A mother’s sacrifice: Heroic tales of love and care from mom frontliners

One trait that best defines moms is their being selfless -- always ready to make sacrifices for her family and her kids. This is particularly seen during these difficult times where mothers, particularly those in the frontlines, have stepped up to be the first line of defense of both their household and the community. 

Honoring their heart for service, Lactum 3+6+ released a campaign tribute that pays gratitude to real-life moms who are at the frontlines, sharing their healing care to their fellow countrymen. Each of these women have their own motivations that keep them strong amid the crisis, but what they share in common is that they are true models of panalo parenting in these hard times.

Duty calls

Healthcare and medical workers like mommies Milinda Albario, Patricia Vasay, and Tessa Eusebio have an important role to fulfill in this health crisis. They are among the first responders in the hospitals and emergency rooms, tending to people confined with symptoms of COVID-19.  

“When the COVID-19 outbreak hit the country, my ward was converted to an isolation ward receiving patients with the symptoms. As a nurse, I was assigned to closely administer the patients and was encouraged not to go home to avoid spreading the disease to our family,” says Milinda Albario. “I was very scared and worried, and I was always thinking about my children at home.” 

Mommy Patricia Vasay, 33, Pediatrician

 Meanwhile, Patricia Vasay was appointed to the pediatric care ward in their emergency room. “During the first few weeks of the quarantine, I felt proud to be at the pediatric care. But as time went on, I felt frustrated because a lot of my co-workers were getting sick too and I was scared for myself and my son.” 

“We feel scared because you never really know if you’re going to get the virus while at work,” adds Eusebio. “But one thing that motivates me as a doctor is love for my family and my countrymen. I believe that it is a blessing to be able to do what you love most and be of service to others.”

Mommy Tessa Eusebio, 30, Physician

Keeping up with family in the pandemic 

Being at the frontlines has lessened the amount of time spent by these moms with their precious kids at home. However, uniforms and duties aside, these strong women recognize that motherhood still comes first and that the safety of their children is their priority. 

Policewoman Fatima Lanuza reflects on what being a mother means to her, sharing, “Being a mother has given me a sense of direction and purpose in life. It also taught me to be selfless and consider that every decision I make will affect my children’s future.” 

Mommy Fatima Lanuza, 33 Policewoman

Currently, she is assigned at the Minalabac Municipal Police Station and is in charge of ensuring that people stay at home during the quarantine. She expresses gratitude for her kids for being her source of energy at the frontlines, “My little ones have been refueling me with their love and appreciation. They would send videos of them clapping as a way to thank frontliners. Just seeing them happy and safe at home makes me feel energized.” 

Motherhood has also changed the outlook of volunteer worker and mom of 3, Chexcy Lorayna, who shares that her kids helped her become a better person. Despite the risks of working in the pandemic, she never fails to give her children some valuable lessons, “I always remind my kids that when we are serving other people, we are also serving God. I help them understand that other people need my help and seeing them behave and try to understand our situation gives me courage and comfort.”

Looking ahead to the future 

“There are so many things that I miss about my kids, especially their hugs and kisses. But what I miss the most is time spent with them,” expresses Lorayna. “I believe that love is synonymous with time and I cannot wait to shower them with my affection and attention soon.”   

Mommy Chexcy Lorayna, 36, Volunteer

When things go back to normal, these moms want nothing more than to be by their children’s side. Whether it’s play dates, movie nights, or weekend trips, they are looking forward to new bonding moments and enjoying fun activities with their kids again. 

And as these selfless moms continue to be strong and caring for their family and the country, they only have one request for the Filipinos. Lanuza says, “We appeal to everyone to pray for us, the frontliners, the nation, and our families. This pandemic will soon be over. Please do not leave your homes, so we may live for the future.”

To help Filipino families affected by the pandemic, a P50 donation will be made for every Lactum 3+6+ purchased online. 

For the list of online partners, visit Lactum 3+6+ official Facebook page. Watch these moms in Lactum 3+’s touching Mother’s Day video on Facebook 

(https://www.facebook.com/LactumPhilippines/videos/265270744855878/) and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQDstC8BO90). Per DOH-FDA-CFRR Permit No. 0584 s. 2020

The #TikTokU Program aims to bring learning straight to everyone’s smartphones

  TikTok will officially launch its learning-centric campaign to empower users with knowledge through short-form videos on May 25. The #TikTokU Program aims to bring learning straight to everyone’s smartphones for users to gain access to practical tips and up-to-date knowledge, all from talented creators in the Philippines.

With the platform’s diversified content, users are provided with a library of educational videos ready for consumption within a minute or less. This creates the perfect opportunity to convert those idle time of in-betweens into productive learning moments. Learning a new language, a quick art and crafts tutorial, or trivial things has never been this fun and easy.

Learning a new language: https://www.tiktok.com/@showsuzuki/video/6820648029171830018 ; 

Arts and crafts: https://www.tiktok.com/@krisydays/video/6799515644334296321; 

Trivial things https://www.tiktok.com/@alamnyobato/video/6825815806400646401

“These days, education is no longer confined to classrooms, and the ways of learning are changing, too. TikTok is giving alternative and accessible ways for the thirsty creative minds of Filipinos open to discovering new ideas. We believe that everybody deserves access to various forms of education. That is why we launch #TikTokU. We hope users will join us in celebrating knowledge and sharing their creativity for the benefits of the wider community,” said John Castro, TikTok User, Community and Operations Manager.

As a leading digital platform, TikTok believes in taking an active role in supporting the community, and being able to provide another channel for educational content is one vital way of doing so.  With the app’s user-centric design, anyone can effortlessly produce educational content that is creative, inspiring and effective. Powered by top-notch machine-learning technologies, the app’s easy-to-use video capturing and editing tools instantly transform smartphones into powerful tools for teaching and sharing knowledge. 

The first round of #TikTokU will be kicked off on May 25, with a search for creators to add to its elite roster of teachers and instructors. This first phase will focus on creators of Science and Education, DIY and Life Hacks, and Advice and Motivational content. 

Entries will be categorized into four tracks, based on the user’s number of followers, to create fair and equal opportunities for all participants. The four tracks are:

            Senior Scholarship: Open to those whose followers are 500k and above on TikTok 

            Junior Scholarship: Open to those with 100k to 500k followers on TikTok

            Sophomore Scholarship: Open to those with 10k to 100k followers on on TikTok

            Freshman Scholarship: Open to those with under 10k followers on TikTok

Those who are interested to join the #TikTokU Program may submit entries following these simple rules and guidelines:

●      Entrants must create at least 3 entries for the campaign.

●      Content must be educational and useful, and must fall under the Science and Education, DIY and Life Hacks, or Advice and Motivational themes, with the assigned hashtag/s incorporated.

●      The ideal duration and format of videos are 30 seconds and above, shot on a 9:16 vertical screen.

●      The campaign is open to all creators aged 18 and above from the Philippines.

●      Videos must adhere to the TikTok community guidelines.

●      Winners will be selected based on the total video views of all eligible videos they post during 
the campaign. A candidate-ranking dashboard will be updated regularly to reflect the most viewed creators in each track. 

Creators who are selected for the #TikTokU Program stand to win cash rewards, and will be invited to the #TikTokU Creator Group, where they will receive development and growth support from TikTok as follows:

            Senior Scholarship (5 winners) – PHP40,000 cash, and 1-to-1 support months

            Junior Scholarship (15 winners) – PHP30,000 cash, and 1-to-1 support for 3 months

            Sophomore Scholarship (30 winners) – PHP20,000 cash, and 3-month upskilling

            Freshman Scholarship (75 winners) – PHP10,000 cash, and 3-month upskilling

The first round of the the #TikTokU Program will run from May 25 to June 15, 2020. Winners will be announced on June 19.

Support the pioneers of the #TikTokU Program by downloading TikTok on your iOS and Android devices and start learning today!

Araneta City has announced the reopening of its three malls- Gateway Mall, Ali Mall and Farmers Plaza- starting Wednesday, May 20

The management of Araneta City has announced the reopening of its  three malls- Gateway Mall, Ali Mall and Farmers Plaza-  starting Wednesday, May 20,  in accordance with the resumption of most businesses in Metro Manila under the modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) regulations set up by the Covid-19 Inter Agency Task Force (IATF).

To ensure the health of customers and employees, the Araneta City management will continue the regular sanitation and disinfection of all interior and exterior establishments within its premises, as shown in this photo.

For the safety of customers and employees, established Covid-19 rules and regulations will be   followed such as “no face mask, no entry”, the requirement of presenting a quarantine pass or authorized company ID upon entry, temperature checks at entrances, minimum one meter social distancing, two steps between persons on escalators, limited elevator capacity, among other regulations. 

For pregnant women, the elderly, and PWDs, they may be accompanied by one person when visiting any of the malls of Araneta City. 

Other measures that have already been in place at Araneta City since the declaration of enhanced community quarantine will continue to be implemented such as the placement of disinfectant-soaked foot baths and alcohol dispensers at entrances, hand sanitizers and alcohol dispensers located in concierge, booths, and restrooms, and floor markings for social distancing. Regular sanitation and disinfection of interiors and exteriors of Araneta City establishments will also be maintained.

In the photo, floor marks indicating where elevator riders should stand are seen as a worker disinfects the elevator's surfaces. The Araneta City management urges customers and employees to follow social distancing protocols to ensure a safe and healthy environment for everyone.

Food and other service establishments are mandated to follow workplace safety guidelines promulgated by the Department of Health and the Department of Labor and Employment to ensure the safety of customers and service providers.

Sanitation is essential in combating COVID-19. Knowing this, the Araneta City management will continue to sanitize and disinfect all of its spaces, especially those that are frequented by customers such as washrooms.

For the information of the general public, safety guidelines such as advisories and infographics will be posted in prominent areas in the malls, especially at entrances, parking and smoking areas, escalators, elevators, and restrooms.

Mall hours will be from 11 AM to 7PM and only non-leisure stores and establishments will open as per the guidance set by the IATF. A complete list of open stores and establishments is available on facebook.com/AranetaCity.

“We welcome back our customers and employees to Araneta City. Your safety and well-being is always our top priority, which is why we will continue to implement social distancing and enhanced personal hygiene protocols,” said Antonio Mardo, Senior Vice President for Operations of Araneta City. 

Skin Magical extends helping hand to employees, frontliners

When the government placed the entire island of Luzon under enhanced community quarantine starting March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Skin Magical, headed by Founder and Chief Operating Officer Ghie Pangilinan, and its subsidiaries wasted no time and extended a helping hand to their employees, distributors, franchisees, the community and frontliners in health facilities.

For her 242 employees, Pangilinan prepared rice and food packs that included canned and instant foods items. She was more creative with her relief efforts when it came to Skin Magical and Speaks G’s distributors and franchisees. Through her ambassadors Madam Kilay and Lars Pachecho, they were able to giveaway a P1,000 each to her distributors and franchises for a total of P140,000.

Pangilinan also held live raffles and gave away P500 each to 50 winners and P1,000 each to 40 winners. Twenty reseller packages worth P5,000 given away to those who took part in the Kwento ng Pag-asa Laban sa Corona. On Easter Sunday, which fell on April 12, Skin Magical and Speaks G conducted a virtual egg hunt. A total of 14 winners received a cash prize of P3,000 from Skin Magical while Speaks G gave P3,000 to 10 lucky winners. On Mother’s Day last May 10, Pangilinan’s Nanay Ko To Gandang Palaban gave away 24 reseller packages worth P2,500.

“No one expected this to happen and this was my little way of sharing what I have with my employees, distributors and franchisees,” Pangilinan said. “I am thankful for their support and I would not be where I am if not for them.”

The Skin Magical COO did not forget to extend a helping hand to the community where her business is located in Morong. Rizal. She distributed rice to residents in Barangays San Pedro, San Juan, San Jose, Maybancal, CCL, Lagundi and Bombongan. She was also able to send out meals and essential products to the hospital frontliners of Rizal Provincial Hospital, Morong Doctors Hospital, Dialysis Center Morong, Quirino Memorial Medical Center and the frontliners of Pililia. Rizal and Abra. Lastly, relief efforts were also extended in Bulacan as an initiative of Mr. Jerry Pangilinan, Skin Magical CEO and husband of Ms. Ghie Pangilinan.

“Skin Magical truly cares about our people and our community and we should not forget the valuable contribution of our frontliners,” she said. “They are risking their lives to make sure that everyone is safe from this virus and we can do our share by just staying at home.”

Hit the Right Notes, Win Cash Prizes in Acaperra Online Singing Contest

Make the most of your time at home by embracing your musical side. Whether you’ve been training formally for years, been practicing only in the shower, or you’re a master at the karaoke bar, this contest is finally your time to shine. 

Anyone can join along to share their talents while potentially earning themselves cash prizes in Insight 360’s ACAPERRA, a brand new online contest for all the prospective musical artists stuck at home practicing social distancing. 

Presented by BRIA Homes and NutriAsia, ACAPERRA seeks to celebrate the power of raw undiscovered Filipino talent even in these extraordinary and trying times. Even now, the world famous natural Filipino musical ability can shine through.

“We are giving millions of talented Filipino singers a platform to be discovered and win cash prizes while on community quarantine,” said award-winning and critically acclaimed music and film producer Chris Cahilig. The innovative talent competition is the brainchild of this renowned OPM advocate.

“This is an advocacy I had from the very beginning. Our talented artists and our beautiful, unique music deserve to be heard by all Filipinos,” he added. 

Aside from his viral and award-winning films, Cahilig has produced multiple hit singles such as “Hayop Sa Ganda” by 1:43, “Pusong Lito” by Myrus, and “Sa Iba Na Lang” by BOU. He also produced 1:43’s hit album “Sa Isang Sulyap Mo” whose titular lead single won the 2013 Song of the Year in the PMPC Star Awards For Music as well as earning 1:43 the Most Promising Recording/ Performing Group award in the 2014 GMMSF Box-Office Entertainment Awards. 

Likewise, Cahilig has collaborated with iconic Filipino artists including Moira dela Torre, Gloc9, Jim Paredes, The Bloomfields, Princess Velasco, Pepe Smith, Tanya Markova, McCoy Fundales, Barbie Almalbis, Markii Stroem, True Faith, to name a few for “Tunog Natin” compilation albums which won two awards at the 52nd Anvil Awards.

Joining ACAPERRA is easy. Simply record a video of yourself (in landscape orientation) performing an acapella rendition of the chosen song of the week and email the video file to castings.insight360@gmail.com. Remember that natural singing talent is what’s being judged. No digital enhancements or alterations are allowed. The entries and announcement of winners will be posted on Insight 360’s official Youtube channel. 

Every week, one winner will be selected and awarded a P3,000 cash prize! Of the sixteen weekly winners, the field will then be narrowed down to eight lucky performers who will duke it out in the grand finals. In the end, only one contestant can become the Grand ACAPERRA Winner and take home the P25,000 cash grand prize as well as have the chance to become a recording artist!

The second week of the contest has already begun. The song of the week is “Huwag” by Yesh Burce. The deadline for entries in the first week is Sunday, May 24. 

Your dream of having a house of your own may not come true! Find out BRIA Homes can help you by visiting this link now: https://apps.bria.com.ph/r/8ui.

So get your pipes ready, it’s time to sing your heart out for cash prizes with the ACAPERRA! 

Make up skills every woman should master

Life in lockdown has given us plenty of opportunities to master new skills. If you’re eager to learn but don’t know where to start, why not take a page from Ever Bilena, the country’s leading cosmetics brand, and follow their makeup tips and techniques so you can come out looking young and fresh, post lockdown. 

Natural flush

While you can’t get that bronzed skin from an excursion to the beach this summer, you can still achieve a natural flush with the EB Blush Rush or the EB Matte Color Sticks. The EB Blush Rush has a watery-gel consistency with roll-on applicator while the EB Matte Color Stick is creamy matte in consistency, making both products easy to blend on your cheeks, eyes and lips. 

For a sun-kissed glow, strategically apply on points of the face where the sun hits most, such as the cheeks, nose and a little above the brows. Blend with your ring finger (remember to thoroughly wash your hands regularly/before applying makeup) to sink the product naturally into the skin. 

Upgrade the look by adding faux freckles using brown eyeliner. Before doing so, set your tint with powder then dot your nose and cheeks with the eyeliner. With your ring finger, tap over the top to blend and make it look more natural.  

Daytime to nighttime makeup with three basic shades

Eye makeup can be intimidating or overwhelming, especially for beginners. But the great thing about makeup is it allows you to have fun and experiment with different looks. A great product to start with is the basic shades of Ever Bilena’s Chocolate Palette. Apply medium shade brown all over the lid and lower lash line. With your pinkie, press into the lightest color in the palette and apply on to the inner corners to open up the eyes. Take your look from daytime to nighttime by patting on the darkest shade of brown on the outer crease of the eyes and then blend.

Ace these simple makeup techniques to make your everyday look flawless, even while at home, using these products available on Ever Bilena’s official page on Lazada (www.lazada.com.ph). Blush Rush and Color Matte Sticks are sold in bundles in all available shades. To know more makeup tips, visit Ever Bilena’s official Facebook page (@everbilenacosmetics) and Instagram (@everbilenaofficial).

PILMICO BREAD PROGRAM HELPS SMALL BAKERIES COPE WITH ECQ SLOWDOWN

Normelinda Chavez, who owns Norlyn’s Bakery in Tarlac, was worried that the years she spent working and saving to put up her small business would all be for naught when the Luzon-wide Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) was declared. The same concern weighed heavy on Marlon Catmon, owner of C&G Bakery in Iligan, when the number of customers buying his products disappeared seemingly overnight.

Although quarantine restrictions have affected retail operations across the MSME spectrum, it is the micro enterprises, such as the ones owned by Chavez and Catmon, that have borne the brunt of the income slowdown.

Experiences such as Normie’s and Marlon’s served as Pilmico’s driving force to initiate its bread donation initiative. Pilmico Food Corporation, an Aboitiz food unit, started donating bread with a dual purpose: provide bread for frontline workers, and help support micro bakery enterprises amid the ECQ. In nearly two months of operation, the initiative has produced and distributed over 520,000 pieces of bread to hospitals, police stations, and military checkpoints in various parts of the country.

In order to maintain supply and help distribute the bread efficiently, Pilmico partnered with community bakeries. These partner bakeries were paid either in flour or in cash, equivalent to the cost of bread produced and acquired. Big bakeries were mostly paid in flour, while small bakeries, like Norlyn’s and C&G, were paid in cash.

“Malaking tulong sa amin ang Pilmico. Bukod po sa nakatulong na ako sa frontliners, malaki rin ang naitulong nito sa pang-araw-araw na gastusin ng aking pamilya. [The partnership with Pilmico is a big help for us. Aside from being able to help the frontliners, it’s also a big help in covering our daily living expenses],” said Catmon.

According to Pilmico, the bakeries who were paid cash earned an additional PhP4,500 to PhP6,000 in daily sales, while those who were paid in flour earned an additional PhP11,500 to PhP20,000.

The extra earnings definitely were a boon to the smaller bakeries, especially to their employees.

“Dahil po patuloy na kailangan ang aming serbisyo sa paggawa ng tinapay, nagkaroon ng tuloy-tuloy na hanapbuhay ang aking mga empleyado, lalo na sa sitwasyon sa ating bansa na marami ang natigil ang hanapbuhay. [Because our bread production is continuously needed, my employees remain to have steady income. This is essential especially under the current situation where a lot of people have stopped working.] Thank you very much to Pilmico for continuously supporting our products,” Chavez said.

Pilmico also partnered with Gardenia, a leading bread brand in the Philippines, for the distribution of 10,000 loaves of bread in Taguig, Tarlac, and Cagayan de Oro.

“In times of crisis, when there are many things to worry about, it is important that the basic needs of people are provided for. Amidst the COVID-19 crisis, Pilmico has sought to address this need by bringing comfort through food. With the bread donation initiative, we continue to provide some measure of relief to the communities around us that are affected by the current situation,” said Tristan Aboitiz, Pilmico President and Chief Executive Officer.

Canva Philippines named as one of the Best Workplaces by Great Place to Work Philippines

Online design platform Canva was named among the Best Workplaces by Great Place to Work Philippines, the only startup to make it to the list. Placing on top three, Canva Philippines runs shortly after Synchrony Global Services Philippines, DHL Express. Others in the top five were Icon Hilton and Ingram Micro.

Great Place to Work ranks companies according to their high-performing culture, trust in their managers, and how employees take pride and joy in the work that they do. Guided by its values — be a force for good, empower others, pursue excellence, be a good human, make complex things simple, and set crazy big goals — Canva has put its employees’ wellbeing as a top priority to encourage them to deliver work that creates meaningful impact in the lives of their partners and communities.

Canva Philippines Country Manager Yani Hornilla Donato said, “This recognition gives us a sense of fulfillment that we are on the right track of providing a healthy and sustainable workplace.

In 2019, Canva announced its valuation of US$3.2 billion, making it one of the fastest growing startups in the world. Donato added, “At a time when startups continue to be on the rise, this only goes to show that we can provide a fulfilling workplace to our employees and that we are here to stay”

The onset of COVID-19 also motivated Canva Philippines to show that workplace culture goes far beyond the physical workplace. As a high-growth start-up, it leveraged its adaptable and agile teams to get the job done. In return, Canva remains committed to safeguard not only its employees’ livelihood but also their health and wellness.                                                            

Working from home means they have doubled down on communicating through video conferences and Slack channels. The clubs they have at work have been uploaded into virtual communities they can tune in to such as a make-up tutorial group, and deskcersise group. They have also retained the jobs of their in-house chef and baristas and have provided a channel where they show simple recipes with basic ingredients and brewing coffee from home. 

In addition to this, each employee has been provided with food and internet allowance; pocket wifi units were also given out to aid remote work. Those who were recently from overseas were also provided with hotel accommodation to delay physical contact with their families.

Prior to the quarantine, Canva Philippines was already proactive in going the extra mile for its Canvanauts by encouraging their passions with activities such as movement corner, chair yoga, and even table tennis. Canva’s latest recognition only goes to show that it pays for companies to invest in its people.

For more information on Canva, visit https://www.canva.com/.

Kevin Mayer named CEO of TikTok

ByteDance Ltd. announced today it has named Kevin Mayer Chief Operating Officer (COO) of ByteDance and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of TikTok, effective June 1. 

In his role as CEO of TikTok, Kevin will lead the rapidly growing platform as it continues to build its global community of creators, users, and brands. Kevin will report directly to ByteDance Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Yiming Zhang. 

Commenting on the hire, Yiming said, "Kevin's wealth of experience building successful global businesses makes him an outstanding fit for our mission of inspiring creativity for users globally. As one of the world's most accomplished entertainment executives, Kevin is incredibly well placed to take ByteDance's portfolio of products to the next level. I look forward to working very closely with Kevin on our global development and the next chapter of the ByteDance story."

Kevin joins the company following a long and successful career at Disney (NYSE: DIS), most recently as Chairman of Direct-to-Consumer & International. As a key part of his role there, he oversaw the development and successful rollout of Disney+, the company's flagship streaming service. Additionally, Kevin led the company's other direct-to-consumer businesses, including Hulu, ESPN+, and Hotstar, as well as overseeing Disney's international operations, global ad sales, and global content sales.

Kevin said, "I'm thrilled to have the opportunity to join the amazing team at ByteDance. Like everyone else, I've been impressed watching the company build something incredibly rare in TikTok – a creative, positive online global community – and I'm excited to help lead the next phase of ByteDance's journey as the company continues to expand its breadth of products across every region of the world. On a personal note, I'm thankful to the entire Disney team for the tremendous accomplishments we achieved together. I'm especially grateful to Bob Iger for his visionary leadership and mentorship over many years, and to Bob Chapek whom I greatly  admire. As I begin a new chapter, I'm humbled by the trust Yiming and the Board have placed in me as we move forward with a shared vision of how to scale ByteDance's growth." 

Alex Zhu, the current President of TikTok, will transition to ByteDance VP of Product & Strategy, where he will focus on his primary passion overseeing strategy and product design.

As part of its commitment to rooting its operations in the local markets it serves, TikTok's national and regional leaders will remain in their roles with their current responsibilities, reporting in to Kevin, who will be responsible for the global business