Made It Through Mum

We are, sadly, in the midst of another COVID-19 surge, ostensibly due to the highly contagious Omicron variant entering the country to end 2021. Already, cases have risen from 100–300 daily last December to over 3,000 most days this January.  This dire development has prompted the government to shift Metro Manila and nearby provinces from the more lenient Alert Level 1 back to more stringent Alert Level 3—and, potentially, to the strictest Alert Level 5 if infections continue rising exponentially. This only means one thing: Our movement will once again be limited, with minors and the unvaccinated now barred from going out unless absolutely necessary and the greater majority encouraged to just stay at home where possible. And if we all want to finally beat COVID, like we seem to be doing just a month ago, it would be best to follow stay-at-home recommendations as much as possible and keep observing safety protocols, like proper wearing of facemask, constant handwashing, avoiding lar...

Patient groups call for ‘Bakuna, Now Na’ PAPO kicks off Unity Statement to increase vaccination uptake, decrease hesitancy. The Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO), representing 38 patient groups in the country, launches the “Bakuna, Now Na” campaign in a bid to increase vaccination uptake and decrease hesitancy to help curb the pandemic.  The campaign is also in partnership with the Department of Health and is supported by the Department of Science and Technology and the Philippine Medical Association. The Bakuna, Now Na campaign, a piece of information, and education advocacy to increase vaccine acceptance, also kicks off with a Unity Statement with partner groups urging Filipinos to get vaccinated against CoVID-19.   The patient-led campaign also aims to support efforts towards vaccine equity through various initiatives and collaborations with governments, manufacturers, and the COVAX facility among other platforms.  “The pandemic has made Filip...

      When commuting, wear your face mask and face shield properly at all times. With the holidays over, thousands of Filipinos are coming back from their hometowns or simply traveling to get to work.   If you are one of these commuters, please remember that the pandemic is not yet over, and strict health protocols are still in place. However, there are ways for you to be able to get to your destination safely. AXA Philippines, one of the country’s leading insurance providers, is here to give you some tips on just that.   Prepare for cashless payments. Many transport services have implemented cashless paying schemes as a precautionary measure against the COVID-19 virus. For example, ride-hailing apps only accept bookings if you will pay through your e-wallet or credit or debit cards. Also, trains and some buses only allow passengers to ride if they have a reloadable contactless smart card. To avoid any hassle, make sure that you have the necessary app...

Filipinos are known for their natural resilience, manifested in those who, after a cataclysmic event, are able to rise from the debris and ashes of their destroyed lives, at times even with a sense of humor.  They are battle-tested for any type of crisis and the fight against COVID-19 is no different. Even if this unprecedented pandemic is still far from over sans the availability of a vaccine, hopes are still high with the presence of means to survive the fight. Giving its full support BDO Foundation launched the Peso-for-Peso Donation Drive, a fundraising activity that ran from May until July 16, 2020. Proceeds were used to provide test kits and supplies to COVID-19 testing centers in underserved communities nationwide. Under the drive, minimum donations of P500 and maximum donations of up to P1 million per donor were matched peso for peso by BDO Foundation. Donations from BDO and non-BDO customers, as well as BDO employees, poured in via the Bank’s e-banking channels—BDO Onli...

Experts and education officials say that learning must not stop and must only evolve.  Prepared with TANG: Get ready for Distance Learning Some schools have already started classes while some will be starting in October following the government’s recent announcement. No matter when classes will start, there is no denying that being cast into these uncertain times because of COVID-19 has caused an undue amount of pressure on the parents who now need to act as surrogate teachers, and caused stress for the students who cannot see or study with their classmates. Adding to that is the concern of how effective they will be as co-educators at home, playing a more active role in their children’s education.  Am I ready? Are my kids ready? I really don't know but I must admit with my current health conditions I'm really scared since  I've been seeing my friends' social media posts that they are having a hard time. But there's nothing we can do, we need to star...

The worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 has brought the world to a standstill and had a sudden and substantial impact on the arts and culture sectors.  With exhibitions and galleries still under severe restrictions, artists are among those who were heavily burdened by the circumstances brought about by COVID-19. Responding to their call for help, A rtisteSpace, Inc., together with Arth Art International in India, launches Art CARES to raise funds and support the artists’ communities. A collaboration of artists from India, Malaysia, Philippines, and the United States, Art CARES gallery provides a platform for emerging and distinguished artists to showcase their art pieces online. While they continue to inspire and shed hope through art, these artists also hope to sustain their livelihood and provide help to those who are most vulnerable. The funds raised through Art CARES will not only provide support to the artists but also benefit Ekta Charitable Trust in India and ...

The coronavirus has affected everyone and this has caused severe pain to all. Our current situation, which naturally brings a sense of grief, has actually made us Filipinos more spiritual and engaged in fewer vices while on quarantine according to the results of a recent study done nationwide by Philcare, one of the country’s leading HMO providers. PhilCare panelists: Mr. Jaeger L. Tanco , PhilCare President and CEO; Mr. Raymong Tiangco ,  PhilCare VP for Sales and Marketing; Dr. Ultra Tan , PhilCare Associate Medical Director; Roxanne Agustin, Host , and Dr. Fernando Paragas , Lead Researcher PhilCare Community Quarantine Wellness Index Philcare is very keen on doing a lot of research and data gathering and the goal is to know the mindset and sentiments of the Filipinos. Philcare facilitated the recent survey to determine the Filipinos level of knowledge about Covid-19 pandemic, level of comfort over Community Quarantine (CQ) activities, causes of worry during the CQ...

Lido Cocina Tsina, a family Chinese restaurant chain, shows support to the heroes in the front lines who help fight the spread of COVID-19 by distributing food packs while the enhanced community quarantine is in effect.   Dr. Fabella Hospital Lido team members or Lido family as they call it, prepared and packed healthy and delicious meals and distributed within selected communities in Metro Manila.  "As frontliners ourselves, we feel for those who take part in their commitment to serve our countrymen. This is the least we can do to help our healthcare workers, police and military officers, and government workers to show appreciation to what they are doing," says Lido's owner, Ms. Annie Wong. Taytay and Metro Doctors For the past two weeks, the Lido family tirelessly reached out to personally thank our front liners in different hospitals. Health workers at Holy Infant Jesus, Philippine Children's Medical Center, Veterans Memorial Medical C...