Enzo Morales: En Route to Singing Stardom?

Despite being born into a family of music lovers, his parents spotted potential in him–as he began singing at the age of six or seven. During family gatherings, his singer-father would prod him to sing. 

According to Enzo Morales, now 28, “Singing is our brand of bonding whenever there’s a gathering in the house. At first, my dad and my mom pushed me to sing. I have two older sisters who sing as well. They also made an impact to pursue this passion of mine.”

Morales describes himself as an in-denial artist. 

Despite his doubts about his singing talent, he was already a choir member in his primary school from grade three to six at Nagcarlan Montessori Center. He continued singing in the choir during his third and fourth years in high school at St Mary’s Academy of Nagcarlan.

“I am a very shy type and joining different contests is not my thing. Don’t get me wrong I love music, but I’m just really shy. I’m not the type who frequently joins (kontesero) singing competitions. 

RD Pawnshop marks 45th Anniversary and excites Filipinos with “Magandang Bukas” campaign

RD Pawnshop, Inc., one of the country's leading pawnshop brands, marks another milestone as it celebrates its 45th anniversary of providing high-quality services to Filipinos.  

Alma Pascual, the Business Unit Head of RD Pawnshop Inc., said that all its satisfied clientele could only expect more from the company as it stays true to its commitment to providing quality services to all Filipinos. 

Coinciding with its 45th-anniversary celebration, the company launched via a virtual press conference its "Magandang Bukas" campaign, which emphasized its promise of being a companion of all hardworking Filipinos, through and through, especially amid the current pandemic. Among the virtual event attendees were its brand ambassador Pokwang, an inspiring comedienne, actress, television host, and singer. 

REVIEW: Yellow Rose

It’s quite refreshing to see a Filipino-American film that is now showing in theaters commercially in the US. With the issue of immigration still a huge problem with many Filipino-Americans, it really has become a real life villain for many. Yellow Rose comes in as an interesting tale revolving around immigration and country music.

Written and directed by Diane Paragas, the movie premiered in the LAAPFF in 2019 and was supposed to be released commercially however was delayed due to the pandemic. However through partnership with KTX and Cinexpress, it will now be available for streaming in the country.

Digital Doc program: Send me your QR code

The next time you look to pay your doctor, you may want to ask for his or her QR code --     cashless transactions are safer for the patient and doctor alike.     

Through our Digital Doc program, we enable doctors and medical professionals to enjoy the benefits of digital payments via QR code.     

2 Public Schools Bag Youth Health Patrol Awards

Youth Health sessions on student health and lifestyle under quarantine

The Philippines is the 10th country in the world and the 1st in Southeast Asia to launch Kids and Diabetes in Schools (KiDS). Co-created by Sanofi and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and other partners, the program aims to raise awareness about diabetes management to schools and to educate and better promote healthy lifestyles among Filipino students. The program is operating in primary educational institutions across countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Egypt, Hungary, India, Japan, Pakistan, Poland and the United Arab Emirates.

In the Philippines, over 500 schools, 3000 teachers and 2000 students participated in the KiDS webinars on student health under quarantine. The sessions were conducted by medical experts -- endocrinologist, Dr. Lizette Lopez and diabetologist, Dr. Myrissa Alip who expressed the need for a diabetes management and prevention guide for school children. 

LRMC welcomes new LRT-1 Generation-4 trains

Private operator of LRT-1 Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC), has announced that the first of its Generation-4 (Gen-4) train sets arrived in the Philippines last 18 January 2021. It was formally launched to the public on 26 January 2021 at the Manila Harbor Center in an unveiling ceremony attended by distinguished guests from both the private and public sectors.

The state-of-the-art passenger train sets measure 106 meters in length and 2.59 meters in width, with maximum design speeds of up to 70 kph. Each train set consists of 4 light rail vehicles (LRVs) and can accommodate over 1,300 passengers per trip. The 4th Gen LRVs have destination signs to inform passengers if the trains heading north or south. Inside, the driver station features a modern design, and there is monitor that shows the temperature inside each LRV. The new train set is PWD-friendly with special areas for wheelchairs.

LRMC receives ISO recertification for Quality and Environmental Management System

Lead auditor of TUV Rheinland Philippines with the
 LRMC ISO team inspecting the LRT-1 Quirino Station
 during the onsite audit in November 2020

LRT-1 private operator Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) has received its recertification for ISO 9000:2015 (Quality Management System) and ISO 14001:2015 (Environmental Management System) after the successful audit conducted remotely last July 15-16, 2020 and onsite last November 18-19, 2020.

The new certificates will have a validity of three (3) years. LRMC first received its ISO certification in 2017. An ISO certification means that the company’s processes and systems meet international standards, ensuring both quality service for commuters and a first-rate work environment for employees.

Among the major positive observations commended in the audit include the management’s COVID-19 response (thermal scanning, UV C disinfection measure, contact tracing) on top of basic measures such as the use of minimum PPEs and physical distancing. Other safety measures that the audit team commended were the installation of additional beep card kiosks to improve queuing in all LRT-1 stations, installation of x-ray machines for additional security, encapsulation of asbestos roofing in the stations, and the implementation of specific controls to reduce risks on the tracks. The auditors also commended LRMC’s technology initiatives such as upgraded CCTVs, finger scan access control, electronic data management running on virtual server, and its enhanced Automated Train Operations Management System.