12 Filipino brands that my family supports – part 3

First of all, I would like to greet you a Merry Christmas, and I hope you are using the holiday season to relax and chill with loved ones.  This is the third and final installment of my article on the 12 brands that my family supports, and if you haven’t yet checked out the first two, here’s Part 1, and here’s Part 2.

If you are a Filipino, but most of the stuff you regularly buy is imported, I suggest you consider doing a similar exercise as I have done: replace 12 imported products that you regularly use with Filipino counterparts.  Here’s a maxim for good citizenship: If you want to build your country, buy what your country builds.  It’s not rocket science to realize the difference between our hard earned money staying here on these shores vs. our hard earned money going elsewhere.

But what do most Filipinos do?  Our colonial mentality takes control of our wallets, and so our kitchens, our cupboards, our bathrooms, and our closets are filled with products from America, Europe, even other parts of Asia…with hardly a Filipino product in sight.  Surely, we can be better Filipino citizens than that, and so how about making Buy Pinoy a mantra for 2017?  The three-part article gives 12 products or brands to help you get started, with below being the final group of products.


9. Hineleban coffee

I don’t wanna sound like a meme, but: I don’t usually drink coffee; but if I do, it’s Hineleban!

Yeah, okay that sounded lame, but it’s 100% accurate.  I’m not a regular coffee drinker, outside of the occasional coffee shop indulgence or when I’m having one of those days; but when I do drink coffee at home, I take only one brand, a local brand made here in the pristine mountains of Sankanan, Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon: Hineleban coffee.

Reason 1: it’s rated the best Arabica in the Philippines by a licensed Q grader, and every person I know who has tried it has only praises for its taste.  What I also like about Arabica coffee is that it does not have as much caffeine as other types of beans.

Reason 2: As much as possible, no chemical fertilizers or pesticides are used in growing this coffee.  They’re very big proponents of natural/organic farming and they also sell organic veggies and turmeric capsules to nearby communities like the city I live in, Cagayan de Oro (the turmeric can be available all over the Philippines, click here).

Coffee drinker, meet your tree.

Reason 3: Every bag you buy, you plant a tree, and you can even track its growth via GPS.  As big a fan as I am of their coffee, I’m an even bigger fan of their social advocacies.  I know this better than most, because they do projects with the school I work for.  In a nutshell, they have given livelihood and training to their surrounding communities, and they also have one of the most successful reforestation endeavors I have ever seen.  In fact, they have recently partnered with Globe telecom in their reforestation efforts.

You can check out this online store to buy yourself a bag.  Whether you’re an occasional coffee drinker (like me) or an aficionado like some of my friends, Hineleban coffee is the go-to locally made brand in my book.


10. Kakao Nibblers 

A while back, I made a post about my balikbayan box wish list, and I was tempted to put dark chocolate on it.  We used to get imported dark chocolate often, not only because it is delicious, but because if its health benefits, the higher the percentage of cacao, the better (most dark chocolates I’ve seen range from about 65-80% cacao).

Well, I now regularly consume a 90% organic cacao product.  Ninety percent!  You might think that would be bitter and disgusting, but let me assure you that it is absolutely delicious, especially since the other 10% is composed of raw wild honey and milk.

In case you’re still skeptical about chocolate being a legit health food, there are many articles out there on the subject.  Basically, it is now generally accepted that dark chocolate is very powerful source of antioxidants, among many health benefits, and it is especially protective against cardiovascular disease.

Cacao nibblers are also on my online store; and man, don’t just take my word that they’re absolutely delicious.  You gotta try them yourself!  I can send them anywhere in the country, although there is a minimum.


11. Human Heart Nature
I have been a longtime fan of Human Heart Nature products, and not only because they are proudly Filipino made, but also for an even better reason.  You may know that most of the commercial beauty and personal care products on the market contain some nasty ingredients that are not good for you (chemicals can be absorbed through your skin) nor are they good for the environment when they are rinsed into our drains and therefore into our water systems.

Human Heart Nature products do not have these ingredients in them; as they are all-natural  So not only does patronizing Filipino products show that you are being a good citizen; buying Human Heart Nature products show that you are also a good and responsible steward of your own body and of the environment.

If you’re familiar with Human Heart Nature, you’d know that they have a wide variety of all natural personal care and beauty products.  In our family, we buy a few of these more regularly than others, and they are:

Don’t let its black color fool you.  This is the ultimate dude-soap.

• Soaps.  Their all-natural soaps are great, as they’re cold-processed (most commercial soaps are not) and I am assured that they get the job done but without the nasty chemicals.  By far, my favorite is their bamboo charcoal cleansing bar.  It has a soothing minty feel and this is especially nice when I shave.  Even the ladies in my household like the black soap (even though it’s marketed as a men’s product).

• Lip balm.  The ladies in the household love the lip balm, especially the minty one.

• Pocket Hand Sanitizer.  We often travel, as my son plays competitive soccer and usually eats right there at practice/tournament venue with no sink & soap in sight.  HHN’s hand sanitizers are a godsend.

• Sunflower oil.  I heard that this product is great for scar tissue and for reducing the dark circles under the eyes, so I use this product for that reason.

• Lotions.  Again, this is for the ladies in the household.  Effective moisturizing power, nice feminine scent, no chemicals.

If you are not yet a member of this great company, you should sign up, pronto (everyone loves discounts, and I am no exception).  Also, the company is very active in several advocacies such as building houses or supporting farmers, another reason why you should support Human Heart Nature.  If you have any questions about signing up as a Human Heart Nature advocate, ask me.


12. Cherry Mobile

I am a huge believer in value for money, and no, I am not a stingy miser.  I truly do not get how some people will prefer a more expensive brand when another one that costs far less can do the same job.  Here’s the truth: you’re paying for the name and not much else; and frankly, I call that vanity.  I praised the value for money of Accel Sports in my first article in this series; and another one of the brands that I love for the same reason is Cherry Mobile.

Mine is blue

Ever since they came out with the first Flare, Cherry Mobile has taken a solid share of the budget smartphone market and it’s not letting up.  I currently have a Cherry Mobile Flare S Play, and it’s my 3rd phone from the brand (all have been Flares).  I got that phone for only about P4,000, and I use it for just about everything you need to use a smartphone for.

I also love the brand because it’s more than just Filipino, it is from the city I live in, Cagayan de Oro.  In fact, a good friend of mine made the iconic message tone that the brand is known for.  Sadly, he passed away a few years ago, and so buying Cherry Mobile phones is my way of honoring his memory.

Well there you have it: in three articles, I listed down the twelve Filipino brands that my family and I support.  Big thanks go out to Atty. Alex Lacson, who wrote the book 12 Little Things Every Filipino Can Do To Help Our Country and its sequels, as it was reading the said book that gave me the conviction, and the idea, to make a great effort to buy Pinoy and therefore the original assignment that spawned this series of articles.

Now, this list is by no means exhaustive.  If there are other Filipino products that you also are a huge fan of, but I did not list it here, please let me know via your comments.  I am always looking out for more Pinoy stuff to try.

If you’d like to check out the previous entries in this list.  Here’s article 1, and here is article 2.  God bless you guys, and may you have the happiest of holidays.

(This blog site, Lessons Of A Dad is mostly about parenting, marriage, and other topics aimed to develop the reader’s mind, body, and soul.  I’d consider it an honor if you’d follow or subscribe to this site.  You can also go to my Facebook page here, and I’m also on Twitter at @lessonsofadad)