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LIST | Persons who can go out during mandatory COVID community quarantine

On Wednesday, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases revealed a complete list of persons exempted f...

Thursday, May 19, 2016

MUSIC | Shawn Mendes concert at SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena


Photo Courtesy: Facebook Page Shawn Mendes

Heads up everyone! As part of his 2016 World Tour, international artist Shawn Mendes will be performing here in the Philippines on October 26 at the SM Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena. This was confirmed by concert promoter Music Management International last March 18.

In 2015, 17-year-old singer-songwriter Mend debuted with his album “Handwritten” in 2015. It reached no. 1 on the Billboard 200 charts. The album included hit singles “Stitches,” “Something Big,” “Life of the Party,” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer.”

Shawn Mendes has been included in Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in 2016 and in Time magazine’s Most Influential Teens of 2014 and 2015. 

Tickets to Mendes’ MOA concert may be availed on the pre-sale today (March 19) until 10 PM. Log on to www.ShawnAccess.com to get the code. Log on to smtickets.com to purchase your tickets.

You may also buy Shawn Mendes' concert tickets on May 21 starting at 4 PM. For details, follow #MMILive (on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter); log on to SM Tickets, www.smtickets.com; or call 470-2222.

So, mark your calendars guys! Shawn's music is way better than what we hear today!

Friday, May 6, 2016

ALERT | Hacker group hacks, defaces PH websites

Hacker group Pinoy Hackers started making noise online as it defaced websites and sent a message to all voters. They aren't coming to sow chaos; instead, they are asking for something else.


The group called for all voters not to believe in black propaganda, to seek advice from people who know other candidates, and to vote those who deal with issues, not personalities. Lastly, the group sought for weariness and vigilance this coming election. 

The websites hacked include the following: 
  1. http://braulioedujali.gov.ph/
  2. http://drhtagum.gov.ph/
  3. http://spda.gov.ph/
  4. http://pinamungajan.gov.ph/up!oad/
  5. http://www.fliptoplines.com/
  6. http://www.tesda11.com/
  7. http://www.abccenterphilippines.com.ph/
  8. http://davaotourism.com/
  9. http://pylon.asia/
  10. http://careers.pylon.asia/
  11. http://digitalfilipinos.com
  12. http://www.skyrocket.ph/
  13. http://bikeridemaps.com/
  14. http://careers.skyrocket.ph/
  15. http://godivephilippines.org/
  16. http://geronimobdelosreyesjr.com/
  17. http://www.abv.ph/
  18. http://www.manillarose.com/
  19. http://www.bevtools.com
  20. http://blog.skyrocket.ph/

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

LOOK | How important is religion to Filipinos?

Holy Week in the Philippines has already begun. This period of significant religious observance starts from Palm Sunday (March 20) and ends on an Easter Sunday (March 27); this week is a bit earlier than previous years of the commemoration of Jesus Christ's last steps to crucifixion, central to the country's dominantly Roman Catholic and Protestant populace. For some, this week serves as a period to confess and repent for all sins committed; for others, it's a way to go to the beach and unwind with loved ones.

With all religious Filipino practices and rituals bore in mind, a question does beg for an answer. How important is religion in the lives of Filipinos? Is it still vital to Filipino survival? 

According to Pew Research Center data, 87% of Filipinos surveyed say religion is very important in their lives. This only means that religion is still central to Pinoy culture and tradition.

Image Source: Statista

Do the data then infer that 13 percent of Filipinos take religion as not important to them? Probably not, for it's possible that among the 13 percent who don't see religion as very crucial in their day-to-day living, some might have also considered religion as somewhat important or not too important. Hence, it doesn't necessarily say that more than 1 in 10 Filipinos are already atheists; this shouldn't be a big deal at all since everyone deserves to be respected regardless of their spiritual inclination. 

However, it should be noted that looking at the international arena, religion seemed to be more important to people in the developing world, with the world's biggest economies taking in much lower percentages, except for the United States.

Sunday, February 28, 2016

HEALTH | (VIDEO) How vitamins work

For sure, there was at least one point in your life where you asked what vitamins are for. Or simply put, how do vitamins work? Why do some people take multivitamins? What vitamins are important in our everyday lives?

Image ScreenCap: Youtube channel TED-Ed

Well, this animation brought to you by Youtube channel TED-Ed explains the answers to your questions. In this video, you will understand the ways in which vitamins work. Mas maiintindihan mo kung papaano gumagana ang mga vitamins sa katawan. Ano nga ba ang role ng mga vitamins na ito?

Just watch the cool science video below. And don't forget to share it with your friends too!




Video Courtesy: Youtube channel TED-Ed, Ginnie Trinh Nguyen

A Youtube commenter ZestyManifesto listed down some of the general roles of certain vitamins (A, B, C, D, E, and K). Here are what each vitamin is for.

Water Soluble (dissolves in water)
Vitamin B Complex - Convert food to Fuel 
Vitamin C - Healing Wounds and Forming Scar Tissue 

Lipid (Fat) Soluble (can pass through lipid membranes)
Vitamin A - Makes White Blood Cells for Defense 
Vitamin D - Gathers Calcium and Phosphorus for Bones 
Vitamin E - Antioxidant for Damaged Cells 
Vitamin K - Score ability to Clot Blood

Hope you learned something new today! Araw-araw, binibigyan tayo ng pagkakataon na matutunan ang mga bagay na hindi pa natin alam. For the love of learning!

Friday, February 26, 2016

MUSIC | 12 OPM love songs you might want to include in your playlist

The world we know today is rich in cultures that have continuously fused and brought about more individuality in us. People now have more In the Philippines, Original Pinoy Music or OPM as it is called has again found itself back in the airwaves after losing steam since the 2000s. Today, a lot of OPM pop songs have emerged --- thanks to events like Philippine POP Music Festival, Himig Handog P-Pop Love Songs and other competitions, singers and songwriters out there are able to come up with really good, upbeat songs.

Image ScreenCap: No Erase

Here is a list of 12 of the most feel-good OPM pop (PPop) songs that you should have in your playlist. The list also details the singer/s and the year the music video for each was released. All video credits go to the respective Youtube channels. Enjoy listening!


1. Triangulo by Thyro and Yumi (2015)



2.Kilometro by Sarah Geronimo (2014)



3.Dati by Sam Concepcion (2013)



4. Mahal Kita Pero by Janella Salvador (2014)



5. Gayuma by Abra (2012)



6. No Erase by James Reid and Nadine Lustre (2014)



7. Hanap-Hanap by James Reid and Nadine Lustre (2015)



8. Ikot-ikot by Sarah Geronimo (2013)



9. Tayo by Sarah Geronimo (2013)



10. Akin Ka Na Lang by Morisette Amon (2015)



11. Simpleng Tulad Mo by Daniel Padilla (2015)



12. Mahal na Mahal by Sam Concepcion (2013)

Friday, February 12, 2016

LIST | Five (5) crowdfunding websites every Filipino should check out

Are you an idea machine fully capable of transforming what's in your mind into actions that would benefit, not only yourself, but other groups of people too? Are you a passionate, goal-driver dreamer capable of creating viable solutions out of real-life Filipino problems? 

Image Source: CauseVox.co

Are you a successful person who'd like to give back to the people behind your triumph by supporting budding entrepreneurs from different fields? Is altruism imbibed in your character?

Then, this article is what you are looking for. In this post, we list down some of the sites which serve as venues for someone to pitch your ideas in, raise funds, and deliver what you have promised for the benefit of the people whose lives can be changed by your vision. Besides this, it also allows wealthy individuals to effectively use their money for certain causes and support startups and thriving businesses that will go big and change the world.

People commonly refer to this way of seeking for or giving support to projects, products or events as crowdfunding.

WHAT IS CROWDFUNDING?

Wikipedia defines crowdfunding as:
"the practice of funding a project or venture by raising monetary contributions from a large number of people, today often performed via internet-mediated registries, but the concept can also be executed through mail-order subscriptions, benefit events, and other methods."

For a financially wealth person, it means you, yourself, will give a specific amount of money toyou fund a project (event, product, idea), and usually, the project initiators give you something in return. For the project initiators or organizers, you are given an opportunity to present your possible solutions to the online public.

Of course, Filipinos have had their fair share of financing and/or support seeking through crowdfunding platforms. Here is a list of some crowdfunding websites where projects/events created and/or supported by fellow Pinoys and foreigners have become successful.


1. PhilAmTHropy (PATH) : Get funded!

Image Source: http://www.philamthropy.com/
Its founder Georgina Lee envisioned it to be similar to Kickstarter; however, PhilAmTHropy or PATH targets Filipino-oriented projects that have a huge potential. And so, these receive financial assistance from PATH. PATH also focuses on high quality and viability projects, helping the project owners with their marketing campaign.

PhilAmTHropy (PATH) is a crowd funding site for projects made for or made by Filipinos. We coined the name "PhilAmTHropy" by combining the word "philanthropy" (love of humanity) with "PhilAm," our abbreviation of "Philippine Ambassadors".

Image Source: Called to Rescue

One of the projects it supports is Called to Rescue which is a non-profit organization aiming to fight child sex trafficking, violence and abuse in the country. Check out the Philippine chapter here.


2. Artiste Connect : Get funded!

Artiste Connect is a crowdfunding platform for talented artists and creative individuals to help them finance the production of their projects.

Image Source: Artiste Connect


Artiste Connect is not just about project productions. It’s about bridging the gap between the artist and the fan, as well as the artist and the businessman. Our goal is to connect and support both the artist and the fan. Know more about Artiste Connect here.

One specific interesting Filipino group featured in Artiste Connect is Color It Red - Facebook.

Image Source: Color It Red, Artiste Connect

The Filipino pop-rock band that was formed in 1989 had gained funding through Artiste Connect was able to record its fifth studio album “Silver” for its 25th Anniversary. Support them by checking out this link.


3. Crowdo: Get funded! Invest!

Crowdo (formerly Crowdonomic) caters to entrepreneurs in Asia seeking funding and visibility. It is based in Singapore and targets start up businesses not just individual projects. Leo Shimada, founder, said that their ultimate goal was to help entrepreneurs by addressing a key pain point – the funding gap.

Image Source: Crowdo

Crowdo is Southeast Asia's biggest crowdfunding company with a mission to empower Innovators and Entrepreneurs in Asia. We are leading the way in Asia with a comprehensive portfolio of Finance 2.0 solutions and services. Know more about Crowdo here.

Image Source: Earth Hour, Tumblr

One particular Pinoy project on Crowdo worthy of your support is Bancas for the Philippines which was raised by the WWF through Earth Hour Blue campaigns on the crowdfunding site. The project was successful it was able to get 18 Filipino fishing boats back on the water. The recipients were those fishermen who lost their livelihood due to typhoon Haiyan (local name Yolanda).


4: Kickstarter

Kickstarter, a large global community built around creativity and creative projects, has served as an avenue for at least 10 million individuals to back projects that matter.


Image Source: Kickstarter.com

Kickstarter helps artists, musicians, filmmakers, designers, and other creators find the resources and support they need to make their ideas a reality. To date, tens of thousands of creative projects — big and small — have come to life with the support of the Kickstarter community.

Image ScreenCap: Kim Komenich video on Kickstarter.com

Pulitizer Prize awardee, photojournalist Kim Komenich has launched a Kickstarter campaign for a $25,000-goal that will allow for the release of his new book detailing the fall of the Marcos regime in the Philippines during the 1986 "People Power" EDSA revolution. The release is in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the revolution. As of posting date, the campaign has already received the $14,000. If you wish to support this, here is the link. Other projects are available too.


5. Indiegogo: Together Do Anything

Just like Kickstarter and other crowdfunding websites, Indiegogo gives entrepreneurs, makers, movers, and shakers the chance to dream big and affect lives without the pressure of having to capitalist investors' demands. It gives entrepreneurs the self-determination they need and empowers them to go for their passion. 

Image Source: Indiegogo.com

Because every inventive idea should have its shot, and every creative entrepreneur should have their moment. When there’s more freedom in the funding of ideas, there’s simply more freedom, period.

Image Source: IQube on Indiegogo

Who says learning about electronics at a young age can't be simple and fun? A Makati-based four-man team created the IQube which teaches kids the basics of electronics by letting them connect cubes together, each of which makes a significant part of the electric circuit. This, thereby, allows kids to explore and understand part by part the circuit. Check out other Indiegogo campaigns here.

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

HEALTH | Table of PhilHealth Premium Contributions 2016

Almost every person in the world who mostly pays for hospitalization bills from out of his/her pocket knows that health should be a priority in life. 

Image Courtesy: www.studentlendingworks.org

Illnesses and accidents are not picky. These can happen to anyone. And the damages, not only to the state of the person but also to the financial status and the well-being of the whole family, should be minimized. Hence, some governments look for ways to help the people it governs manage their health and wellness.

Especially for a country like the Philippines, the home of one of the most hygienic people in the world, people hate getting into accidents, being afflicted with diseases, or losing someone to year-long battles. It's just too costly --- physically and mentally. Although unwanted circumstances like accidents and deaths bring Filipino families together, these are just not the way Pinoys would want to be reunited with their loved ones.

The Philippine government has steadily sustained its health programs that aim to cover everyone and not just the poor. The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, PhilHealth, is a tax-exempt government-owned and and government-controlled corporation (GOCC) which was tasked to provide a national health insurance program for all. The presence of PhilHealth clearly defines the notion that the healthy is capable of paying for the sick and the wealthy, the fortunate can subsidize those who can't, as well as all contributors are assured a healthcare safety net.

The PhilHealth categorizes contributors into different groups, namely formal (employed), indigent , retiree, non-formal, and OFW. Except for outpatient primary care which only applies to indigents and OFWs, all beneficiaries can avail of the following services at lower (subsidized) fees: catastrophic coverage, inpatient care, catastrophic coverage, ambulatory surgeries, outpatient treatment for malaria and tuberculosis, and maternal deliveries. Please visit the PhilHealth website for a complete list  of the healthcare benefits.

This 2016, PhilHealth released its table of premium contributions (seen below) which serves as the basis of all PhilHealth contributions of the employed, self-employed, OFWs, sponsored, and individual paying members. 

Image ScreenCap: PhilHealth

For those who are employed, 50% of the contribution, which depend on their salary bracket, will come from their employer. There are 28 salary brackets (ranging from a monthly salary of 8,999.99 Php or lower, to a highly 35,000 Php) in the PhilHealth contribution table, each with a different premium to be paid.

Based on the table of monthly premiums, "Kasambahay" or household helps who receive a monthly salary of less than 5,000 Php will have their contributions fully shouldered by their employer.

For all land-based Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), they have the choice to pay their premium either annually (2,400 Php) or semi-annually (1,200 Php). 

For all self-employed and individually paying members who have monthly income of  P25,000 and below, they will pay an annual premium of 2,400 Php. Meanwhile, those who earn more than P25,000 monthly will have to pay 3,600 Php per year. Payments can also be done semi-annually or quarterly.

Those under the Sponsored Program category, their annual premium of 2,400 Php will be partially or fully subsidized by their respective sponsors (could be an LGU, private entity, legislator or a national government agency).