deprived over it!” she says.

Pam also advises to be meticulous with managing and recording expenses and sales. Lastly, she mentions the need to ‘take care’ of your customers.

“So many people help you and support you by buying or promoting your products even when they absolutely do not have to; it's so great and heart-warming, and it makes you feel so grateful. You wanna make sure you give that back to them by putting your best efforts into making your product and making it good.”

Sweets by PB Bakes serves desserts that can make your day and that will leave you wanting more (I ordered twice!). A box of their Oreo Cheescake Cups costs P270 and a box of their Salted Caramel Cookie Bars (which I also love) costs P230. 

Facebook: Sweets by PB Bakes

Instagram: @pbbakes_

SUNSET SNACK. Sun shines upon The Pow Bakes’ Oreo Nutella Bars. Source: Rain Tiangco

Had enough of typical brownies and revel bars? The Pow Bakes certainly has a treat for you!

The Pow Bakes’ Oreo Nutella Bars tempt anyone who lays eyes on them. The oozing Nutella is especially an eye-catcher! Surprisingly, the chocolate hazelnut taste isn’t too sweet as it is balanced out by the mellow taste of the bar’s base, making the dessert not at all difficult to eat. Though there are Oreo cookie bits mixed in the bar, I couldn’t really notice their taste because of the distinct and stronger taste of Nutella. Nonetheless, these bars are sweet treats, especially for Nutella-lovers. Also, since these bars aren’t too sweet, they can be served not only as a dessert but also as a snack.

The Oreo Nutella Bars aren’t moist, but they aren’t too dry either. They are firm and do not crumble when bitten into. These bars are most enjoyable when heated up because the Nutella becomes gooier and the bar itself becomes chewier.

The Pow Bakes is a baking business run by Alicia Christine “Tin” Silleza of Batch 2022 and her parents. With not much to do during the first months of quarantine, Tin had started baking. It then became a hobby and a mechanism to cope with the stresses and worries brought on by the pandemic. After experimenting with recipes she found online, Tin developed recipes of her own that were loved by her family members who then encouraged her to sell her baked goods. By selling the products of her baking, Tin could share these delicacies with a larger audience and she could improve her products based on the feedback of the customers—a definite win-win.

Tin shared that on the first day she accepted orders, she accepted too much. She found it hard to manage the time on her hands and was very stressed out. From then on, she learned to divide the workload more properly and to accept only a certain amount of orders per delivery day.

She advises those who want to start their own businesses to “Go out of your comfort zone and don’t be afraid to take risks but always know your limitations. Always be mindful of your financial management and find people you trust and you know will help you grow. Manage your time properly and be flexible because there will always be hindrances along the way.”

The Pow Bakes sells Oreo Nutella Bars for P220, S’More Cookies for P180, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie Overload (my personal favorite from The Pow Bakes) for P200, prices that are very student-friendly! They’re the perfect snacks to share with your family on game nights and the perfect “pasalubong” for a friend who unexpectedly swings by your home just to say “Hi”.

Facebook: The Pow Bakes

Instagram: @powbakes

RISE & SHINE. The day starts with a good breakfast brought by Daddy Mikks Garlic Crunch topped over garlic butter rice. Source: Rain Tiangco

Getting bored of your everyday plain rice? Spice up your meal with Daddy Mikks Garlic Crunch!

These garlic bits are very versatile and are recommended to be topped on or mixed in rice, pizza, soup, and vegetables. I was hesitant to buy from Caleb’s Store because the products come in 130gram jars—I couldn’t possibly finish all of that, especially because I am not fond of adding extra herbs or spices into my meals. You can imagine my surprise when I found the jar to be 1/3 empty by the end of the week of my purchase.

From the strong aroma of garlic, salt, pepper, and spices in oil that greets you upon opening the jar, you are sure to make a plain meal quite exciting. The flavor is not too strong and the golden-reddish color of the bits confirm that they were not overcooked nor burnt. If you are fond of garlicky food, you might find this Garlic Crunch to be quite mild. If that’s the case, you can always use a larger serving of these bits to add some more flavor.

My mother made buttered rice in which she mixed in some of Daddy Mikks Garlic Crunch. I topped the garlic buttered rice with more Garlic Crunch bits and ate it with sweet longganisa and egg. I also tried it with a tapsilog meal. The bites were really versatile and I found myself adding them to different meals. Daddy Mikks Garlic Crunch grew on me—they were quite addictive! 

As the garlic bits are cooked in oil, you can expect that they aren’t quite dry, but despite this, they aren’t too wet either. They give just the right amount of crunchiness, the kind that doesn’t scratch your tongue and gums and makes you want to keep chewing. They are also crushed into just the right size that won’t get stuck in between your teeth. Make sure to store these garlic bits at room temperature to maintain this quality and have a satisfying meal.

Though Caleb’s Store is only a distributor of Daddy Mikks’ products, it is owned and all-around managed (including social media and delivery) by Simon Caleb Delfinado of Batch 2021. Caleb’s Store was made possible because of the prompting and support of Simon’s mother who encouraged him to start his own business. She believed that it would be a great learning experience for Simon. His mother had become his mentor and provided him with the required capital for the initial purchase of the products and also assisted in getting Caleb’s Store Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) registered.

Hesitant and with little knowledge about handling a business, Simon was worried that he would not be able to sell the products they bought. To his surprise, their investment returned in no time and he is now selling his second batch of products.

This business has become a great learning experience indeed. Through becoming a business owner, Simon had learned that business is “not just a simple concept of buy and sell,” but very hard work. He mentioned the need to monitor the inventory of products, calculating how much profit you’ve earned (or if you didn’t earn at all), and the delivery which he personally found to be most exhausting. He also learned to “harness technology in e-commerce businesses”.

“I alternately used on-demand logistics providers such as Grab and Lalamove. I also used fintech providers to receive payments thru GCash and BPI,” Simon shares.

Simon encourages aspiring business owners to not be afraid and to do their best. His advice is to “sell products you actually like.” Since Simon is fond of spicy foods, he is more enthusiastic in selling spices because it feels more like sharing what he likes with others rather than selling them.

Caleb’s Store offers Daddy Mikks Garlic Crunch for P180, Chilli Crunch for P220, Chilli Shots for P100, and a box set of these three products for P500.

Facebook: Caleb’s store

Mobile No.: 09369522021

Small businesses, unlike big enterprises, have more limited resources and can only reach a much smaller scope. They mostly rely on their social media pages/accounts as a venue for advertising and communication. Simply liking, following, and sharing their social media pages are great ways to help these businesses because their posts will be able to reach more people. Small businesses rely on the support of the people close to the business owners and are sustained by the kindness of enthusiastic customers who also give constructive feedback and spread word of the businesses.

Hopefully by now, any hesitations you might have had before reading this article have been set aside. By purchasing from our fellow UPIS students, we can support their passions, help them practice business-related skills, and even help them out financially.

A few more food businesses of UPIS high school students are Baked by Achi (Lizzie Dela Rosa, Batch 2023), bakeitbakeit ph (Erielle Arceo, Batch 2023), and Click Bake (Jade Niegas, Batch 2023). There are also dry goods businesses such as Amigas Boutique (Raven Lilo-an, Batch 2023), Rayleigh Cases (Lorraine Beltran, Batch 2023), and verdé (Kelzia Castroverde, Batch 2023). Some UPIS students also do art commissions, so watch out for their social media posts and announcements.

Support small businesses by UPIS students! //by Rain Tiangco