Underprivileged Filipino kids have seen happier and brighter Christmases for the past 19 years thanks to Jollibee's Maaga ang Pasko annual toy and book drive. For those who still don't know, this campaign had its roots from celebrity Aga Muhlach's simple desire to share his blessings by bringing happiness to a few children during the Yuletide season through gifts of toys. "I was doing Oki Doki Dok at the time and I was really attached to kids."

During the Maaga ang Pasko launch in Jollibee Canlubang, Aga shared how he held a show in the old Delta Theater in Quezon City two decades ago and asked people to bring toys as entrance fees instead of selling tickets. Thus, he was thrilled to find the perfect partner in Jollibee which helped make the advocacy even better. 

Aga attributes the growth of the campaign to the popular Filipino brand. "I knew if I wanted [the advocacy] to go nationwide … kung ako lang, ilan lang ang mararating ko at kaya kong puntahan … so sabi ko, Jollibee is the right venue for this, and hindi ako nagkamali. Umabot na s'ya ng 20 years at lumaki ng ganito kalaki because of Jollibee talaga."

Grandparents are special people who should remain valued in every family. They are constant in their love and affection and are always happy when they could do things for their loved ones. This Grandparents' Day, let us, in turn make them happy by honoring them and giving thanks for everything they've done for us all these years.

Blessed are the children who got to know their grandparents and were able to experience being cared for by these family members who unselfishly provide unconditional love. I am thankful to have known my four grandparents before they all passed away. 

Likewise, I am grateful that my four children were born while both their grandfathers were still alive. Although they are gone now, we always remember their two lolos with fondness. Thankfully, my mom and mother-in-law are still around to shower my children with love and gifts whenever we see each other.

Yesterday, I joined fellow bloggers in Camp Aguinaldo to join Jollibee in giving joy to elderly veterans who were invited by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to the Philippine Veterans' Office Affairs (PVAO) covered court for a simple yet meaningful celebration. 

It was so heartwarming to see the big smiles of the lolos and lolas when Jollibee came out and spent time with them. The lovable bee mascot even made sure to do the Mano Po gesture (a Filipino sign of respect) which, I think, doubly cheered up the elderly guests. 

Aside from delicious Jollibee food items, the veterans were treated to music from the 60s and 70s by the Bloomfields. Who wouldn't want to dance to that?! :)

Watch this beautiful video tribute featuring grandparents who expressed how happy Jollibee made them. May they remain joyful and free from worries all the rest of their days. They deserve that after giving so much of themselves for their families during their younger years.

Let's always remember to make our grandparents feel loved and respected while they are still with us by honoring them not only during Grandparents' Day, but every day!

* Photos without watermark were borrowed from Jollibee's Twitter account

Many years ago, a charming young girl was featured in a Jollibee commercial. She grew up to be a lovely lady who had equally beautiful children with her good-looking husband.

This month, Jollibee introduced its newest family endorsers for Jolly Spaghetti in an intimate lunch held at Fairmont Hotel, Makati City. There, Carmina Villarroel-Legaspi expressed how heartwarming it is to come home to her first love -- Jollibee -- and how especially sweet the reunion is because she is now joined by the people closest to her heart, her family.

Carmina, her husband Zoren Legaspi, and their twins Mavy and Cassy made a pretty picture on stage as they shared how much they enjoy eating Jolly Spaghetti. "I've loved Jollibee since I was younger and the Jolly Spaghetti has been an all-time favorite. I'm excited to be back with the Joliibee family and this homecoming is extra special because, this time, I'll be with my own family," said the young-looking mom.

"Together with my husband and kids, I feel that we're going to have the time of our lives sharing the langhap-sarap world of Jollibee with everyone," shared Carmina. Watching them enthusiastically and animatedly answer questions shows just how much this close knit family does enjoy life. 

Zoren described Jolly Spaghetti as having "the perfect blend of flavors we Pinoys want in a spaghetti dish. It has a sweet-sarap [flavor] with rich and appetizing tomato taste that makes me, Carmina, and our kids want more!"

I commend Jollibee for making a good choice and for somehow infusing nostalgia in the new TV commercial because of the subtle similarities to the old one. Please watch both so you'll see what I mean. As the new faces for Jolly Spaghetti, the Legaspi family exhibits a great example of how the distinct personalities of each member can create the perfect blend of a happy Filipino family. As their new TVC shows, Jolly Spaghetti is something truly worth coming home to and sharing memories over.

And like the Legaspis, other Pinoy families can also get to enjoy the delicious blend of sweetness and rich tomato taste, together with the right amount of cheese and meats, in every serving of Jolly Spaghetti.

My own kids also grew up eating Jolly Spaghetti. Now that they're in their teens, they still like ordering spaghetti whenever we eat at Jollibee. After all, who can resist the cheesiest, meatiest, and spaghettiest dish from Jollibee's menu? :) 

It's always nice to know that you can earn freebies when you spend on stuff that you normally buy anyway. I've been using the happyplüs card for a few months now and am looking forward to redeeming food products from some of our favorite stores using my points soon.

Now, there's a new tie-up that will make over 1 million happyplüs card members even happier. Earn happypoints when you gas up from over 500 Caltex stations nationwide!

Every P100 fuel up at Caltex will earn you 1 happypoint which is equal to P1. The easy-to-accumulate happypoints can be redeemed for food products in any participating Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Red Ribbon outlets nationwide. For instance, your single or cumulative gas up worth P1000 earns 10 happypoints that can already be used to redeem for a free Vanilla Cone Twirl at Jollibee. 

I'm glad to know that even motorcycle riders, including the tricycle drivers who regularly gas up at the Caltex station right outside our village, can also join because fuel purchases below P100 will still earn a fraction of a happypoint! This means P80 worth of gas is equal to 0.80 happypoints -- no minimum purchase amount required.  

Likewise, whether you use cash, credit, debit, StarCar or StarCash to buy gasoline or diesel, you are qualified to earn happypoints. So, the more you gas up at Caltex, the more free products for you and your family! Cardholders of happyplüs can avail of this benefit up to P20,000 per month of fuel purchases.

Become a happyplüs member by simply buying a membership kit priced at P100 in Caltex stations, Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Red Ribbon stores nationwide. You also earn 1 happypoint for every P50 food purchase at participating stores. Fore more details, please visit http://happyplus.com/caltex.

The happyplüs rewards promo is a partnership between industry giants Chevron Philippines Inc. (CPI), marketer of Caltex fuel and lubricants, and Jollibee Food Corporation (JFC), owner of Jollibee, Chowking, Greenwich, and Red Ribbon brands, to provide customers with the most enticing fuel and food rewards.

In 2013, CPI already partnered with JFC in free Jollibee treats promo that became a huge success among motorists. Prior to that, CPI signed a MOA with JFC to build Jollibee stores in Caltex stations.

Announcement! BPI card holders still have two weeks to pay for purchases using their ATM or credit cards so they can use the transaction slips to redeem Jollibee treats!

This promo started last November 2013 and is soon to wrap up at the end of January 2014. What I love about BPI's promos is that redemption is always extended for a couple of months!

My husband and I have already bought several stuff using our cards and have exchanged our transaction slips for Jollibee items. Some, we ate before we buy groceries, others, like the Chickenjoy Bucket, we bring home to the kids. Who doesn't love Jollibee foods after all?

So make sure you save those transaction slips amounting to P2,000 P6,000 and P12,000 and get the following at any Jollibee branch nationwide:

Customers are allowed up to 3 redemptions per day, per store, valid for dine-in or take out. Redemption period is until April 1, 2014.