Art Fair Philippines kicked off the 10 Days of Art with a dedicated film section to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Philippine cinema this year. Curating the showcase were film critic Philbert Dy, award-winning writer and editor Erwin Romulo, and film archivist and historian Teddy Co.
Together with Samsung Philippines and other partners, the ArtFairPH/Film section opened at the Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati City with “The Unconfined Cinema: An Outdoor Cinema Experience” where attendees were invited to a different kind of film viewing.
The venue was decorated with carpets and pillows, allowing guests to lay down and enjoy blockbuster movie “One More Chance” which was projected on the ceiling of the dome. Guests also had the option to stream the audio directly to their smartphones via CiNet.com app.
Fans were also treated to a live script reading of “That Thing Called Tadhana” with director Antoinette Jadaone and lead stars of “One More Chance”, with the help of a Samsung 82-inch Premium UHD 4K TV.
[Phil Dy, Erwin Romulo, Samsung UHD 4K TV, Teddy Co] Art Fair Philippines and Samsung Philippines opened the 10 Days of Art with “The Unconfined Cinema: An Outdoor Cinema Experience” at the Ayala Triangle Gardens in Makati. Photo shows (from left) film critic Philbert Dy, award-winning writer and editor Erwin Romulo, film archivist and historian Teddy Co.
The Unconfined Cinema experience continues on February 15, 6PM with a run of QCinema 2019 Shorts, “Sunday Beauty Queen”, and “Never Not Love You”. The Samsung 82-inch UHD 4K TVs offer real 4K picture quality, and smart access to online content streaming services and apps to enjoy the best of one’s home viewing experience.
To set the foundations of the country’s health emergency response and prevention system, UN Global Champion for DRR and Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda filed the country’s first ever comprehensive health emergency mechanisms and policy framework, as House Bill No. 6096.
Apart from institutional and policy reforms necessary to expand the country’s health emergency response mechanisms, the bill also creates a Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which will prepare the country’s mitigation of and response to communicable diseases.
Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda
“My bill essentially lifts our communicable disease control and prevention units out of the depths of the DOH bureaucracy and into the more visible levels of decision-making and policymaking,” Salceda said. “Inahon ko yung communicable disease control kasi sa ngayon, nakabaon sa ilalim ng maraming agency, kaya hindi makagalaw ng maayos.”
“The hazards kasi will always be there – but they are rising and are more complex. We have always had to contend with microscopic enemies. But the risks have geometrically multiplied by our exposure: tropical climate, leading tourist destination (with 8.4 million in 2019), leading source of overseas labor (12 million OFWs in 2019), growing status as work destination for foreign workers (including 280,000 POGO workers).” Salceda explained.
“In a globalized world, borders are becoming more and more porous. But our mechanisms are still calibrated as if borders are only relevant as far as preventing trafficking of humans and goods are concerned. Hindi na sapat yan. Legal entry can no longer be automatically taken as safe for public health,” Salceda said.
Salceda’s bill creates the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as a separate agency under the supervision of the DOH and will be led by Executive Director with Undersecretary rank, but with broader policymaking, implementation, surveillance, disease control and prevention powers over communicable or infectious diseases. Such diseases are rapid-onset in nature, meaning the risks compound exponentially over time without early and decisive intervention.
The CDC would ensure that intervention is made at the earliest opportunity, having been lifted out of the depths of the bureaucracy.
The bill also creates a National Health Emergency Response Unit (NHERU) under the DEMB, which shall act as the frontline force in ground and surveillance operations of the CDC. This shall be a well-trained unit of first-responders.
“Kung naalala niyo yung mga naka-white protective gear during the Ebola crisis, that will be the function of NHERU. Parang special forces natin for disease control and prevention,” Salceda said.
Apart from these, the bill also provides for mechanisms for the declaration of the state of a public health emergency, a coordinating council for the same, and broader quarantine powers for the CDC.
The bill also makes quarantine misdeclarations perjurious, as it requires these declarations to be made under oath.
SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET FOR DPBC
“Naturally, the bill is very broad in scope. But the basic idea is: the current approach, the way we organize ourselves to confront outbreaks will no longer suffice, will not make us safer, will not convince our people to trust public institutions. But first things first, Congress should pass a supplemental budget to increase the budget of DPCB to P800 million, especially since it has been reduced from P263 million in 2019 to P115 million,” he added.
Salceda’s CDC bill is part of his office’s National Resilience Agenda, which includes the creation of the Department of Disaster Resilience and the Taal Commission and TERRA Fund. The bill also follows Salceda’s “Bill, Bill, Bill” agenda of comprehensive government reform, a commitment he made in an Aide Memoire to Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano and Majority Leader Martin Romualdez last January 26, 2020.
RATIONALE OF THE CDC ACT 2020
1. The Philippines, with its tropical location, its large population, high rates of urbanization, a highly mobile and transborder population (with an estimated 10.4 million Filipinos overseas in 2019 and 3.4 million stock of OFW at any time), as a top tourist destination (with an estimated 8.4 million tourists in 2019), with 6,272,092 nationals going abroad in 2018 (2.3 million OFWs, 2.979 million as tourists, 980,772 for other reasons) for and increased numbers of foreign workers (with about 280,000 from Philippine Offshore Gaming Operations alone) is especially prone to the increasingly globalized risks of communicable diseases. Many such diseases, including those we have eradicated already in the past, are emerging and reemerging, threatening the health and safety of the public.
2. Aside from porous borders, our lack of institutional capacity to implement comprehensive public health management programs, as well as the present orientation of border law enforcement towards smuggling of excisable products and the prevention of human trafficking and smuggling, but not towards public health protection, stymies the country’s ability to decisively address the risks of communicable disease.
3. Presence of hazards, our increased exposure to such hazards, and the lack of existing mechanisms and capacity to address them emphasize the national imperative for a framework for effective intervention.
4. Quick and decisive intervention will not come from the depths of the bureaucracy. There is a need for a high-level public institution imbued with the capacity, the competencies, the ecosystem, and the authority to confront these risks decisively and thus protect the public welfare and enable development to proceed amidst these rising risks
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE CDC PROPOSAL (HB 6096)
1. Creation of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, as a separate agency under the control and supervision of the DOH, but with broader policymaking, implementation, surveillance, disease control and prevention powers including direct response over communicable or infectious diseases. Such diseases are rapid-onset in nature, meaning the risks compound exponentially over time without early and decisive intervention. The CDC would ensure that interventions are made at the earliest opportunity, having been lifted out of the depths of the bureaucracy.
2. The strategic focus of the new agency is RAPID and SUDDEN ONSET HEALTH HAZARDS AND EMERGING DISEASES, principally communicable diseases.
3. Separation of the Disease Control and Prevention Bureau of the DOH, with the CDC absorbing communicable disease units in a newly established Communicable Disease Prevention Bureau. This would solidify the delineation between communicable and non-communicable disease prevention and control in the least organizationally-disruptive manner possible.
4. Absorption of the Epidemiology Bureau and the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine into the CDC. This would strengthen the CDC’s disease control and prevention capacity.
5. Creation of the Disease Emergency Management Bureau (DEMB) to calibrate the CDC’s response to health emergencies.
6. Granting of broader quarantine powers to the Secretary of Health and the CDC
7. Creation of the Health Emergency Coordination Council, which shall coordinate national government response to health emergencies, and which shall declare the existence of a state of health emergency;
8. CDC thru the council may authorize the DOH and other responding agencies to a health emergencies to access the NDRRMF or authorize specific LGUs use calamity funds during a state of health emergency;
Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda
9. Broad health emergency powers to the HECC and the CDC including a redefinition of the relationship between the CDC and the Bureau of Quarantine during health emergencies;
A comprehensive health emergency management framework, including provisions for vaccination and treatment, isolation and quarantine, and disease surveillance;
10. The creation of a National Health Emergency Response Unit (NHERU) under the DEMB, which shall act as the frontline force in ground and surveillance operations of the CDC; This shall be a well-trained unit of first-responders.
11. A comprehensive framework for tracking public health emergencies;
12. A mandate for the Secretary of Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of Health to recommend beneficial agreements on exchange of health information with international organizations and with other countries.
In my opinion, the creation of PH’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention is necessary because good health is part of a successful healthy living of person’s every daily activities. However, this bill will succeed if there’s a proper campaign, communication and education to the community that will starts from the members of the family, community in the barangay, schools and local government unit.
Thank you so much to Mr. Richard Mamuyac and Ms. Divine Reyes who organized the meet-up with Cong. Salceda and members Filipino Bloggers Network that was held last February 13, 2020 at Shakey’s Tiendesitas, Pasig City.
Medicard, a leading health and maintenance organization in the country, enjoins the public to live a healthier and active lifestyle through the Medicard Supremo Obstacle Challenge. This first and one-of-a kind activity will gather both beginners and fitness enthusiasts who want to start their way to a healthier and fitter lifestyle.
The Medicard Supremo Obstacle Challenge will kick-off with a conditioning program for the first two weeks beginning March 16 and end on May 31 at the Glorietta Activity Center. The activity is open to all individuals who want to start living a healthier and fitter lifestyle by conquering a series of obstacle course challenges.
Before participants can join the culminating event, they must first pass a two-week conditioning program from March 16 to 27 at Centris in Quezon City, from April 20 to May 1 at Filinvest in Alabang, and from May 5 to May 15 at Ayala Triangle in Makati. The conditioning program will run every Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 6pm to 8pm. Participants who complete the two-week conditioning program will qualify for the Supremo Obstacle Challenge culminating event on May 31.
The top three male and top three female participants from both the beginners and advanced categories will compete in the culminating event. Only 36 participants will be selected for this.
“We are excited to launch the first ever Medicard Supremo Obstacle Challenge. This is part of our advocacy to enjoin Filipinos to live a healthier and fitter lifestyle,” said Dr. Nicky Montoya, MediCard President. “This activity brings together as well, coaches from Affiliate Alliance. Their expertise will ensure that those who participate will push themselves to be the best that they could physically be.”
Unlike other aerobic and exercise activities, Supremo Obstacle Challenge combines several workout routines that are meant to test the agility, flexibility, balance, cardiology, dexterity, endurance of each participant through a combination of cardio, running and rope exercises, Crossfit workouts through the use of dumbbells, and short but high intensity exercises.
Moreover, professional coaches closely monitor and supervise the progress of the participants and make an evaluation of their readiness before they are profiles either as a beginner or an advanced athlete. The coaches also develop workout programs that are suited to the participants of both categories.
The Affiliate Alliance is a network of CrossFit-affiliated boxes all over the country. It was established just last 2015 with the goal of promoting CrossFit as well as promoting overall fitness. Coach Jason Monteverde is the head coach of Affiliate Alliance.
Aside from Coach Monteverde, the group counts in its ranks several of the country’s recognized fitness experts such as Andrea Arcega, former head coach of Spartan Race Philippines, Mark Lamson, one of the elite athletes in the country, Cilyn Abella, a four-year coach at the Complete Fitness in Ortigas and Asian Development Bank’s corporate coach, Nolan Collado, a physical therapist, CrossFit coach and former trainer at Planet Infinity Gym, Raymond Manual, another CrossFit trainer with a background in calisthenics and gymnastics, and Vlad Salum, also a CrossFit trainer and weightlifter.
“We would like to enjoin the public start living a healthier, more active and fitter lifestyle by signing up for the MediCard Supremo Obstacle Challenge. We owe it to ourselves and our loved ones.” Montoya added.
Medicard is the first health and maintenance organization founded and managed by doctors. Over the years, it has provided the most comprehensive and innovative health care programs and fitness activities that help people achieve a healthier life.
Do you consider to buy an affordable, healthier and safety poultry products?
Bounty Agro Ventures Inc. (BAVI), one of the country’s leading manufacturers and distributors of dressed chicken, continues to provide Filipinos with high-quality, affordable, and safe poultry products.
BAVI is the only poultry integrator in the country to produce “no antibiotics ever” (NAE) chickens which are naturally healthy and safer to eat. This is done by eliminating the use of any antibiotics throughout the entire poultry production process.
“Growing healthy chickens without antibiotics will help us fight antimicrobial resistance, which can be fatal to humans,” said Dr. Erasmus Paderes, BAVI SVP for Animal Health and Feed Mill Operations.
The World Health Organization defines antimicrobial resistance as “the ability of a microorganism (like bacteria, viruses, and some parasites) to stop an antimicrobial (such as antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials) from working against it. As a result, standard treatments become ineffective, infections persist and may spread to others.”
Prior to implementing its NAE system, BAVI has already reduced its antibiotics use by 48% or 43 mg/kg in 2017, and further slashed it to 29 mg/kg in 2018. Aside from manufacturing and distributing Bounty Fresh dressed chickens, BAVI also operates the Chooks-to-Go roasted chicken brand nationwide.
BAVI’s antibiotics-free chickens ensure Filipinos of healthier, safer poultry products.
Are you interested to join the Shopee Valentine’s Day Sale for a chance to win prizes, deals and discounts?
This season, from February 13 to 15, Shopee Valentine’s Day Sale will feature free shipping with ₱0 minimum spend and ₱9 deals.
Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, celebrates the season of love with Shopee Valentine’s Day Sale from February 13 to 15. Take this opportunity to shower loved ones with gifts with discounts up to 90%, such as the Apple Airpods 2, GoPro Hero 8, and Xiaomi Redmi Note 8. Shopee offers a sweeter deal for one special couple to win a staycation at Holiday Inn & Suites Makati through Shopee’s Feb-Ibig Forecast.
Win a Staycation for Two with Shopee’s Feb-Ibig Forecast
Shopee brings back the Feb-Ibig Forecast by popular
demand in time for Valentine’s Day. From February 13 to 14, users can check
their love prediction twice a day on the Shopee app. With every prediction,
users are one step closer to winning an overnight stay with breakfast buffet
for two at Holiday Inn & Suite Makati.
Shopee Valentine’s Day Sale offers discounts up to 90% off
From February 13 to 15, Shopee Valentine’s Day Sale will offer a full day of exciting promotions including:
All-day sitewide free shipping with ₱0 minimum spend
Discounts Up to 90% off: Get up to 90% off deals at the finale of Shopee Valentine’s Day Sale, such as the Apple Airpods 2, GoPro Hero 8, and Xiaomi Redmi Note 8.
₱9 deals: Stand a chance to score face masks, charging cables, socks, and other affordable items for only ₱9.
Exclusive Shopee Live: Stay tuned as Raffy Tulfo becomes Shopee’s very own Love Doctor for one day, and give love advice to users.
Shopee Hourly Prizes: Check back every hour for a chance to win Shopee Coins from a coin pool of 50,000.
The Philippine banking company, BDO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) was successfully raised Forty-Billion One Hundred Million pesos (P40.1 billion) of fixed rate bonds, or eight (8) times the original offer of Five Billion pesos (P5.0 billion) on strong demand from retail and institutional investors. The one-week offer period ended last January 24, 2020, with issue date set on February 3, 2020.
The bonds have a tenor of 2.5 years with a yield of 4.408 per cent per annum. Interest will be paid quarterly, calculated on a 30/360 count basis.
In fact, the bond issuance was part of BDO’s continuing efforts to diversify its funding sources and support its lending activities, and follows the P35 billion fixed rate of bonds issued in February last year.
The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (“HSBC”) was the Sole Lead Arranger for the issue, while BDO Unibank, Inc., BDO Private Bank, Inc., and HSBC were the Selling Agents.
To give you an idea about a fixed rate bond with regards to finance matters, is a type of debt instrument bond with a fixed coupon (interest) rate. It is a long term debt paper that carries a predetermined interest rate. In addition with, the interest rate is known as coupon rate and interest is payable at specified dates before bond maturity.
About BDO
BDO is a full-service universal bank which provides a wide range of corporate and retail banking services. These services include traditional loan and deposit products, as well as treasury, trust and investments, investment banking, private banking, rural banking, cash management, leasing and finance, remittance, insurance, retail cash cards, credit card services and stock brokerage services.
BDO has one of the largest distribution networks, with more than 1,400 operating branches and over 4,400 ATMs nationwide. It also has full-service branches in Hong Kong and Singapore as well as 20 overseas remittance and representative offices in Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East.
BDO ranked as the largest bank in terms of total assets, loans, deposits and trust funds under management based on published statements of condition as of September 30, 2019. For more information, please visit www.bdo.com.ph.
Valentine’s Day has always been about spending that singular day once a year with your special someone—going out on an unforgettable date, buying each other gifts, or spending intimate moments together.
While these traditional ways of celebrating will always be there, no doubt one of the best ways to express your love is to really make your partner feel safe and protected—more so by using proper protection such as condoms.
Together with preventing unwanted pregnancies with a 98% effectivity rate, condoms, when properly used during sexual intercourse, has been proven to be one of the best ways to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) such as HIV or Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
Figures from the Commission on Population (POPCOM) shows how more adolescents engage in premarital sex, with 500 teenage girls giving birth every day. Similarly, HIV cases are on the rise in the country, with UNAIDS reporting that the number of new infections in the Philippines has more than doubled, something not to be taken lightly.
With all of these, having a condom at the ready simply shows your partner how much you really care this Valentine’s Day, which incidentally is also National Condom Day. It’s a reflection of how you both have your health and wellness in mind, and is as well a sign of deep respect and, ultimately, love and affection. And buying condoms need not to be an embarrassing experience anymore.
Thankfully, brands such as Durex make condoms accessible sans the awkwardness associated with purchasing them. Aside from making them available in retail outlets such as pharmacies, groceries and convenience stores, Durex condoms can now also be bought through online through sites like Lazada, with the available option of ‘privacy guaranteed packaging’ wherein condoms can be packed in ‘discreet books’ that really do look like an honest-to-goodness book on the outside.
So this Valentine’s season, express your love in the most meaningful of ways, show how much your partner means to you, and always come protected.
REFERENCE:
John Paulo Ondra Caparros
Public Relations Department
Strategic works, Inc.
+63.893.7472 | +639. 17.158.7918
john.caparros@stratworks.ph
2nd Floor Zaragoza Building, 102 Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City PH
Why settle for meals that don’t satisfy, no matter how affordable they are?
Or as Coco Martin asks in his latest Mang Inasal TV ad: “Sinong matutuwa sa laman-tiyan lang?”
The leading branded grilled chicken communicates anew its value-for-money proposition through an entertaining 15-second TV commercial featuring Mang Inasal’s long-time celebrity endorser.
For only P99, one can already have a satisfying meal of Mang Inasal Chicken Inasal that combines delicious thigh and juicy leg parts. It’s like having two orders of chicken served in one flavourful meal, making Coco Martin blurt out at the end of the TVC, that the Mang Inasal Chicken Inasal is truly, “Busog sa Ihaw Sarap!”
Busog sa Ihaw Sarap puts together Mang Inasal Chicken Inasal’s positioning of bigness (2-in-1 sa Laki) and craveability (Nuot sa Ihaw Sarap) given the product’s delectable taste that seeps through the chicken fibers.
For about a decade now, customers flock to Mang Inasal’s to grab a bite of its Chicken Inasal, making the enterprise one of Jollibee Foods Corporation’s fast-growing business units.
REFERENCE:
John Paulo Ondra Caparros
Public Relations Department
Strategic works, Inc.
+63.893.7472 | +639. 17.158.7918
john.caparros@stratworks.ph
2nd Floor Zaragoza Building, 102 Gamboa Street, Legaspi Village, Makati City PH
