Watch Rico Blanco’s inspiring music video for “This Too Shall Pass”

Rico Blanco has finally dropped the official music video for his new solo single in four years.

With various footage taken here and abroad, the visuals for “This Too Shall Pass” take a closer look at how the pandemic has brought the entire world to a standstill.

Given the unprecedented uncertainty and challenges that COVID-19 poses, the video doubles as a tribute to the unsung heroes and frontliners leading the fight against an invisible enemy, showing us the true meaning of bayanihan in times of crisis.

Intercut with scenes of the “new normal” from around the globe, it also depicts the alt-rock icon performing the song at the confines of his home: devoid of flashy production designs and envelope-pushing concepts, but framed with an underlying message of resilience and hope.

Positive Reception

Two weeks earlier, “This Too Shall Pass” was released on all digital and streaming platforms worldwide under Sony Music.

The massive anthem has received critical acclaim from various publications in the country. MYX Philippines praised his work for giving listeners “a sense of reassurance, something we all need given the current situation.” Bandwagon Asia called the song an “ode to the light of the human spirit in dark times,” while GMA News described it as “a perfect source of inspiration.”

An Initiative for COVID-19 Response and Relief

To help fund the collective COVID-19 response in the Philippines, Rico Blanco is waiving his artist royalties for the music video of “This Too Shall Pass,” and Sony Music Philippines will be donating 100% of the global proceeds to www.puhon.ph for the first 6 months of release.

Puhon means “hopefully” in Visayan. The site contains inspiring stories and messages of encouragement to people at the frontline of fighting the pandemic.

Using the tagline #MakeHopeViral, to date, the site has raised P4.6M for personal protective equipment (PPEs) & nutrition support for frontline healthcare workers, COVID-19 testing kits, and relief goods for daily wage workers. Other SME Philippines artists with messages of support & encouragement on the site are SB19, Zelijah, Dionela, Nathan & Mercury, Alex Bruce, Ace Banzuelo & syd hartha.

The music video of Rico Blanco’s “This Too Shall Pass” is now out on YouTube.

Shopee identifies 4 of the biggest e-commerce trends in 2020

Consumers shop more often on weekdays and show an increased preference for cashless payments, while brands and sellers expand their online presence

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, identifies four major e-commerce trends in 2020. The retail landscape in the Philippines has been transformed due to increased social distancing efforts, such as the implementation of the Enhanced Community Quarantine as the nation combats the spread of Covid-19. As a result, brands and sellers are venturing online in search of growth, while consumers turn to e-commerce to meet their shopping needs.

Ruoshan Tao, Head of Marketing at Shopee Philippines said, “The year 2020 has changed the way we live, work, and shop. Brands and sellers across the region are stepping up their digitization efforts, with e-commerce becoming a key channel for them to sustain and grow their businesses. At the same time, consumers are increasingly going online to fulfill their everyday needs, in areas ranging from groceries to home appliances. As e-commerce takes on greater importance in people’s lives, Shopee will continue to make shopping even more social, engaging, and easy for everyone.”

In the Philippines, Shopee has identified 4 key trends for e-commerce in recent months:

1. Brands and sellers are growing their e-commerce presence

Brands and sellers are venturing online to boost their online presence while exploring new strategies to reach and engage consumers.

●       Robust growth for Filipino sellers: As people shop for their home and essential needs online, brands, and sellers in the Gaming and Pet Care categories are seeing strong growth. In addition, Brands and sellers offering pet essentials and home appliances & accessories saw 40 times and 15 times more orders respectively than the same period last year.

●       Reaching customers with live streaming: Brands and sellers are actively exploring new ways to reach consumers. Shopee has observed that the number of Shopee Live streams from brands and sellers increased by 40 times. Homegrown SMEs have successfully boosted online visibility with Shopee Live. For example, Sirods Stuffed Toys has recorded a robust number of views for its streams by showcasing popular toys and collectibles to users in real-time, enabling it to engage customers more effectively.

2. Shoppers turn to e-commerce for everyday needs

At the same time, Filipinos are relying on e-commerce to meet their everyday needs as people live, work, and play from home.

●       Consumers search and shop online for a wider variety of needs: Shopee has observed an increase in search and shopping activity in the past 3 months, especially for health and fashion products. This reflects an increasing reliance on e-commerce, which provides Filipinos with one-stop access to essentials, health products, and more.

○       Top searched keywords: Face masks, Dresses, Power banks, Undergarments

○       Top products: Mosquito incense, Vitamins, and supplements, cell phone cases

 3. Shopping preferences evolve as consumers seek convenience on e-commerce

Shopping preferences are also changing in the Philippines as consumers look for convenience in e-commerce during this period.

●       Increased shopping activity on weekdays: Online shopping activity has peaked on Tuesdays in recent months, showcasing the preference among Filipinos to shop earlier in the week. Shopping activity is also the highest at 12PM and 1PM as Filipinos shop more often during lunchtime.

●       Preference for cashless payments: Adoption of cashless payments is growing as consumers value speed and reduce physical interactions. Shopee has observed that users are increasingly using cashless options such as ShopeePay to pay for purchases in recent months.

4. Increased social interaction and engagement among online shoppers

E-commerce has now evolved into something more than just a way to shop - it’s also become a place where people come together to interact, read content, and connect with others. Shopee has seen greater use of its in-app engagement features in the past three months as Filipinos seek to stay connected online:

●       Shopee Live Chat: Shopee has seen an increase in social interactions on its platform. Over 1 million messages were sent daily on average as brands, sellers, and consumers interact with each other across the shopping journey.

●       In-app games: Shopee recorded 200 million plays for its in-app games over the past three months. This is driven by users logging in daily to earn rewards and try out new in-app games such as Shopee Farm and Shopee Throw.

Tao closed, “We want to make online shopping safe and convenient while staying true to our vision of delivering a social and engaging experience to our users. At the same time, we will continue to help both our sellers and buyers by providing them a seamless online shopping experience, especially during this COVID-19 crisis.

Download Shopee for free through the App Store or Google Play.

Maxi-Peel Encourages the Community to ‘Keep Fighting’ As a Beautiful Tomorrow Awaits

Everyday, we battle with different challenges that life throws at us. This time, the battle is not one of those daily stumbling blocks, rather, a global health crisis that has altered life’s normalcy. During these challenging times, a call for encouragement and a message of gratitude may come a long way, especially to those who work in health care, food, freight, and finance services among many other industries. These frontline workers risk their lives to keep the community going and functional amid the pandemic. This time, the fight they’re trying to overcome is for the common and greater good, in order to wake up to a beautiful tomorrow, not only for themselves and their families but for the whole country.

With a mission to boost the morale of our frontline workers, Maxi-Peel took on the initiative to become the bridge between our modern heroes and their loved ones who they might not have seen over the past weeks or maybe even months. With an online video with a title that sheds hope on its own - “Gaganda Muli Ang Bukas” - they were able to reach individuals whose moms, dads, aunts, and even friends are continuously fighting for a better tomorrow through their unwavering commitment and service as frontliners. This offered an opportunity for these people, who are close to the hearts of our frontliners, to send them messages and reminders to take a rest when they can, to also look out for themselves, and also to express how much they are missed. But moreover, through a short speech, these loved ones were able to share the pride and happiness of knowing that their family member is able to help a significant amount of those who are in need.

Hope has always been something that Maxi-Peel believed in, and just like our brave frontline workers and their families who remain strong as they keep fighting, Maxi-Peel also urges us to not give up, reminding us na dapat #WagMongIsukoAngLaban, a message they stand for that has inspired women across the Philippines, which now they hope inspires the entire country. They understand that a simple push for encouragement may affect the lives of many in a positive way and they have taken this chance to cheer on every single one of us facing this battle to continue to fight, as we, as a nation come together to rise above the situation and welcome a beautiful tomorrow that awaits.

To watch the full video, click on this link, as we all remember, “Gaganda Muli Ang Bukas”.

Look: These women have become the light of hope in their communities amid the COVID-19

In this time of Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ),some of us might have already felt the urge to think of ways we can lend a helping hand. Whenthe opportunity to provide assistance have come knocking on the doors of some ordinary,everyday women like Marielle Solomon, Sarah Jane de la Rosa, Pia Alviola, Melissa Olit, andAngela Lapinosa, they embraced the chance to help and made things happen!

They have been voluntarily and wholeheartedly taking on tasks of providing food, of sourcing for relief goods, of creating PPEs, and mobilizing resources for Filipinos in COVID-harm’s way. They didn’t thinktwice to go out of their comfort zones to share a part of themselves and be a light to others. Marielle Solomon is a marketing professional who currently spends most of her time around volunteers like herself in Siargao Community Kitchen to ease the plight of families in the island whose source of income have been affected by COVID-19.

At present, they have provided over4,000 food packs, staying true to the belief that community starts with sharing. Through herefforts, Marielle is just one of the women who bring the light to the island of Siargao.Student Sarah Jane de la Rosa’s light has truly radiated throughout the Metro. She has proven that being a differently abled person is not and will never be a hindrance if you put your heart in the service of a solid cause. A volunteer at the Barangay Holy Spirit Person with Disabilities Association, Sarah who is afflicted with cerebral palsy, ably leads her team as their President in providing relief packages in the area. As of today, the association has provided much needed help to more than 1,000 PWD’s and their families.

Project Love PPE and Masks has produced and donated over 1,500 masks and 600 PPEs invarious hospitals. This initiative is the brainchild of Pia Alviola, a Fashion Designer based inMakati City, who has found a way to bring the light among our healthcare front liners the best way she knows how, through her skills, and her desire to not only provide a source of income for her team of seamstresses and tailors, but also to be an instrument of providing protection in these times.

In Puerto Princesa, Melissa Olit, the founder of Chef Aiza’s Community has seen to it that hercommunity in Palawan is given the proper nutrition and sustenance they need. From front liners to students, and even to hard working construction workers stranded on the island, Melissa has made sure the food she prepares, and delivers are sourced from local farmers to sustain their livelihood. Over the course of bringing light to front liners and local farmers, her group has already served more than 5,000 food packs.

Through a drive called RICEaboveCOVID, Angela Lapinosa, one of the lead organizers of the initiative, has illuminated the city of Cebu with her generosity and service. At the Cebu Institute of Technology, Angela is known as a student leader. But for the two hundred beneficiaries of the cause she represents, Angela is one to remember only with the kindest of words. The young ones also acknowledge her as someone who has shed light into their lives and has given them hope for being the project manager of “Para Kay Baby”, a project under RICEaboveCOVID that has allocated 100 relief goods to the families of infants and children in her town.

These five extraordinary women have truly become light bearers in their communities forserving as volunteers who through their service and heart, have greatly contributed to thecommon good. Like these women, SkinWhite has always believed that anyone can#BeTheLight especially in times of uncertainty. Every effort no matter how small, can have aconsiderable amount of good especially to those who are in need. Let us continue inspiring andencouraging these women by supporting their causes, as we too can be the light in our ownways.

Here are ways to reach Marielle, Sarah, Pia, Melissa and Angela as we make these challenging times lighter! Siargao Community Kitchen - +63 939 883 4033 | visit their Siargao Community Kitchen on Instagram and Facebook pageBarangay Holy Spirit Person with Disabilities Association - Sarah de la RosaProject Love PPE and Masks - Pia AlviolaChef Aiza’s Community - Melissa Olit, Community Kitchen’s page , or Chef Aiza's Community on InstagramRICEaboveCOVID – Cebuano Youth Ambassadors, Inc. Lapinosa

Shopee resumes full operations and nationwide fulfillment for all goods: Users can buy all their essential and non-essential goods from the safety of their own home

Shopee, the leading e-commerce platform in Southeast Asia and Taiwan, announced today that it will resume full operations and fulfillment of all orders nationwide -- including non-essential goods like beauty products, fashion, and many more. Cash on Delivery will also be available for all items.

Martin Yu, Associate Director of Shopee Philippines, said: “We’re glad to announce that Shopee will be resuming full operations and nationwide fulfillment for all goods and services. Aside from essential goods, our Filipino users can now have access to non-essential goods from different categories like fashion, beauty, and many more. We are also working closely with our brands, sellers, and partners to ensure that we continue to provide our users with greater convenience and value during this period and beyond Covid-19.”

Shopee will also continue to serve its users with their essential needs with the recently launched 5.5 Shopee Mart Sale. Running until May 5, Shopee offers deals as low as ₱5 and a Free Shipping with P0 minimum spend on essential products including food, personal hygiene, health supplies, and many more.
In addition, Shopee will be offering discounts up to 90% off on fashion items with the Shopee Bazaar Sale.

Visit https://shopee.ph/5-5 for more information.

Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

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Be a Smart Shopper! 5 Shop from Home Tips For Every Filipino

Catch the 5.5 Shopee Mart Sale from April 22 to May 5 and enjoy deals as low as ₱5 and Free Shipping with P0 minimum spend

In the middle of the COVID-19 outbreak, we must stay healthy and safe. Shopping at home is the most convenient way to get your daily essential needs, and there’s no better way to get your shopping done from home than with Shopee! Here are some tips to make your #ShopeeAtHome experience easier and help you decide better:

1. Plan ahead and ready your list

Make a list and check it twice. This will give you an overview of what items you really need to buy and help you manage your budget. It will also ensure that you don't forget essential personal care items like antibacterial soaps and shampoos before hitting the checkout button. Take a look at Shopee’s collection and sale pages to see the variety of great deals that are available. Shopee’s collections also make it easier for you to find the items on your list, and get great deals to boot!

2. Choose healthy

A healthy lifestyle starts with smart choices when buying food. Make sure to fill your pantry with nutrient-packed meals and drinks. Shopee offers a variety of food products packed with essential vitamins and minerals. You can use its search filter function for easy access to its wide range of food and beverage items, health supplements, and more.

3. Order in bulk

Save more money and get additional discounts when you buy in bulk. Find shop vouchers and bundle deals that give you an extra discount when you purchase more items from the same shop. Items marked as Wholesale can also help you save--if you buy the specified number of items, you can get them at a discounted price.

4. Invest in your family's protection

During this Enhanced Community Quarantine, it may be difficult to find disinfectants and protective gear in local grocery stores. Luckily, Shopee provides a wide range of health products on their Flash Deals and branded collections including face masks, hand sanitizers, alcohol, and anti-bacterial cleaners. Not only is there a lot of variety to choose from, but you’ll also get great discounts.

5. Look for best deals and bargains

Don’t fret! Shopee offers the best deals on all your essential needs with 5.5 Shopee Mart Sale. Starting from April 22 - May 5, you can now #ShopeeFromHome and get deals as low as ₱5 and a Free Shipping with P0 minimum spend on your favorite essential goods. Score even better deals when you use discount vouchers, cashback vouchers, and Shopee coins. Even more vouchers await you when you shop using ShopeePay. In addition, top brands like P&G, Wyeth, Nestle, Unilever, Enfagrow, and Abbot will be giving discounts at up to 50% off.