I had to get a gift for a niece a few weeks back and while I was wandering around Century City Mall…read moreI found this cute little store called Chibimomo! I entered because I saw a cute giraffe stuffed toy at the door and I couldn't resist! It turns out it was a kids store, exactly what I was looking for! They had a lot of clothes from brands I didn't know, so it's great for those who want their little ones to stand out. They also had a good selection of children's toys and decor. I ended up buying really adorable swimwear for my niece and couldn't help but grab one for her sister as well. Nothing cuter than matching siblings! Their prices are a little high but still not too bad. If you've got a toddler you're dying to spoil Chibimomo might have just what you're looking for!

Chibi Momo has everything I want my future child to be wearing: Girly baby doll dresses for the…read moreprincesses and adorable separates for the princes. I bet if we were still young'ns, my mom would've loved to go shopping here. While there are items in the store sourced in the US and Europe, what I love most about this place are there capsule collections featuring local designers. As someone who works in fashion, I was so over the moon just thinking about my (future) little one dressed up in Maureen Disini and Rosanna Ocampo! I mean, how fabulous is that right? Some moms may find it too frivolous and rather expensive especially for children's clothing, but I just think you're paying for premium goods. Far from the mass produced and brightly colored things you can easily buy in every other mall, everything at Chibi Momo feels well thought out and well curated. It could be that I work in a fashion magazine but I'd be happy to recommend a bit of fashion into any little girl or even a little boy's life in that matter! After all, you're never too young to learn about good taste.

What I love about Gingersnaps is that they really cater to the Filipino audience. The clothes they…read morehave -- particularly the shirts are made with thinner cotton material which is perfect for the weather in the Philippines. Some would argue that because of the thin material, it looks a bit cheap. But having a baby and owning a baby clothing line myself, I totally understand where they are coming from. Of course, I've had my fair share of shopping for US brands, but I always end up using the stuff I buy from Gingersnaps more simply because my daughter is more comfortable in them. Don't worry, even with the thinner material, the clothes are very well made and they can stand several washings. I also love the retro designs that they have and that they have a very extensive line for boys as well.

Thieves. Took our money (peso 3500+)but did not want to release the items to us because they could…read morenot see the money in their bank account. Spent 3 hours in the store on the phone with our bank explaining that the money had already been debited from our account. In the end we left without any refund nor the goods. One staff said this has happened many times before. By the way, THANKS FOR RUINING OUR HOLIDAY. NEGATIVE STARS FOR THIS STORE.

Children deserve to have beautiful party dresses, too! Tarte Tatin is an amazing store for little…read moregirls. They have some sporty and casual pieces for dress down events and some elegant pieces for dressier events. Its really a collection of stylish clothes for kids fit for any occasion. Tarte Tatin is owned by model Mandy Santos. The main product lines cover newborn girls to size 16. They also have some adult pieces for fashion-forward mommies. While the dresses are all lovely, you also have to check out the unique line of little bags and shoes. I love that they have little gladiator sandals and ballet flats! They source their fabrics from Asia and Europe but have everything locally manufactured so you get the innovative design of other countries but the quality craftsmanship of the Philippines -- the best of both worlds. Plus, since it is a local brand, they get plus points for helping boos the economy.

Big & Small Co wa¬¬s the first company established by the now popular group which includes Spin,…read moreOrange Juice and HAB Maternity & More. They have been around for a while and is among the pioneer local baby clothing stores in the country. Each brand in this group is popular by its own right. Spin offers edgy clothes for boys, HAB addresses the dearth of good local maternity items and Orange Juice caters to the tween market. Big & Small Co offers classic and colorful pieces for children. I love their summer clothing line. Aside from offering tiny swimsuits, rash guards and cover ups, they generally have bright colors and bold patterns during this season. They have a line of Nautical-themed clothes for your Little Sea Captain or Little Miss Summer - both styles for boys and girls are exciting and unique. In terms of quality, their years of experience gives them an edge over other kids' brands in the market today. The clothes are of good quality that can withstand several washes.

When it comes to my niece and nephew, I err on the safe side. Even if there are many brands…read morespecializing in children's goods, I usually patronize the ones that my mom bought us when we were young. One brand that our family has trusted for a long time now is Enfant. I can attest to the quality of their products because some of their clothes that my mom bought me when I was a kid are still usable up to this day. I like going to the Enfant store because everything I need to buy for my niece and nephew can be found there. Aside from kids' apparels, they also sell baby bottles, toiletries, bags, and baby-friendly furniture. I like their baby clothes because they are made of 100% cotton and are hypoallergenic. I wish, though, that they sell clothes that are more in tune with the modern times, so to speak. Another good reason to buy from this store is the price of their products. I was able to buy a sturdy stroller for my niece for less than PHP 4,000.00. Now, I think that's a bargain.

When you become a godmother, it's time for you to look for places to buy baby clothes and baby…read moreaccessories. You can't just rely on the sales that happen seldom. You will have to come to reality by accepting the fact that anything for the baby is expensive! Whenever my friends and I give gifts to a new mother / friend, we try to pass by Enfant to check out their merchandise. First we ask our mother / friend what she needs for the baby and being the practical friends, we split the cost of something big. Like for example before when my boss gave birth, we bought her a crib in Enfant. Since we were 15 people, the price of the crib divided amongst us wasn't so bad. I think it's the best way to help the mother / friend. You give something that she really needs, which lessens her costs. This is really a mommy's heaven!

Orange Juice is a great store for kids clothing. They cater to tweens - girls aged 7 to 12 years -…read moreand have basic designs similar to its sister stores Spin (for boys) and Big & Small Co (for babies and toddlers). All three stores are located in the same area for kids apparel in Greenbelt. Their items are geared towards young girls with varying fashion preferences. They have a nice summer collection which has swimsuits perfect for girls in this age bracket. They also have tank tops, slogan shirts, shorts and dresses. There's plenty to choose from for girls who are no longer kids but are not quiet in the teen zone yet. The designs are fresh, hip and fashionable. As one of the brands owned by Big & Small Co, they are backed by over 25 years of experience which means that the clothes they sell are of the highest quality.

I was part of the target age range of this brand when it first opened in the Philippines some 12-13…read moreyears ago hahaha. The "tween" age. So at that time, everyone my age wanted something from Orange Juice! It may have been the hype and the newness of it all, or the novelty of there being a clothes brand specifically for that age... But the clothes were actually really nice and cute and well-made! Thicker, more durable material. Movable fabrics. Nice, colorful designs. And I think mothers really liked it too because it was fashionable yet still age-appropriate! Soon there came a boys' line too called "Spin." For a while I thought the brand died out or maybe I just never noticed anymore as I grew older, lol, but it is still around and they're still making consistently well-designed clothes for kids! They're in selected malls like Shangrila and Greenbelt now. Stores still have the attractive orange decor and the trademark playful Orange Juice logo! Even with the many much newer brands now, I think Orange Juice is still one of the best brands around for young girls who don't quite fit in with the little kids' clothes but aren't yet old enough for teen wear. Great to shop here for gifts and stuff for your young daughters, nieces, apos, and inaanaks!

If I could win a prize for being a loyal customer of some store here in the Philippines, this store…read morewould certainly be Mothercare. I lost track of how many times I've been there since I moved to Manila being 5-6 months pregnant. When I was feeling about to pop with the big tummy, all I wanted was a time saver store where I could find everything I needed - for me and for the baby! The convenience is the main reason why I like Mothercare. There you can find children's clothes, strollers, cribs, changing tables, baby bouncers and rockers, maternity clothes, bottles, pacifiers, teddy bears, bath tubes, nursing pads, post-partum belly wraps and so on. I've bought many clothes for my baby there. My maternity nightdress is also from Mothercare and I love using it to breastfeed. Here I share some useful tips: TIP 1- For some products, the price is almost the same than in similar stores. Other items can have prohibitive prices! So COMPARE prices. The set with bed seets, bumpers and pillow, for example, is very expensive. Almost the same price than the moses, what doesn't make sense to me. TIP 2 - They sell some Medela products, which are quite difficult to find here in Manila. Instead of going to Medela House, in Quezon City, you can buy breast pumps, bottles and so on at Mothercare : ) I love this facility! And I love Medela. TIP 3 - They sell Mustela products too, so you don't have to look for a kiosk in the mall. TIP 4 - They sell Belly Bandit post-partum wraps. TIP 5 - Don't throw your purchase receipts away. When you reach 30k you can apply for their loyalty card and enjoy some discounts and promos.

If you're a mom or a mom-to-be, you must visit Mothercare. It's like every mother's rite of…read morepassage. You'll find all the basic things you need from birth to toddler years. Whether you're looking for a portable bath tub, a moses basket, a high chair or a complete set of bedding for your new crib, they literally have everything. They have great mommy products as well -- from comfortable maternity clothes to belly bandits, cocoa butter to prevent stretch marks or nursing bras to fit that ever-growing new body. For first-time mommies, I suggest you get the frogsuit sets as these are super effective for getting newborns to sleep in their first few days outside the womb. Even if they are a bit expensive, these are super worth it because of the quality of the clothes. Here's a tip: make sure you shop there during Christmas season and Halloween, they have cute costume frogsuits and onesies -- you can get reindeer designs or make your kids into little elves -- really adorable!

Greenhills Shopping Center is one of my favorite shopping mall in the Philippines. I've been going…read moreto this mall since the 80's. It's known for its diverse range of stores and products like clothing, cellular phone sales, repairs and accessories, jewelry store, toys, pearls, souvenir items, restaurants, bars, video arcades, religious facilities and the ever popular tiangge that sells imported and local products for bargain hunters. A lot has changed but it is still one of the most beloved malls in the country.

Bring comfortable shoes. Of course, keep an eye on your belongings. Negotiate. Understand that…read moreeverything here is like the original, and I have found that the anime figurines are worth the value because they look very well constructed. There are a lot of great knickknacks that you can pick up, but I'm not the type of person to go for labels