With the scare of COVID-19 pandemic peeping, which doesn’t seem to show signs of stopping anytime soon, people are already itching to travel.
Working from home has already been considered as part of our new normal. With that being said, having the best of both worlds – work and vacation – seems to be the best Christmas present one could give oneself.
Holidu, an international travel search engine has released their list of best cities for your next “workcation”.
“It’s not quite a fully-fledged holiday where you can start on the cocktails at 11 a.m., because you will still have emails to do and tasks to action, but it does offer a change of scenery and the chance to relax away from home outside working hours.” Holidu explained.
“A workation allows you to spend more time visiting faraway family members or really exploring a destination without having to drain all of your annual leave. And, whilst the concept was a ‘thing’ long before the coronavirus pandemic, it’s now become an option for more people with the rise in remote working.
A lot of consideration were taken to come up with the ranking. From internet speed, pric of coffee, food, co-working spaces, accomodations, and even the costs, they were all taken into account.
Bangkok, bagging the top spot together with two other Thai cities – Phuket and Chiang Mai tying in 10th place only proved to us how Thailand is the best destination for work and play.
“The boom of Asian investment has led to many multinational companies relocating to Bangkok, meaning that the city now offers high-class facilities to international entrepreneurs and businessmen,” the description said.
“And in the downtime, why not visit some of the hundreds of palaces across the city, with the most famous being the Grand Palace and Wat Po?!” it addded. “It also offers a variety of shopping centres with high street boutiques and the morning floating markets are perfect for sampling local food.”
Wake up to an unobstructed view of the whole city, the mountains and the sea in one frame.
If you love the Skypod of Kryz and Slater Young, you must see its version 2.0. If the Skypod with more than 5-million views on Youtube was not enough, this ultra-luxurious cabin lodge’s newer version also screams luxury, but better.
Did you know that you can live in your own Skypod too?
Engr. Slater Young posted on his Youtube channel his works on Skypod 2.0 a.k.a. Monterrazas Prime. This, according to him, is an exclusive community in the mountains of Cebu City. With only roughly 30 stunning units, the team of Slater could definitely boast its exclusivity and elegance.
“No stone was left unturned. Lahat is luxury. Lahat is, I would say, to my standard talaga and this is Skypod 2.0.”
Young gave us a virtual tour of the Skypod 2.0 and it left us all in awe. I would not want to describe the home because my review might be underwhelming. I highly suggest for you to watch the video and see for yourself. Dream.
Now more entrenched in her life in Paris, Emily’s getting better at navigating the city but still struggling with the idiosyncrasies of French life. After stumbling into a love triangle with her neighbor and her first real French friend, Emily is determined to focus on her work — which is getting more complicated by the day. In French class, she meets a fellow expat who both infuriates and intrigues her.
Photo from vandam.netflix.com website
Photo from vandam.netflix.com website
Photo from vandam.netflix.com website
Photo from vandam.netflix.com website
Photo from vandam.netflix.com website
Photo from vandam.netflix.com website
Photo from vandam.netflix.com website
Photo from vandam.netflix.com website
Photo from vandam.netflix.com website
Award-winning creator and showrunner Darren Star returns to helm the second season of the Emmy-nominated series EMILY IN PARIS, which became Netflix’s most viewed comedy series of 2020. Producer and star Lily Collins reprises her role as Emily Cooper, alongside returning series regulars Philippine Leroy Beaulieu, Ashley Park, Lucas Bravo, Camille Razat, Samuel Arnold, Bruno Gouery, and William Abadie, recurring guest star Kate Walsh, and new cast members Lucien Laviscount, Jeremy O. Harris, and Arnaud Binard. EMILY IN PARIS is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, Darren Star Productions, and Jax Media.
Episodes: 10 episodes x 30 min
Creator / Executive Producer / Writer: Darren Star
Executive Producers: Tony Hernandez (JAX Media), Lilly Burns (JAX Media), Andrew Fleming
Returning Series Regulars: Lily Collins (Emily Cooper), Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu (Sylvie Grateau) Ashley Park (Mindy), Lucas Bravo (Gabriel), Camille Razat (Camille), Samuel Arnold (Luc), Bruno Gouery (Julien), William Abadie (Antoine Lambert)
Recurring Cast: Kate Walsh (Madeline), Jeremy O. Harris (Gregory Elliott Dupree), Arnaud Binard (Laurent G), Lucien Laviscount (Alfie)
On Friday night, the Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH-7) released its official, consolidated data of the COVID-19 cases in the region as of September 24, 2021.
Today, the whole island of Cebu — Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, and the Cebu Province — recorded 187 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, 332 new recoveries, and 14 new deaths. This brings Cebu’s total confirmed cases to 100,545, while the active cases increased to 6,900 (from 7,052).
Cebu City – Total confirmed: 40,090 (+41 new) – Total recoveries: 36,414 (+105 new) – Total deaths: 1,338 (+4 new) – Active cases: 2,338
Lapu-Lapu City – Total confirmed: 13,202 (+32 new) – Total recoveries: 11,749 (+18 new) – Total deaths: 362 (+0 new) – Active cases: 1,091
Mandaue City – Total confirmed: 11,837 (+18 new) – Total recoveries: 10,785 (+49 new) – Total deaths: 362 (+5 new) – Active cases: 690
Cebu Province – Total confirmed: 35,416 (+96 new) – Total recoveries: 30,510 (+160 new) – Total deaths: 2,125 (+5 new) – Active cases: 2,781
Summary of COVID-19 cases in Cebu:
Total Active Cases in Cebu: 6,900 (from 7,052)
Total Confirmed Cases in Cebu: 100,545 (+187 new)
Total Recoveries in Cebu: 89,458 (+332 new)
Total Deaths in Cebu: 4,187 (+14 new*)
A total of 4,901 laboratory results were released for today.
NOTES from DOH-7:
*As per DOH-7, the additional deaths in the report are not due to the overnight spike in deaths but due to more accurate data collection and validating efforts. Not all of those deaths occurred today but occurred more than a week ago.
Reports maybe subject to change as these claims undergo thorough validation by the local healthcare offices and health personnel.
I don’t know about all the relationship reveals out there but this dog is living my dreams.
Paragliding, Ouka, a samoyed, went paragliding over a famous mountain pass in France, Col du Granon. And if that doesn’t make us jealous and our heart warm, he went with his best friend, adventure film director Shams.
They took the internet by storm with a very adorable video of the brave dog clearly having the time of his life, gliding through the air with his wind-blown fluffy white coat and a happy dog grin. Samoyeds are originally herding dogs related to the laika, a spitz-type dog and takes its name from the Samoyedic peoples of Siberia.
Photo from indiatoday.in website
Photo from northeasternchronicle.in website
We all know paragliding is not a sport for the faint-hearted but Ouka rode it like a champ clearly trusting his owner who patted him from time-to-time to check up on him while taking in the picturesque view.
Shams is a paragliding enthusiast so rest assured their flight together was well prepared and safe with both owner and dog training for a month and a full-on harness attached. He is even planning to get a customized harness made for his pet.
The relationship and bond between dog and owner must be pretty strong to have this unconditional trust required for the dog to try this adventure sport.
Photo from indianexpress.com
Photo from indianexpress.com
Photo from indianexpress.com
The three-year-old canine was adopted by the filmmaker, in late June this year, from a local animal shelter. As the dog was not really educated, Shams took the time and effort to take a dog education course to give Ouka the best life. Ouka have been changing the life of his owner as well to a life of smiles since then.
With the music of Limahl’s ‘Never Ending Story’, their cute friendship and thrill-seeking souls clearly shines from the video which makes us believe that this is only the beginning of many more paragliding trips.
“Let’s go fly around the world now!” – Director Shams, owner
There’s no stopping KADASIG from going on a roll with its countless contributions to the Vispop community. Recently, the independent record label has been extra productive with the much-awaited releases of Downtown Disco (Jerika Teodorico) and Hulat, Paabot Lang (Daryl Leong).
On top of that, KADASIG is also celebrating frontrunning artist Oh! Caraga for making it to the finals of The John Lennon Songwriting Contest. The band of songwriting extraordinaires also took on the International Songwriting Competition and Djooky Music Awards, where they competed with some of the music industry’s biggest names worldwide.
Notwithstanding these victories, KADASIG continues to produce songs that are definitely worth the listen. Check out their brand new releases for September and October:
The One by Malaya Macaraeg
Release Date: September 10
A spritz of much-needed dose of joy and positivity is what social media celeb Malaya Macaraeg brings you with The One. Written and produced by Relden Campanilla and Carlisle Tabanera of Route 83, this bop will make you realize that your “one true love” may be just around the corner.
Who knows, it could be your childhood friend, your college batchmate, or even your neighbor!Whoever it might be, this song will inspire you to believe the possibilities of finding The One.
With You by Medyo Maldito, Glester Capuno, and Jasper Amorin, feat. Jong
Release Date: September 17
Photo from Medyo Maldito Facebook Page
Rowell Ucat, who we fondly know as Medyo Maldito, rounds up two of his best buds from the Medyo Maldito Squad as they groove and harmonize to his funky new single With You. If you’re a sucker for a boy-meets-girl kinda story, this song is a necessary addition to your hopeless romantic playlist!
With You is written by Oh! Caraga and arranged and produced by Jong Azores (aka Jong of Bukid fame), who also provided backing vocals for the track. Without a doubt, this powerhouse collaboration of Internet trendsetters and musical savants is set to blow the minds of every Vispop fan!
Vega by Jacky Chang
Release Date: September 24
Photo from Jacky Chang Official Facebook Page
Cebu’s favorite Maoy Diva Jacky Chang breaks the mold of her past ballads with Vega, an infectious blend of Vispop AND K-pop sensibilities set to a deliciously flirtatious mood.
Prolific songwriter RJ Ensalada (Unsa Ning Tamaa, Gugma Gugma, and Jacky’s latest single Husto Ka Pero Husto Na) lends his wits to the song’s words and music. The track is produced by Toronto-based hit producer Fonzy (Cookie$’ Bogo and Beplop, Alem Garcia’s E.U.T.).
Vega is definitely unlike anything you’ve heard from any Cebuano artist before. Let this language crossover track charm you into searching the ends of the Earth for your Oppa in no time!
Padayon Jud by Insoy Niñal
Release Date: September 30
Photo from google.com
Hardcore Vispop fans know it all started with Bisrock. And if there’s one person to blame (or credit?) for the craze, it would be none other than Insoy Niñal, Missing Filemon frontman and true blue Bisayang Dako.
Insoy debuts his solo project under KADASIG with his newest single Padayon Jud, where he explores another side of his songwriting. What sets this apart from Insoy’s usual writing is the uniquely inspirational tone it sets, while maintaining his unmistakably Insoy signature wit.
Truly relevant to the ongoing pandemic, Padayon Jud speaks of our struggles and victories. The song is a consoling reminder that despite all adversities, there is hope—as long as we Padayon Jud.
Martin by Aggressive Audio
Release Date: October 1
Photo from Aggressive Audio Facebook Page
Another pioneering Bisrock icon makes their much-awaited return to the music scene. Aggressive Audio carries their classic crass (albeit intelligently put together) Bisaya humor with Martin, a song about a legendary drunkard named…well, Martin.
One way or another, we’ve been Martin, always promising, “Di na ko mu inom.” But as the song demonstrates, this is one drunken spree that ends in breathless laughter rather than a terrible hangover. Long-time fans of Aggressive Audio’s monster hits will not be disappointed!
#PadayonBisaya!
You pumped yet? Now that you know about these new Bisaya bangers and bops, all there’s left for you to do is:
Mark your calendars.
Save the date.
Jive to these tracks while connecting with your Bisaya roots.
See you guys on Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and other streaming platforms. Padayon jud, Bisaya!
On Thursday night, the Department of Health Central Visayas (DOH-7) released its official, consolidated data of the COVID-19 cases in the region as of September 22, 2021.
Today, the whole island of Cebu — Cebu City, Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City, and the Cebu Province — recorded 250 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, 331 new recoveries, and 23 new deaths. This brings Cebu’s total confirmed cases to 100,358, while the active cases increased to 7,052 (from 7,159).
Cebu City – Total confirmed: 40,049 (+84 new) – Total recoveries: 36,311 (+108 new) – Total deaths: 1,333 (+1 new) – Active cases: 2,405
Lapu-Lapu City – Total confirmed: 13,170 (+17 new) – Total recoveries: 11,731 (+41 new) – Total deaths: 362 (+2 new) – Active cases: 1,077
Mandaue City – Total confirmed: 11,819 (+38 new) – Total recoveries: 10,736 (+13 new) – Total deaths: 357 (+0 new) – Active cases: 726
Cebu Province – Total confirmed: 35,320 (+111 new) – Total recoveries: 30,349 (+169 new) – Total deaths: 2,121 (+20 new) – Active cases: 2,850
Summary of COVID-19 cases in Cebu:
Total Active Cases in Cebu: 7,052 (from 7,159)
Total Confirmed Cases in Cebu: 100,358 (+250 new)
Total Recoveries in Cebu: 89,127 (+331 new)
Total Deaths in Cebu: 4,173 (+23 new*)
A total of 4,341 laboratory results were released for today.
NOTES from DOH-7:
*As per DOH-7, the additional deaths in the report are not due to the overnight spike in deaths but due to more accurate data collection and validating efforts. Not all of those deaths occurred today but occurred more than a week ago.
Reports maybe subject to change as these claims undergo thorough validation by the local healthcare offices and health personnel.
Globe’s well thought strategy of installing its 5G network in key cities across Metro Manila, Visayas and Mindanao will provide customers with good and reliable 5G services.
5G is the latest wireless internet connectivity that promises faster speeds, higher bandwidth, and more stable internet connections compared to 4G. As of July 2021, the company has expanded its 5G coverage to more than 1,800 key locations all over the country.
Photo from consumer.huawei.com website
“With the different challenges we are facing right now, coverage contiguity is our top priority. To do this, we need to maximize the locations of our 5G network builds that we have right now. These strategic installations will eventually lead to more practical and viable rollouts in the coming months. We want to provide our customers with better experience with the latest technology and 5G capable devices as soon as possible,” said Joel Agustin, Globe Senior Vice President for Program Delivery, Network Technical Group.
Due to Globe’s relentless expansion, at least 94 percent of the National Capital Region now has Globe 5G outdoor coverage with Makati and Pateros with 100 percent coverage. Marikina is second at 99 percent, followed by Taguig, Mandaluyong and Caloocan which are at 98 percent 5G coverage, while San Juan is at 97 percent.
Photo from campbell.com.ph website
Photo from teknogadyet.com website
Photo from gizguide.com website
Photo from gadgetmatch.com wbsite
Photo from innomark.org website
When it comes to Commercial Business Districts or CBDs, Ortigas CBD has the most 5G coverage with 98 percent, followed by Makati CBD and BGC CBD now with 98 percent 5G coverage.
In Visayas, 5G is now accessible in 85 percent of Cebu City; 77 percent of Boracay Island; 75 percent of Bacolod City and 66 percent of Iloilo City.
5G is now also accessible in 77 percent of Davao City and 80 percent of Cagayan De Oro City in Mindanao. Efforts are also underway in building seven new 5G cell towers in General Santos City and the installation of four more in Zamboanga City.
Photo from yugatech.com website
“The goal to make more customers, especially in Visayas and Mindanao, actually experience the advantages and make the most of the opportunities 5G brings will always inspire us to push harder and to deliver more to other locations,” added Agustin.
Globe customers are encouraged to upgrade to 5G-ready 4G LTE SIM cards and to have 5G-enabled handsets and devices now to enable them to experience the benefits of the technology. They can also check the location of the Globe’s 5G coverage through http://glbe.co/Globe5GAreas.
Globe Postpaid subscribers can now maximize their 5G experience with the latest 5G-enabled devices like Samsung Galaxy A22 5G, Redmi Note 10 and Realme 8 5G.
Globe has consistently been in the forefront of bringing and pushing innovation and new technologies with its leadership in mobile data, content, 3G, LTE, and now with 5G technology. It is the first mobile operator in Southeast Asia to commercially launch 5G AirFiber for Home use in the second quarter of 2019. In February 2020, Globe was the first service provider in the country to complete a 5G video call with IAS of Thailand.
Globe strongly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically UN SDG No. 9, which aims to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation. The company is committed to upholding the United Nations Global Compact principles and 10 UN SDGs.
In this time of “Surveillance Capitalism” and the “Attention Economy”, owning a smartphone can sometimes be too much.
You might have noticed that your attention span is lower, you struggle to sleep, and your time seems to be wasted with the endless yet meaningless scrolling thru social media.
And all that can be pointed to the omni-present culprit: your smartphone. A tech company called Light may just help you break free from that.
No to social media
Designed to be used “as little as possible”, the Light Phone rejects the concept of the traditional smartphone as the “all-in-one” gadget. No advanced high-quality cameras, no high-resolutions screens, no high-speed Internet, no unlimited social media surfing – all that, nada.
Photo from pcmag.com website
The Light Phone will just contain the key features of a phone and will never have:
social media
clickbait news
e-mail
an Internet browser
any other anxiety-inducing infinite feed
Photo from reddit.com website
Opting for the bare necessities, this quirky device is perfect for those who want to break free from the endless distractions provided by technology.
In terms of communication, the Light Phone only has a call and text feature, which is the main purpose of a phone traditionally.
Users can customize a select of widgets that includes an alarm, a calculator, a simple music player, and a podcast-listening app. It will also contain a headphone jack, a Bluetooth feature and can function as a personal hotspot.
Electronic paper screen
Photo from mginger.org website
The device will feature an electronic paper screen – widely used in popular e-reading devices such as Amazon’s Kindle. Instead of the traditional smart phone screens that emit blue light, a light that can boost alertness but can potentially damage the eyes, the Light Phone’s electronic paper screen is a simpler display really lives up to the utilitarian vibe this eccentric smartphone tries to achieve.
Compact size
Photo from handandhide.com website
Photo from hypebae.com website
In terms of size, this device will be much more compact compared to the standard smartphone, an estimated size similar to that of a first-generation iPod yet thinner. This small size really makes it more convenient to its target market, those who prefer a modern phone without the time-wasting and attention-grabbing features.
The Light Phone II will be available soon, with pre-orders possible online at their website where price starts at $299 (roughly P14,300).
We all have our favorite romantic comedy dramas and fantasy dramas but sometimes we stumble upon treasures that would change our life forever.
These are the stories that would grip our emotional and mental state so tight, we are practically living in it as we watch the drama unfold. These are the ones that are deep and tackles the somehow taboo topic of mental health.
And if you ever feel the need to reach into your soul and change your perspective, we’ve prepared the ultimate Kdrama list to get you started.
1. It’s Okay To Not Be Okay
Photo from dafont.com website
Moon Kang Tae, a caregiver in a psychiatric hospital revolves his life on taking care of his autistic brother, Moon Sang Tae, which he didn’t realize was slowly suffocating him. While Go Moon Young who has anti-social personality seeks Kang Tae to take as her own while battling her own demons.
“It’s Okay To Not Be Okay” is a series which have really touched a wide range of mental illnesses and shines a light on different issues on mental health with almost all of its cast suffering one or both. They showed all these with an interesting, heart-wrenching and fun plot.
It shows us that emotional trauma and childhood experiences have a great effect on our adult state. It teaches us that leaning on each other will help us be true to what we feel and what we are. From accepting that, we grow by working on ourselves.
The drama was very detailed and clear on how they convey the messages and present each character’s growth which is what makes it the no.1 on our list.
2. Kill Me, Heal Me
Photo from google.com
Cha Do Hyun struggles with multiple personality disorder as a result of a trauma as a child. He has a staggering number of seven personalities. His life and Oh Ri Jin, a psychiatrist helping him, entangles and slowly unfolds the mystery of his disorder.
It shows us the struggle and lowest points of a serious illness. From the title itself, with the person not really wishing to die but wishing to be healed. Although the topic is very serious, it was presented in a balanced way that there are also funny moments and situations along the struggle.
It tackles abuse, split personalities and different approach to dealing with trauma but it also shows strength and persistence in a person while beating their own demons.
3. It’s Okay That’s Love
Photo from jaehakim.com website
Megastar writer, Jang Jae Yeol, who has schizophrenia, meets Ji Hae Soo, a psychiatrist who has a phobia of sexual intimacy. They developed a strong distaste for each other. Despite that, the two discovered that they’re a lot alike, and became close which then blossomed to a beautiful romantic relationship.
The drama clearly depicted some of the quirks and symptoms that come along with mental health issues. Most of the main characters deal with some form of mental illness which makes for several raw and emotional scenes. It has a nice balance of humor and seriousness.
It is a journey of acceptance and love as they work towards healing.
4. Fix You
Photo from sinopsisdrama.id website
Lee Si Joon is a psychiatrist who refers to himself as soul repairman meet problem patient, Han Woo-joo, a musical rising star with terrible anger management issues.
It has a positive overall theme of holistic healing and not just treating sick patients. The main lead is eccentric and injects humor to reach out to patients for them to come to terms with their mental illnesses and trauma.
It is heartwarming to see that helping someone get past her issues doesn’t have to be forceful and overbearing. It shows us how to properly deal when someone is emotional and unstable.
Fix you is finding healing through love and the strength to come to terms with a person’s condition.
5. SKY Castle
Photo from aprilmag.com website
Pressure and depression, takes center stage in this drama.
It takes place in a toxic neighborhood called SKY Castle where four families are willing to do anything at any cost to make sure that their children go to a top university.
It shines a light on students who are dealing with the pressures of having to do well academically. The constant push may just push them on a path of breakdowns, depression and worst suicidal thoughts.
The drama tackles them so effectively that makes it a heartbreaking eye-opener. It is relaying a message to stop normalizing this kind of situation and that its effect are traumatizing to the children.
