Monthly Archives

May 2020

Entertainment

Rico Blanco four years after with inspiring new anthem “This Too Shall Pass”

Rico Blanco

This Too Shall Pass is Rico Blanco’s first solo single in four years hiatus in making songs of his own, as well as his first under Sony Music Philippines.The song was written from a place of discomfort and fear, witnessing how the much louder tremor of pandemic anxiety instantly changed our lives and left us with little time to mourn and move forward. This Too Shall Pass succeeds in repurposing music’s mission: Outside of its function as an entertainment fodder and a way to escape, it carries the resilience of the human spirit. In darkness, it shines brighter.

With frontliners risking their lives with little protection, people going hungry, and the social order crumbling to pieces, Rico felt powerless by the situation. Hence, he had to forego his difficulties of living alone and coping with his own emotional troubles, as there was work to be done. He shares, “My efforts are little in light of a pandemic like this. As big as my imagination is for this song, I also feel that it’s not enough. But it’s what I can do and contribute as a musician. Some songs are anchored on truth, but they are wrapped and adorned in a lot of romanticized thoughts. This song is real, inwards and also outwards; it’s something that I really want to tell every single person. I wasn’t able to give a message to the frontliners, and I feel very guilty about this. I needed to finish this, and I want them to hear this. I know each one of us is going through something. I wrote this song as my way to reach out.”

THIS TOO SHALL PASS [COVER ARTWORK]

With sonic elements that span continents and a carefully honed production which he supervised himself, Rico’s latest single defies convention with a global sounding opus that incorporates musical dispatches and personal anecdotes. From samples of his nieces laughing culled from a family chat group to his attempt to blur the cultural lines by incorporating European techno, hip-hop beats, Asian riffs, Afro chanting, and Pinoy fiesta in a seamless, genre-bending extravaganza, This Too Shall Pass is ambitious in scope and sound design, but its heart is for the people who need light and love.

As Sony Music’s GM Philippines and VP Business Development Asia, Ms. Roslyn Pineda sums it up: “Music is important – we all know this.  But never more so than when we are faced with uncertainty, because it is then that the power of music becomes unquantifiable, almost limitless.  Music can make you feel you’re not alone. Music can save you from despair.  And so it is with a song like This Too Shall Pass.  It is so relevant to the times that it becomes a declaration, a prayer, a mantra — all rolled into one.”

Rico Blanco’s “This Too Shall Pass” is now available on all digital platforms worldwide. Watch out for the music video to be released soon.

 

May 1, 2020 by
Lifestyle, News

Metro Manila Billboards Featuring Frontliners as Superhero

Commander Doctor as seen along C5 Bagong Ilog

Havas Ortega, leading media and creative agency in the Philippines transformed digital billboards all over Metro Manila during this pandemic crisis into empowering messages of strength for Superhero Filipino frontliners. The agency’s “Frontline Heroes” is a tribute to the Filipinos who brave the dangers of the outside world so the rest of the country can survive inside their homes. Also they urges the public to join the campaign by using #TuloyAngLaban online and tagging frontliners in their personal messages of encouragement and gratitude. Through this, Frontline Heroes can reach frontliners all over the country.

Jos Ortega, CEO of Havas Ortega explained, “Every day our frontliners answer the call of duty, risking their health to take on extraordinary burdens brought about by these extraordinary times. But with the rest of the country in quarantine, they may feel left behind and alone outside. Frontline Heroes is our way of directly expressing our message of strength to the frontliners, cheering them on as they go to work and lifting their spirits as they go home. Hopefully, the empty roads become less a reminder of isolation, more a source of energy and inspiration.”

Characters from Frontline Heroes are now being displayed along Metro Manila’s main thoroughfares, raising the morale of our already tired and weary COVID-19 fighters in Alabang, Makati, Mandaluyong, Marikina, Pasig, and Quezon City as follows:

1) Commander Doctor (doctors

2) Power Packners (cashier and supermarket baggers)

3) Kidlat Rider (delivery drivers)

4) Incredible Guard (security guards)

5) Super Nurse (nurses)

6) Truth Twins (journalists and cameramen)

“With the physical, emotional, and mental strength required to do what they do, our frontliners are not just heroes, they are superheroes. But they need our help to keep them going! #TuloyAngLaban is the reaffirmation of support needed to renew our Frontline Heroes’ strength as they continue to fight a long and tiring battle against the pandemic,” emphasized Griffey de Guzman, Associate Creative Director of Havas Creatives.

The other Frontline Heroes included:

  1. Johnny Tor (janitors)
  2. Pharma Sis (pharmacists)
  3. Kalye Ranger (uniformed personnel)
  4. Kusina Titan (restaurant workers)
  5. COVID Hunter (lab technicians)
  6. Virus Blasters (disinfect crew), Pera Sentinel (bank clerks)
  7. Boom Bero(firefighters)
  8. Metro Manong (garbage collectors)

This campaign was developed by Havas Ortega in partnership with billboard companies HDI Admix, Inc., United Neon Advertising, Inc., Summit Outdoor Media, Luneta Advertising, Inc., Full Linkage (FULITECH) Philippines, Inc., the Out Of Home Advertising Association Of the Philippines (OHAAP) and the Outdoor Media Advocacy Group (OMAG).

Follow the Frontline Heroes story on Havas Ortega’s Facebook Page. Join the campaign by using #TuloyAngLaban and #FrontlineHeroesPH on social media.

 

 

May 1, 2020 by
Food, Health and Wellness

Online Workouts brought to you by Mega Tuna!

Who wants to get fit and keep active during this pandemic? Since we stuck at home and we have a very limited activity that we used to do. But it’s very important to keep healthy and boost our fitness goals in fighting the ongoing virus.

Fortunately, Mega Tuna started the year with the relaunch of its variants with a new look and even richer flavors, and they believe that even this pandemic shouldn’t stop anyone from achieving this fitness goals – even if it means doing it at home.

To keep their promise of encouraging a healthy lifestyle, Mega Tuna will be launching #MegaMoveTunaMax, a series of Facebook Live events where different fitness classes, which will be conducted to watch consumers and health buffs have physical activity in spite of being in quarantine.

The fitness sessions will run for all Mondays of May via their Facebook page. See schedule below:

Week 1: HIIT

Week 2: Pop Dance (tentative)

Week 3: Total Body Workout

Week 4: Hip Hop Dance (tentative)

On top of this, 20 participants will also get a chance to win Mega Tuna gift packs. All they need to do is comment their favorite Fitness Routine during the live and we’ll pick the winners at the end of the session.

 

 

 

 

 

May 1, 2020 by