October 8, 2019

The Angels Initiative: Building a Network of Stroke-Ready Hospitals

Initiative stresses need for more hospitals in the Philippines to be equipped for stroke

In light of the upcoming World Stroke Day on October 29, the Angels Initiative, a healthcare program that aims to improve hospital care for people who just suffered a stroke, recently hosted a roundtable for the media called, “Angels Initiative: Improving Stroke Care in Asia,” at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.



The Angels Initiative is composed of dedicated consultants who provide doctors, nurses and ambulance crews with the training and support they need to create and improve the treatment pathways and processes around stroke care. The Angels consultants run assessments together with the hospitals; compare existing processes with guidelines; provide training and ongoing support for the hospital staff as well as process- and quality-monitoring.

The media roundtable was held in conjunction with the Asia Pacific Stroke Conference (APSC) in Manila on October 2-5, 2019. The APSC focused on highlighting the burden of stroke, globally and locally in the Philippines. The event also featured global and regional key opinion leaders, which includes spokespersons from APSC, Angels Initiative and the World Stroke Organization (WSO). There was also recognition of new hospitals in Southeast Asia & South Korea (SEASK) who received their first WSO Angels Awards at the event.


Stroke: A Common killer

When does stroke exactly happen? A stroke, or "brain attack," occurs when blood circulation to the brain fails. Brain cells can die from decreased blood flow and the resulting lack of oxygen. There are two broad categories of stroke: those caused by a blockage of blood flow and those caused by bleeding into the brain. A blockage of a blood vessel in the brain or neck, called an ischemic stroke, is the most frequent cause of stroke and is responsible for about 80 percent of strokes. 

People age 55 or older have a higher risk of stroke than younger people do. Men have a higher risk of stroke than women do. Women are usually older when they have strokes, and they're more likely to die of strokes than are men. “One third of 17 million people die from stroke after exhibiting its symptoms. Another third are left disabled permanently. It is alarming to note that two-thirds of stroke attacks in the world happen in Asia,” according to Prof. Dr. Jose Navarro, Chair of the Neurosonology Group of the Philippine Neurological Association and former President of the Stroke Society of the Philippines. “In the Philippines, stroke is the second leading cause of death” 

It is also crucial to note that stroke is such a time-sensitive disease that for every minute it is left untreated, up to two million-brain cells die. 

“There are more chances that an outcome will be most favorable when a stroke patient receives care 60 minutes upon arrival at the hospital,” explained Prof. Dr. Michael Brainin, President of the World Stroke Organization. “These patients are more likely to become independent and have a higher possibility of going back home after surviving the disease.”



Making hospitals stroke-ready

This is what the Angels Initiative addresses. For the initiative, treating patients as soon as possible, following the best standards of care in dedicated stroke centers, is important so that they can have better chances of survival and living disability-free lives. The initiative provides hospitals with the resources and the support they need as well as the needed training for their doctors and staff so that they can be truly stroke-ready.

Every country that the Angels Initiative is present in has an “Angels Consultants Team” that supports hospitals in implementing stroke care improvement programs. A hospital or center will be considered stroke-ready when it has reached a standardization of processes, which will ensure that stroke treatment is given within 60 minutes of the patient arriving at the hospital.





About the Angels Initiative in the Philippines

The Angels Initiative was launched by Boehringer Ingelheim and endorsed by the European Stroke Organization (ESO) and the World Stroke Organization (WSO). It began in Europe with a team of stroke experts back in November 2014 and now in SEASK (Southeast Asia and South Korea).

An important aspect of the Angels Initiative is the collaboration with local medical organizations, such as the Stroke Society of the Philippines and the Philippine Neurological Association. 

Here in the Philippines, the initiative has made considerable progress since it began in 2017 with one Angels stroke consultant and 18 target hospitals in consultation. There are now 11 stroke-ready hospitals in the country with five fully-dedicated Angels consultants and 42 hospitals nationwide in active consultation.

Among the 42 hospitals in consultation, the National Capital Region has the most number with 25 hospitals, followed by Davao, with four hospitals. Cordillera Autonomous Region, Central Luzon, and Central Visayas are also some of the regions with hospitals that are part of the Angels network.

Thomas Fischer


According to Thomas Fischer, Boehringer Ingelheim Global Project Lead of the Angels Initiative, in 2018, 265 more Filipino patients were treated for stroke, which accounts to 11 percent more Filipino patients having a second chance at life.

“There are currently 98 Philippine hospitals registered in the Angels Initiative website,” added Fischer. “This is a huge jump from the 32 registrants in 2018.”

During the APSC, Baguio General Hospital and Makati Medical Center received the Q2 2019 WSO Gold Award. The WSO Angels Awards are designed to acknowledge and honor teams and individuals committed to quality improvement in stroke practice and to establish a culture of continued monitoring.

For hospitals that are interested in finding out more about the Angels Initiative and how they can be properly equipped to become stroke-ready, they can schedule a consultation with the Angels Team by registering through the official website:
www.angels-initiative.com








More About the Angels Initiative

Suffering a stroke is one of the most devastating medical emergencies that can happen to a person. Fifteen million people worldwide suffer a stroke every year; one-third of these people die as a consequence; another third is left permanently disabled. Guidelines recommend that patients who have had a stroke are treated in a specialized stroke unit by a dedicated team. In turn, treatment should be initiated as quickly as possible after onset of symptoms, but this does not always happen.

A dedicated team of Angels consultants provide doctors, nurses and ambulance crews with the training and support they need to create and improve the treatment pathways and processes around stroke care. The Angels consultants run assessments together with the hospitals; compare existing processes with guidelines; provide training and ongoing support for the hospital staff as well as process- and quality-monitoring. Examples of these measures include checklists, which help to standardize processes and to limit unnecessary delays. In addition, the Angels Initiative offers educational tools and programs – digital as well as analogue, support for pre- and in-hospital process optimization and a community platform for peer-to-peer exchange and access to the world’s leading stroke specialists.

For further information on the Angels Initiative, visit: https://www.angels-initiative.com

October 7, 2019

Coco Martin at the Shell Rimula Tsuperstar Grand Finals


Pilipinas Shell held its much-awaited Shell Rimula Tsuperstar Grand Finals last October 5 at the Sta Lucia East Grand Mall, Cainta, Rizal.

Carlito Vergara, a jeepney driver from Bulacan, emerged as the grand winner and went home with three-year supply of Shell Rimula and a cash prize of P500,000. He also bagged the “People’s Choice Award”.

Rodrigo Belarmino and Roland Salazar both from Mindanao won 2nd Place and 1st Place, respectively. Belarmino wins as the  KaJoda’s Choice Award”  and  received P10,000 cash prize for his jeepney association.

The event was a culminating activity of Shell Rimula in support of the country's jeepney drivers and showcased the diverse talents of these acknowledged 'tsuperstars.

The Shell Rimula Tsuperstar" project is the energy leader's campaign that recognizes the efforts of jeepney drivers from al over the Philppines who work day and right to provide a brighter future for their families.

After making it through the auditions and regional finals, finalists from five regions in the Philippines made it to the grand finals to compete for the Ultimate Tsuperstar Champion" 



Present during the event was actor, TV personality, and Shell Rimula ambassador Coco Martin, who gave the attendies and grand finalists a special performance accompanied by rappers Smugglaz and Bassilya. 

Coco shared that he comes from a family of jeepney drivers and he's not one to hide this fact. His grandfather made a living driving a jeepney and was able to provide for his family and meet the needed expenses in raising his children. Coco's father continued this particular family legacy and provided for the family by driving a jeepney as well.



The grand finals was also a right of celebrity performances, games, and raffle prizes .

According to Recca Menchavez, Brand Manager for Shel Rimula, Shel Rimula has always been on the side of Flpino drivors everywhera Whether they drive jeepneys or UV Express vans, Shel Rimula is their most-trusted engine partner. Their continuous hard work to provide for their families is the reason why Shell considers them the real 'tsuperstars

"We call them 'tsuperstars' because we beleve that they are not only some of the most hardworking people in our society, they are also the most underappreciated. We count on them to take us to work or to school, but we really don't get to thank them enough" said Recca.

Recca expressed her grafitude for every driver who has worked tirelessly on the road with Shel Rimulla as their chosen engine oil. "This event isn't simply a competition of who's the best in talent, this is our way of honoring and showing support to our Fipino drivers for everything that they have done for us," she stressed. They also deserve to take some time off and enjoy," she added.



Pilipinas Shell has continuously pushed for efforts to improve the lives of Filipino drivers The Tsuperstar campaign is only one project that has allowed Pilipinas Shell to honor drivers who have been long-time supporters of the

"Our drivers help make the future of our country that much brighter. And they can look forward to more offerings from Shell," Recca shared. No matter what you drive and what you do for a living, Shell will always make sure that there's something that best fits your engine's needs," she added.

In its 105 years of helping build the nation and providing energy that makes the future, Shell has become a market leader in engine lubricants not only here in the Philippines but in over 100 countries. Shell Lubricants offers a wide variety of ail products for light- and heavy-duty vehicles, cars, and motorcycles.







October 5, 2019

Always ahead, always in style with the new SAMSUNG Galaxy Watch Active2, now in stores nationwide!

Samsung has been making waves in the second half of the year with its recent launches aimed toward the New Work Tribe. This group of individuals live out their passions by transforming them into fulfilling careers using purposeful tools that can bring them to the next level — one of which is the newest Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2, which hits stores nationwide starting today!



The Galaxy Watch Active2 is designed with a fresh new look. The new version comes in sleek 44mm and 40mm variants in lightweight aluminum and premium solid stainless steel. The watch face can also be tailored based on a color extraction algorithm to further match the user’s style.

Navigating also becomes easier with the upgraded digital touch bezel and the updated One UI that offers easy and simple user experience The Galaxy Watch Active2 takes personalized wellness to the next level as it intelligently and automatically detects fitness activities—including workouts such as running, walking, cycling, swimming, rowing machine, elliptical machine, and dynamic workout. Additionally, the updated Running Coach gives actionable fitness insights in real-time.

The Galaxy Watch Active2 has been integrated with leading sleep and meditation app Calm to offer improved sleep analysis and stress relief suggestions. This, while delivering unlimited access to guided meditation programs.

Users can now listen to their favorite music right from their wrist through Samsung’s integration with Spotify. They simply need to log on to their Samsung account with a single sign-on from their smartphone or Galaxy Watch Active2 for a seamless and continuous listening experience.

The Galaxy Watch Active2 empowers productivity as it allows making and receiving calls as well as accessing various social media platforms with just a tap of a finger. The smartwatch is also equipped with a Watch Camera Controller which lets users take photos, record videos, and preview footage right from the smartwatch when paired with a Galaxy smartphone. It is also a great accessory for frequent travellers and backpackers as it supports real-time voice and text translation in over 16 languages.

The Galaxy Watch Active2 is available, starting today, at any Samsung-authorized store nationwide with a suggested retail price of Php 19,990, Php 16,990, and Php 13,990 for the 44mm Stainless Steel, 44mm and 40mm Aluminum models, respectively. The Aluminum variant comes in striking Cloud Silver and Aqua Black colors, while the Stainless steel variant comes in Silver.

To know more about the Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2, visit samsung.com/ph.

DOT celebrates the tourism’s contribution to Filipinos with new campaign

The Department of Tourism launched its latest campaign, The Tourism Decade, with the release of its latest AVP, a microsite with stories and mini-documentaries of individuals and the preview of the multi-media exhibition, Onwards: The Philippine Tourism in Intramuros. The launch event was held at Museo de Intramuros on September 27, 2019.

The Tourism Decade campaign commemorates the 10th anniversary of Republic Act 9593, better known as the Tourism Act of 2009. The campaign focuses on how the tourism industry provides inclusive growth and sustainable livelihood that benefits every Filipino, all made possible by R.A. 9593.

DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat 


“The Tourism Decade celebration is an event not only to commemorate the law, but also to honor the travel industry’s contributions to the improvement of the lives of the Filipino people, and to bring attention to tourism’s functions as an engine of investment, employment, growth and national development,” said DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat in her keynote speech.

“If not for the implementation of Tourism Act, it would have been difficult for us to see the rising impact of the tourism industry on the country’s economic progress over the years, reaching a 12.7% contribution to the nation’s gross domestic product in 2018. This continued growth has proven tourism’s direct linkages to various socio-economic development activities that have been helping improve our people’s quality of life,” Sec. Puyat emphasized.

Since the enactment of Tourism Act in 2009, foreign arrivals have more than doubled, growing from 3 million in 2009 to 7.1 million individuals by the end of 2018. Domestic tourism expenditure also grew from PhP 508.8 billion in 2009 to PhP 3.2 trillion last year.


Sustainable tourism through comprehensive regulations

Signed into law on May 12, 2009, by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the Tourism Act was authored by Senator Richard J. Gordon and 1st District of Bohol Representative Edgar M. Chatto.

Rep. Chatto mentioned that the creation of the law was aimed at espousing holistic and sustainable tourism that would guide all stakeholders in the industry.

“Tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world that can bring in more jobs, more livelihood and more economic opportunities for the younger generation,” Rep. Chatto noted.

Senator Gordon, meanwhile, talked about inclusivity of all sectors in promoting and managing the programs for the tourism industry. “Tourism is a country undertaking, lahat tayo dapat magparticipate—mayaman o mahirap dapat tayong magparticipate; mayaman o mahirap pwedeng kumita dyan, kaya dapat ipaglaban natin yan,” he said.

He underscored the provisions of the law for infrastructure development, and identification of new tourism destinations or establishment of new tourism enterprise zones to enhance the income-generating capacities of the people.



People as the heart of the tourism campaign

With the launch of the “Tourism Decade Campaign,” the DOT underscores the fruits of the law’s implementation by revealing the heart-warming stories of communities and personalities who have been positively transformed by tourism.

“This tourism campaign pays homage to the people, organizations and communities who have reaped the benefits of sustainable tourism as envisioned by the proponents of the law,” Sec. Puyat shared.

DOT recognizes the narratives of our people as the heart of our tourism industry, delivering inspiration, excitement and joy to both local and foreign visitors.

The campaign features the stories of Whang-Od, the century-old Mambabatok of Kalinga; Rambo, the dog tour guide of Batad, Ifugao; the Deafinite Tour Guiding Service of Intramuros for its deaf-friendly tours; the Lake Pandin Women Rafters of San Pablo, Laguna; and Bobby Adrao, an advocate for whale shark protection in Donsol, Sorsogon.

Further down south, the campaign puts the spotlight on two Puerto Princesa locals: Angelo Cayabo, a former dishwasher who established dolphin-watching tours in Palawan; and Eva Valledor, founder of Binuatan Creations, a successful sustainable community livelihood program famous for their weaved products. It also covered the experiences of the Loboc River Choir in Bohol; Laida Escoltura, a known home cook from General Luna, Siargao; and the indigenous T’Boli people of South Cotabato who exemplify how cultural tourism can enhance Philippine living traditions.

As part of the “Tourism Decade Campaign,” video documentaries of the featured personalities and communities can be accessed online at thetourismdecade.philippines.travel.

Another highlight is the preview of Onward: The Philippines Tourism Decade Exhibition at the former site of San Ignacio Church and an outdoor interactive installation in Plaza Roma, both located inside Intramuros’ historic walls. The project is a testament to tourism’s impact on Filipino lives, that it is seen, felt, and experienced not just by those who are able to travel, but also by those whose lives have significantly improved since 2009. The exhibition is not only a celebration of these 10 victorious years, it is also an affirmation that we continue to take the right steps forward, onward.

The exhibition will soon be open to the public and will run until December 2019, and admission is free. 

To add more flavor to the celebration, there were performances from local talents such as the UP Padayon Rondalla and soprano Stephanie Quintin from the UP College of Music. The T’boli dancers of Lake Sebu, poets, and other cultural acts provided further entertainment.

Even after 10 years of the Tourism Act’s implementation, the DOT remains steadfast in its vision of developing a highly competitive and environmentally sustainable tourism industry that creates jobs and opportunities for Filipinos, bringing inclusive growth to all, and continues being a major component in nation building.

Chicken All-You-Can for 1 year when you #ScanToPay with PayMaya at BonChon!

K-food lovers can now experience a more exciting and rewarding food adventure as they get a chance to win a one-year supply of BonChon's K-Style fried chicken when they scan-to-pay with PayMaya at BonChon. 



All they need to do to earn raffle entries is to purchase their favorite Bonchon meals worth at least P200 by scanning the PayMaya QR code displayed at the cashiers using their PayMaya app. After the successful QR transaction, they can also receive up to two BonChon vouchers via SMS for either a one-piece Chicken Boxed Meal or one Original Chicken or Seafood Bibimbowl. 

This promo runs until November 30, 2019 at select BonChon branches nationwide. For a complete list of participating BonChon stores, check out paymaya.com/deals/bonchon


Paying via PayMaya QR at BonChon is easy: 
1. Tap the “Scan QR” button on your PayMaya app’s home screen.  
2. Scan the QR code found at the cashier. 
3. Enter the amount due and tap “Send Payment.” 
4. Show the confirmation message to the cashier, and that’s it! 

BonChon, a South Korean-based international fried chicken company, is known for producing flavorful sauces-namely soy garlic, honey citrus or crunchy garlic-that are being shipped worldwide. They are focused on bringing the most satisfying eating experience to their customers around the globe. 

“When having your favorite Korean treats from BonChon, don’t pay cash. Just scan-to-pay with PayMaya QR. Aside from a fast and convenient payment experience, you’re getting free meals and so much more when you pay with PayMaya,” said PayMaya Director and Head of Wallets Business, Kenneth Palacios. 

To stay updated about PayMaya’s services and promos, visit paymaya.com/deals or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. 

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