The cast of the upcoming film Nelia impressed the Korean community with their performance last night, November 19, at a gathering in Manila-Korea Town, at Remedios Circle, Malate, Manila. It was attended by various leaders of the Korean community in Manila, including Consul General Kyu Hu Lee of the Korean Embassy, Chairman Jae Jung Jang of the Manila-Korea Town Association, Chairman Jae Heung Byun of the United Korean Community in the Philippines, and several member of the Korean Culture Center, Korean Sports Association in the Philippines, and Peaceful Unification Advisory Council - South East Asia to inaugurate the opening of the Manila K -Town Cha Cha Cha Fest.

The three of the main cast of Nelia-- Ali Forbes, Shido Roxas, and Juan Carlos Galano -- impressed the crowd with their song numbers and entertained guests. The Korean community also welcomed the presence of veteran actor Raymond Bagatsing, who once wowed the Korean audience with his performance in a Filipino film that participated in the prestigious Busan International Film Festival in Korea in 2012.

According to the Korean community, Nelia has a huge potential to have a Korean adaptation because of its unique theme. Nelia is said to be a "daring suspense thriller," which can be compared to Korean movies such as "The Housemaid" and "Parasite," which is the first Korean film to win Best Picture at the Oscars. In fact, several Korean film production companies are currently talking to Nelia producer Atty. Aldwin Alegre of A and Q Production Films Inc. to make a Korean adaptation or remake of the film.

“We're really very happy because even though our film hasn't been released yet, the reception that people have been giving to our film is very good, especially in the Korean community. We look up to a lot of Korean films, and for them to acknowledge Nelia to be at par with them is a great honor for us. This is the only suspense thriller genre that entered the MMFF this year, so we are also excited to offer the Filipino viewers something different from the usual fare this coming Christmas," said Atty. Alegre.

He also confirmed that they are already in talks with some film production companies in Korea for a possible Korean remake or adaptation of Nelia. “Yes, two production companies from Korea have already approached our team to remake Nelia. A production company from Los Angeles, California also contacted us just the other day, and they are interested in Nelia for a possible distribution in the US," he said.

Nelia stars Winwyn Marquez as the titular Nurse Nelia. The film is one of the eight official entries of the Metro Manila Film Festival that will be screened in select theaters throughout the Philippines this coming December 25.

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, closes the year with its annual 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, the most joyful year-end celebration in the region. 12.12 is set to bring a smile to users as they shop from the widest variety of products to reward themselves and their loved ones during the happiest time of the year. Through the 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, shoppers can also spread the holiday cheer to their favorite local businesses, with 2 times more items sold by local businesses this year.

Users can look forward to a delightful celebration throughout the festive season. In the past year, Shopee has brought fun to users with exciting giveaways and exclusive content, recording over 13 billion engagements and views across its social media channels. This 12.12, users can expect even more entertainment and engagement with a brand-new commercial featuring international superstar Jackie Chan and performances by popular K-Pop group Tomorrow X Together. To get into the Pinoy family spirit of the holidays, Shopee also welcomes first-ever celebrity father-and-daughter brand ambassadors, Dingdong and Zia Dantes.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said, “Every 12.12, Shopee comes together with our users to celebrate the milestones and achievements over the past year. This year, we would like to show our appreciation to all our users for letting us be part of their daily lives. Many more users are now using digital services, and local businesses are increasingly embracing the shift online. We are glad to have been able to adapt to their evolving needs this past year and we will continue to help more people benefit from the digital economy as we head into a new year. We look forward to celebrating the year-end with all our users as we bring smiles to one another this holiday season.”

1. Celebrating the happiest time of the year with the best deals

As shoppers hunt for the best gifts, Shopee is thrilled to bring users the most exciting deals this 12.12. These include:

The best promotions: Shoppers can enjoy the best deals for all their gifting needs with deals such as free shipping with no minimum spend, ₱1 Deals, and 10% off daily.

Big discounts: They can also get discounts up to 90% off on the biggest Shopee Mall brands:

2. Celebrating the holidays with entertainment for the whole family

Users can also expect non-stop entertainment from today until the big finale on December 12. Highlights include:

Fun-filled 12.12 TV Special: Filipinos can tune in to GMA 7 and Shopee Live this December 12, 10:30pm, to catch Tomorrow X Together, Korea’s hottest rising boy group, grace the stage with a very special performance. Celebrities such as Michael V, Ysabel Ortega, Kate Valdez, Rayver Cruz, Julie Ann Jose, and Andrea Torres will also join host Willie Revillame for a fun and star-studded evening.

Entertaining content from Shopee’s newest brand ambassadors: Fans can catch Dingdong and Zia’s festive new TV commercial, which features the beloved Pinoy Christmas tradition bunutan ng pera, on local TV networks and on Shopee’s official Facebook and YouTube accounts. Users can also check out Shopee’s YouTube and Tiktok accounts for heartwarming videos featuring Dingdong and Zia, wherein they recreate social media challenges, go shopping on Shopee, and more.

Exciting games and contests: Users can win voucher giveaways by joining Dingdong- and Zia-themed games and contests on Shopee’s official Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram accounts. From December 1-12, users can win a total of ₱12,000,000 in prizes from their favorite local celebrities, including Dingdong and Zia, by playing Shopee Celebrity Pamasko on the app. Users simply have to tap on the angpao to win a prize from the celebrity of the day.

3. Celebrating local businesses and culture

Local businesses represent a significant part of local culture and as the need for digitalization increases, Shopee is committed to supporting these sellers and helping them thrive:

Shopee Celebrates Local: Shopee launches ‘Shopee Celebrates Local,’ a special contest to share and promote beloved local sellers. Users can read their stories on the #TatakPinoy page and on Shopee’s social media channels, and vote for their favorites until December 5. Winning sellers stand to win prizes they can use for their businesses, while users stand to win Shopee vouchers. Through the Tatak Pinoy page, users can also enjoy exclusive deals when supporting these sellers.

4. Celebrating wider communities

Through 12.12, Shopee will continue to uplift local communities through its platform. In the spirit of Christmas, Shopee launches the Frontliner Holiday Package to show gratitude for local heroes. Starting December 10, frontliners can avail of this package, which includes vouchers they can use for their holiday celebrations.

For more information about Shopee 12.12 Big Christmas Sale, visit https://shopee.ph/m/christmas-sale.

Download Shopee for free on App Store or Google Play Store.

Premium smartphone brand, TECNO Mobile is giving you more exciting reasons to look forward to payday. Big discounts, plus fantastic CAMON 18 and TECNO AIoT bundles are coming to the TECNO Payday Sale, happening at the TECNO Mobile Flagship Store in Lazada, the TECNO Mobile PH Official Store in Shopee Mall, and partner retail stores on November 29-30, 2021.

The CAMON 18 Series pushes the boundaries of what it means to be a professional camera smartphone, with its advanced anti-shaking capabilities, and unbelievably clear images and videos. This smartphone series is ideal for filmmakers, content creators, and anyone who loves capturing milestone moments, and scenes from everyday life on video.

CAMON 18 Premier, which has been dubbed the “Movie Master”, brings together the best of the CAMON series, with features including TAIVOS, Super Night Mode, and Selfie Mode, combined with a new Ultra-steady Gimbal Camera, 60X Hybrid Zoom, and even more enhanced AI features for achieving a #SuperSteadyShot.

Another awesome CAMON smartphone for video enthusiasts is CAMON 18P, which features a 48MP clear and steady video camera, with a 13MP 50mm pro portrait camera. You can also check out the CAMON 18 variant, which is equipped with a 48MP multi-function triple camera, and is available in a beautiful Iris Purple colorway that is perfect for women.

 

Exclusive Payday Offers from TECNO Mobile 

Grab your CAMON 18 smartphone at TECNO Mobile’s upcoming Payday Sale to enjoy great discounts and deals from the brand. From November 29-30, 2021, the “Movie Master” CAMON 18 Premier will be offered at the special price of Php 14,990. You may also purchase CAMON 18P for only Php 10,490, and the CAMON 18 variant for just Php 8,999, during the sale.

Don’t miss out on exclusive bundles featuring CAMON smartphones and TECNO AIoT gear, too. For only Php 15,989, you can get a CAMON 18 Premier bundled with TECNO Buds 1, discounted from its original price of Php 17,189. Another must-buy bundle pairs CAMON 18 with TECNO Buds 2 for only Php 9,798, from its original price of Php 10,498.

Other TECNO smartphones will also be offered at specially discounted prices during the upcoming Payday Sale, so watch out for those. This is also a good opportunity to check out TECNO Mobile’s AIoT products, which are going on sale as well, including the TECNO Watch with smart temperature detector and smart health management features, TECNO Buds, and TECNO Bravo B1 earbuds.

You don’t want to miss any of these amazing discounts and bundles! Be sure to visit the TECNO Mobile Flagship Store in Lazada, the TECNO Mobile PH Official Store in Shopee Mall, and TECNO’s partner retail stores on November 29-30, 2021 to make the most out of these great deals.

Stay updated on all the latest promos when you like and follow TECNO Mobile Philippines on Facebook. Visit www.tecno-mobile.com/ph to learn more about your favorite TECNO Mobile smartphones and gadgets.

Top row, from left: Celebrity Mom Rica Peralejo, Nutritionist and Dietitian Reginna Emiliene Lat, RND and Event Host and Radio DJ Mama Emma; Bottom row, from left: Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink Brand Manager Mark Henry Camacho and Assistant Brand Manager Patricia Domingo

“Mother knows best” is more than just a saying. From your best friends, to your favorite food, to your hobbies and even your favorite celebrities – your mom knows them all. They may not be the most in touch with current trends or technology, but when it comes to their children, mothers have proven time and again that they surely know best.

This is true for nutrition as well. Because of the pandemic, moms had to wear different hats these past few months – educator, cook, and even amateur nutritionist. And while providing proper nutrition remains a top priority for them, it has become more of a struggle for many moms recently, which is why Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink launched its “Super Sulit Pack” to help make nutrition more affordable amidst the pandemic.

Top row, from left: Celebrity Mom Rica Peralejo and Nutritionist and Dietitian Reginna Emiliene Lat, RND; Bottom row: Event Host and Radio DJ Mama Emma

During the virtual launch event for Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink “Super Sulit Pack,” celebrity mom Rica Peralejo shared her concerns and personal experiences in providing nourishment to her children.

“The pandemic has made it harder to plan meals for the family. It's difficult because your movements are limited and you can't go out freely to buy groceries personally and think of nutritious food pairings that your kids will like,” Rica said.

“It takes a whole lot of creativity to actually make nutritious foods appetizing to kids,” she answered when asked about how she changed her children's eating habits. “It's all about variety at the end of the day. Children want to taste and experience different things, which is challenging for moms. Before, we could go out and eat at places that offer a variety of nutritious foods, but now you have to do it yourself at home...You have to consider things like plating, the set-up of your dining area, just so it would be a different kind of experience from day-to-day.”

Rica also shared her experience in encouraging her children to drink milk. “Actually, milk is one of the easiest things to give to our kids…Sometimes it’s overwhelming for moms to think about what nutrients we can add to our children’s diets, so thankfully we already have milk drinks with the additional nutrients that our kids need. Milk is honestly a godsend for me and for moms because of its affordability, nutrition value, and of course, its kid-approved taste,” she said.

Nutritionist and dietitian, Reginna Emiliene Lat, RND, also joined the virtual launch event to share her experiences in providing nutritional advice to low-income families, which became even more challenging during the pandemic.

“Families are experiencing job loss during the pandemic, with some not having sufficient income to provide proper nutrition for their children,” she mentioned. “But despite these challenges, moms are not ones to compromise on health and are devoted to ensuring that their children get the nutrition they need.”

“So with a few tweaks to their diet like adding fruits and vegetables to their food to ensure balance and variety to their meals, and including nutritional supplements and nutrient-dense drinks, they can make sure that their family can get the nutrients they need while staying within their budget,” Reginna said.

While children are still in their early stages of development, proper nutrition is essential in keeping them healthy and building the foundation for their future. Which is why Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink remains committed to nourishing Filipino families and helping children grow with “Lakas at Talas.”

Containing protein, calcium, vitamin C and vitamin D for “Lakas” (strength) which helps with body development, and choline, iron and iodine for “Talas” (sharpness) which helps with brain development, Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink is a delicious drink that kids can enjoy every morning, paired with a healthy and balanced breakfast.

Moms and media attendees share a toast of Alaska Fortified Milk to show their commitment to affordable nutrition

“We know that Filipino moms are faced with the challenge of providing nutrition for their families within their limited budget. They have a lot of things to consider and prioritize, and they make these decisions every day. True to Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink’s mission and purpose of bringing affordable nutrition to Filipinos, we are here to answer to every Filipino mom’s need with our most affordable milk pack yet – the 300g ‘Super Sulit Pack’ for only PHP 70 – to help give their children the added nutrients they need and foster the ‘alaga’ they deserve,” said Mark Henry Camacho, Brand Manager of Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink.

Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink 300g “Super Sulit Pack” is now available until December 2021 in Shopee, Lazada, leading supermarkets, grocery stores nationwide. For more information on Alaska Fortified Powdered Milk Drink, visit www.alaskamilk.com and www.facebook.com/alaskamilkph

Sending and receiving remittances is now more convenient and accessible – especially with trusted Smart Padala agents ready to give you a SENDali padala experience, only 6 minutes away from wherever you are!  

To show just how easy it is to send and receive money through its widest agent network, Smart Padala by PayMaya launched its new SENDali video. This TV commercial features a fun new jingle to the tune of the 2000s hit song, Shalala Lala by the Vengaboys and easy-to-follow dance steps that you’ll surely enjoy! Check out the video here: SENDali lang with Smart Padala!

Send money via your go-to Smart Padala agent

Take a few steps to your left and a little to your right - that’s how easy it is to find a Smart Padala agent to complete your SENDali transaction! With Smart Padala’s widest network of over 60,000 agent touchpoints nationwide, ​it’s easy to access convenient remittance transactions! Now all that’s left to do is share the name and mobile number of your recipient to send that much-needed padala! 

Receive money wherever you are

 Hold out your hand to the Smart Padala agent and konting kembot lang, you can already receive remittance from your loved ones here and abroad! With Smart Padala’s Claim Anywhere service, you no longer have to provide the 16-digital Smart Padala number to the sender.  All they need is your name and mobile number. Once the padala is sent, SENDali na lang ang pag-claim because you can simply head to a Smart Padala agent just 6 minutes away from you and present your claim reference number.  

Send your padalove from the comforts of your home

Don’t have time to go out? No problem! Within a few taps on your PayMaya app, your padala can already be received at the Smart Padala agent near your recipient! On your PayMaya app homepage, simply tap Send Money, input the 16-digit Smart Padala number of your recipient’s trusted agent, input the amount and hit send! Now all that’s left to do is share the reference number to your recipient so they can easily claim your padala! 

A play between the words send and dali - SENDali promises customers a hassle-free remittance experience with Smart Padala. This is made possible by Smart Padala’s widest and most accessible network of over 60,000 agent touchpoints nationwide – present within 6 minutes away from you.

Apart from a convenient SENDali remittance experience, Smart Padala also offers exclusive rewards for its customers. From November 15, 2021 to January 15, 2022, Smart Padala is giving away P3,000,000 worth of prizes where two (2) lucky winners will take home a grand prize of P1,000,000 ​each, nine (9) winners will enjoy a P50,000 prize ​each, and sixty (60) winners will take home P10,000 each! To earn a raffle entry, simply send or claim at least P500 worth of padala at your trusted Smart Padala agent. You can even earn two (2) raffle entries for your transaction if you send or claim over P2,000. 

Smart Padala agents are present in 92% of the cities and municipalities across the country and are accessible within minutes in your barangay. With this, it's now easier than ever to send money to your friends and family, and make them feel your love, even miles away from home.  

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines, with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, communities, and government.  

It provides more than 41 million Filipinos with access to financial services through its consumer platforms. Customers can conveniently pay, add money, cash out or remit through its over 380,000 digital touchpoints nationwide. Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network of over 60,000 partner agent touchpoints serves as last-mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved access to digital services. Through its enterprise business, it is the largest digital payments processor for key industries in the country, including "every day" merchants such as the largest retail, food, gas, and eCommerce merchants, as well as government agencies and units.    

To know more about PayMaya's products and services, visit www.PayMaya.com or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For more details on Smart Padala, visit https://smartpadala.ph/.   

Filipinos have always considered Christmas as the grandest fiesta. For a community that celebrates the longest Christmas in the world, the usual grand family reunions, public palooza and exchange of holiday greetings after the Simbang Gabi have been sorely missed since last year.

This year, GCash, the undisputed leading financial app in the Philippines, is bringing us a lot of reasons to celebrate the merriest season in a truly Filipino way wherever you or your loved ones are in the Philippines, or even the world.

GCash is teaming up with proudly Filipino P-Pop group SB19 in ushering the merriest season with ‘G Pa Rin Ang Pasko,’ a catchy holiday jingle that hopes to inspire Filipinos to keep the spirit of Christmas alive because amidst all the challenges we’ve all encountered this year, #LifeIsG as you share the experience of your favorite Filipino Christmas traditions with your family and friends through GCash.

SB19, the first Filipino and Southeast Asian act to be nominated in Billboard Music Awards for the Top Social Artist category, is bringing their charm and world-class talent in inspiring us to continue long-standing traditions that make Christmas uniquely ours with a safe, secure and rewarding app that Filipinos trust.

#GPaRinAngPasko with GCash

From celebrating Noche Buena to attending Simbang Gabi and getting ‘pamasko’ from Ninangs and Ninongs, GCash makes it possible to celebrate Christmas the Filipino way. With over 50 million users, GCash makes shopping for gifts and groceries and sending cash easy, secure and rewarding.

As SB19 says throughout the song, “G Pa Rin ang Pasko” with GCash as it offers a convenient way of shopping, gifting and giving without having to go through the common scenarios of the Christmas rush -- long queues at the ATM, to-and-fro when scouting for the perfect gifts and the dreaded Christmas traffic jam.

GCash Tiangge

From Nov. 22 to Dec. 15, users can experience the usual holiday shopping thrill and get exclusive discounts and promos with the GCash Tiangge. Much like the usual Christmas bazaars and fairs, you can buy your gifts and self-treats from small and medium enterprises but exciting deals and seamless and flexible payment options. OFWs who want to send gifts and Noche Buena packages to their loved ones can also shop directly through the GLife feature of the GCash app and have the items sent anywhere in the country.

Send Love, Send Pamasko

The Filipino Christmas tradition of gift-giving will also come alive, whether it’s for the people we hold dear or for causes we are passionate about. With Send Pamasko via GLife, GCash users can send donations to participating charities with just a few taps. Users can also spread the word by using special themes created by partner charities when they Send with a Clip.

While you used to ask for ‘pamasko’ from family members personally, GCash is now giving you the option to instantly send money to your loved ones anywhere in the country or across the globe -- perfect for Noche Buena or even as a practical way of showing love.

Shake it Up, Light it Up

Of course, no Filipino Christmas tradition will be complete without the parol, or traditional Christmas lanterns. GCash users are in for a treat when they collect parols through the app. Daily vouchers from partners will be up for grabs and over 5,000 winners will get GCash Pamasko and prizes. To top it all up, one lucky GCash user will get a chance to become a GCash millionaire.

The More, The Merrier

GCash invites everyone to sing along to SB19 by creating their own rendition of the G Pa Rin ang Pasko jingle. Catch the release of G Pa Rin sa Pasko on YouTube, TikTok and Spotify.

Join in on the festive mood and keep the Christmas spirit going with SB19 and GCash here: https://youtu.be/4w7Z3LbCB4M

Education is the key for children to achieve their dreams and aspirations in life. But with the pandemic limiting the access of around 27 million Filipino children, it is imperative that we continue to instill hope and lifelong learnings into their minds. One way we can do this is by ensuring that children get proper education so they can make their dreams come true.

TeamAsia—an integrated marketing experience agency—recognizes the vital role of education for children to recover from the aftermath of the pandemic in the years to come. This is why the company is kicking off its annual education campaign program, My Dream in a Shoebox (MDIAS) to enable children to continue their education, especially during the second school year in the midst of the pandemic.


“Education is the most powerful tool we can equip children with to help them break the cycle of poverty and create new opportunities for them to succeed and map out their own future. The impact of the pandemic only heightens the importance of making sure that every child, especially those who are less fortunate, continuously have access to quality education and the tools they need to conquer and learn in the now normal,” said TeamAsia’s Managing Director and MDIAS Chief Dream Builder, Bea Lim.

In its 13th year, MDIAS will be holding a fundraising campaign in partnership again with the Yellow Boat of Hope (YBH) Foundation—a non-government organization that ensures every child in the Philippines experiences quality education. MDIAS and YBH have previously worked together to help empower children through education to reach their dreams. This year, the two organizations are teaming up once more to help children who are struggling with the blended learning system.

“Even before the pandemic, there are a lot of factors as to why Filipino children are out of school. The pandemic highlighted these challenges even further, reason why we need to reimagine how we do education here in the Philippines and think of long-term solutions to enable children to stay in school,” said Anton Mari H. Lim, Co-Founder of Yellow Boat of Hope. “And Yellow Boat of Hope is very happy to be taking this journey with My Dream in a Shoebox to make Filipino children’s bigger dreams come true.”

MDIAS is raising funds for two causes this school year. First is to fund an E-Hub in one of the far flung provinces of the Philippines that will provide children with tools and equipment they need for blended learning. The goal is to raise PHP150,000 to provide a community with six laptops, internet connection for a year, printer and printing supplies, school supplies, face masks, alcohol, and allowance for logistical expenses.

Second, MDIAS will be calling for donations to raise PHP250,000 to support 10 scholars in each of its 10 partner communities from all over the Philippines. The donations will help finance the child’s supplies for school projects, parent’s transportation expenses in getting the scholars’ self-learning modules from school, and hygiene kits with face masks and alcohol for their daily needs.

TeamAsia believes that now more than ever, it is important that everyone continue supporting and empowering children, especially in creating ways for them to keep learning. Through these efforts, children have the potential to take charge of their future and make their #BiggerDreams come true.

Since 2009, MDIAS has been equipping less fortunate Filipino children with educational assistance. It started with a modest collection of 200 shoeboxes from TeamAsia’s industry partners and friends, containing school supplies to inspire children to go to school. From there, it flourished and has expanded to sponsoring students from various partner communities across the country and impacted as much as 500,000 lives.

If you’re interested to take part in this year’s MDIAS campaign, you may follow these steps to donate:

Step 1: Visit MDIAS website

 

Step 2: Scroll down and click the ‘Make a Donation’ button.

 

Step 3: Choose which of the two causes you would like to donate to--Fund an E-Hub or Support a Scholar? You can also choose both!

 

Step 4: If you wish to fund an E-Hub, you can just input the amount you would like to donate and click ‘Make a Donation’. But if you want to support a scholar or a community, you can only donate PHP2,500 and PHP25,000 respectively.

 

Step 5: Review your cart and hit ‘Proceed to Checkout’.

 

Step 6: Fill up the Billing Form, choose your mode of payment, click ‘Place Order’, and you’re done!

“The pandemic may be challenging, but it has highlighted the value of working and banding together to recover, heal, and make a change no matter how grave the aftermath is. Through this program, we have an opportunity and a shared responsibility to help children rise above these unfortunate events and turn their #BiggerDreams into reality,” said Lim.

Make a donation now and see how your simple effort can make a big impact on children and the community. To know more about MDIAS, please visit https://www.teamasia.com/shoeboxcampaign/ or contact its organizers at shoebox@teamasia.com.

photo from Manila Health Department

While the country’s COVID-19 cases are going down because of mass vaccination, Infectious Diseases Expert Dr. Remedios Coronel advised younger generations to still take extra safety precautions because they could get infected with the flu and chances of transmitting the virus is higher among their age group. “Flu transmissions are usually from children and youth. It spreads fast in schools and public places where they usually frequent. Someone sneezes and everyone’s at risk. Then they go home--hold the door knob, touch the TV remote, get a plate--without washing their hands. And before we know it, the flu virus has taken over the home.”

The topic was brought up during an episode about ‘Protecting our Lolos and Lolas in the Household’ aired via ‘Okay, Doc’, an online show hosted by veteran broadcast journalist Jing Castaneda. Dr. Coronel advised that aside from hygienic measures, the whole family should be vaccinated against the flu after completing their COVID vaccines to ensure that everyone has an extra layer of protection thus, reducing the risks of our elderly to infectious diseases. “While you need to encourage your lola and lola to get vaccinated against the flu, you also need to get vaccinated against it since you regularly go out of the house. By getting the flu vaccine, you protect yourself and your loved ones. Make sure to get the quadrivalent flu vaccine for broader protection,” Coronel quipped.

Meanwhile, fashion Designer Renee Salud shared that her whole household got COVID but no one became severely ill because everyone’s completely vaccinated. “I believe in vaccines. I’ve seen its efficacy and I’ve witnessed how it helped save our household.”

Local government units for its part have launched one-on-one health education consultations to push for correct information dissemination about vaccines. According to Dr. Lynnette Gemperle, Chief of the Integrated Non-Communicable Disease Prevention and Control Office of the Manila Health Department, they have 46 health centers in Manila which regularly update their Facebook pages regarding their vaccine services. Because of this, 73% of Manila’s senior citizens have been vaccinated against the flu for free. The Department of Health started their free flu vaccination program for indigent senior citizens in 2011. Under the National Policy on Health and Wellness Program for Senior Citizens or HWPSC, the scope was expanded to include all senior citizens in the country.

Dr. Gemperle said that they still have a long way to go because they have to encourage the younger generations, parents, uncles and aunties, also those with comorbidities to get their flu vaccines as soon as possible.

The public can get their flu vaccines from different health clinics while seniors can get their free flu vaccines from health centers nearest them.