"Who are you when no one’s watching?" paves the way for Celebrity podcasts: Join Provocations and Intimate Conversations from BOY ABUNDA’S new Podcast

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In partnership with Podcast Network Asia, Tito Boy is celebrating a new year with the launch of his new podcast show, “Who are you when no one’s watching?”  This landmark podcast is both familiar and new, making it absolutely habit-forming.

Boy Abunda together with Podcast Network Asia launched “Who are you when no one’s watching?” today. 

Well-known and widely beloved for being the King of Talk, Boy Abunda, or “Tito Boy” as he is more popularly known has been at the helm of his titular talk shows over the years, such as "The Bottomline with Boy Abunda" and "Tonight with Boy Abunda." 

With the foray into digital, audio on-demand format, he now steps away from the stage lights, the grand production, and the multi-camera setup to do what he does best: talk.

“Doing interviews takes courage – the courage to ask and answer questions, to open a part of yourself, to let down your guard, and to be real. In those few minutes, and sometimes long hours, my guests whether unconsciously or not reveal themselves,” says Tito Boy.

“In this podcast, I want to continue doing that. But this time, there are no extra bright lights, no 5-camera setup, no myriad of staff and crew members on the set. In fact, no one is watching.” 

The choice to do a more intimate approach for the show makes the best use of the medium. “Who are you when no one’s watching?” feels like a private conversation that you stumbled upon and felt lucky enough to have been invited to listen in to. 

“Because you’ll all be listening to a more intimate, relaxed, and insightful conversation with a whole range of guests. It has been said that we reveal our true selves when no one is watching – when there are no prying eyes, no faces of judgement, no crowds to please, that’s the kind of vibe I want to create in this podcast.”

His guests are atypical of what you’d expect from a “talk show” and their stories unfold under the mesmerizing cadence of Tito Boy’s voice. 

“This is a proud moment for us in Podcast Network Asia. We are thankful for the trust that Tito Boy and his team has put in us, and we are excited to see the impact it will have on the industry.”

With about 31M Filipinos already listening to podcasts and over a hundred locally-produced shows, the interest in podcasting is expected to grow even more. For instance, globally, there is an estimated 1M podcasts and podcast ads have grown exponentially along with it. 

“Who are you when no one’s watching?” is a milestone for the local podcast industry, a nod to the legitimacy of the medium which is expected to pave the way for more celebrity-led shows.

About Podcast Network Asia:

Podcast Network Asia is a media and tech company that aims to make podcast listening mainstream by creating and curating the region’s best audio content and reinforce its value through an AI-powered podcast analytlics platform, Podmetrics. 

www.podcastnetwork.asia 

FREE Extra NOVUHAIR Herbal Shampoo Exclusive at Watsons

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Along with the ongoing threat of this pandemic health crisis comes, one has to adapt to the new normal that affects everything and everyone. Despite the urgency of reopening businesses for economic reasons, the majority of the Filipinos are still forced to stay at home with uncertainty.

Apparently, these endless quarantines have taken emotional and mental tolls in the household affecting Filipino women, most of whom work from home and work at home. They have to take care of the entire family and household while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. 

For some women, such trying times are something to lose their hair over, literally. Not many know this, but stress can actually cause hair loss. Mental health issues like anxiety and depression can also contribute to hair loss.

Discover some of the 5 reasons why your hair might be falling out. Read more: https://bit.ly/35xfuDA

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LRMC partners with Binhi English Literacy Foundation for learning program

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In keeping with its advocacy of supporting nation-building through various initiatives, the Light Rail Manila Corporation (LRMC) has announced a new partnership with Binhi English Literacy Foundation, a non-profit and non-governmental organization, to aid struggling children in learning to read and write.

Marcelo Marcela Elementary School in Pasay City receives learning kits from Light Rail Manila Corporation and Binhi English Literacy Foundation

Through the partnership with Binhi Foundation, LRMC is adopting a Grade 2 class from Marcelo Marcela Elementary School in Pasay City and supporting the Beginning Reading Program for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 academic years. The school is located close to the LRT-1 EDSA station.

The Beginning Reading Program is an entire learning program for six (6) months designed to support children struggling to read and write at a relatively advanced age. The program aims to keep the children in school by improving their literacy skills, to foster a love for reading and improve comprehension skills, and to inculcate a love for learning that will inspire them to do better in school and subsequently improve their economic situation. The components of the curriculum include teaching tools (modules, activity sheets, various school supplies, instructional USB flash drive); assessments (pre-test, mid-test, post-test); monitoring of the students; inputs on lesson plans; evaluation and recommendation. It has also been modified and maximized for the online and modular learning setup required by the Department of Education given the pandemic situation.

 LRMC Corporate Communications and Customer Relations Head Jacqueline Gorospe, Marcelo Marcela Elementary School Principal Norma Jamon and representatives from Binhi Foundation distributes Beginning Reading Program Kits to parents/guardians of Grade 2 students

“This English literacy support is a greatly-needed intervention program for our struggling readers. The effective strategies and learning kits provided by Binhi and funded by LRMC will surely bring the pupils’ much-sought enhancement in their English and reading skills,” said Marcelo Marcela Elementary School Principal Norma P. Jamon.

“At LRMC, we value learning and support an open culture where we are after developing our team members to reach their potential. In the same light, we are glad to help young Filipino children achieve their fullest potential and overcome learning challenges through our partnership with Binhi English Literacy Foundation. All of us can make a difference in whatever work we do, and this is our way of supporting the next generation by inculcating the value of education,” said LRMC Head of Corporate Communications and Customer Relations Jacqueline Gorospe.

Binhi English Literacy Foundation is an NGO founded in 2008 to help out-of-school children and students who are at risk of not completing their primary education due to absence of learning support in their homes and communities. Inspired by PRATHAM, an NGO in India which was responsible for helping more than 21 million underprivileged children, Binhi designed an intervention tool to improve reading and comprehension skills to achieve its vision of “Every Filipino Child in school and learning well.”

LRMC is a staunch supporter of education, spearheading previous initiatives such as the partnership with the PLDT-Smart Foundation’s Gabay Guro program in celebration of Teacher’s Month every year.

A look into education’s new normal : DepEd shares insights on the first weeks of classes

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Various industries in the Philippines are already on their slow but steady path to recovery and that includes the education sector. Despite the compromises and major changes made in the educational system to navigate through the now normal, the Department of Education (DepEd) has successfully opened classes for SY 2020-2021. 

“DepEd recognizes the challenges of the school year ahead, but if we opted for an academic freeze, we would have lost many months of the childrens’ learning,” said DepEd Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones. “The opening of the school year has generally been very successful, and we will continue to face any challenge that lies ahead with great resolve to continue education in the country.” 

For the first few weeks of classes, the Department has been focusing on the proper implementation of the alternative learning delivery modalities and providing the necessary psychosocial support for the academic community. 

Learning in the new normal 

Following the DepEd’s successful implementation of the different learning modalities across the country, Regional Offices (ROs) are working hard to continuously provide students with learning materials. 

With the vision of making education accessible to every student in the country, DepEd reports that 690,578,576 Self Learning Modules (SLM) have already been printed. Distribution of the said learning materials has also been successful, with 465,225,636 SLMs being distributed to students nationwide for the first quarter of the school year. 

Learning materials for Online Distance Learning students have already been prepared in time for the first quarter of the academic year, with 3,841,474 digitized SLMs, e-books, online video lessons, and the like ready for rollout. 

The DepEd also shared that 7,740 Radio-based instruction (RBI) learning materials are ready for roll out across all regions in the country. These materials include teaching scripts and learning episodes, which will help educate and engage with students in far-flung areas. Currently, DepEd has partnerships with 309 radio stations all over the Philippines. 

Meantime, preparations for Television-based learning have also been successful. The Department reports that 9,207 Television-based instruction (TBI) learning materials like video lessons and learning episodes have been prepared for students in all 17 regions in the country. A total of 259 television channels are partaking in TBI, making education more accessible and easier to consume this school year. 

Recently, DepEd also announced the DepEd Error Watch initiative. The goal of this initiative is to receive and collate reports of errors found in different learning materials so that the DepEd can forward these to the appropriate offices for validation and correction. The initiative allows the Department to be more open to public feedback in order to further improve the learning experience of every student in the country. 

Parents and students can use various platforms such as email (errorwatch@deped.gov.ph), Facebook messenger (@depederrorwatch), and text message (0961-680-5334) to report any discrepancies, and are also encouraged to use the hashtag #depederrorwatch when submitting reports. 

Training has also been conducted nationwide to help equip teachers and parents for the changes that are bound to happen this school year. The Department has trained 804,272 teachers, and they have also reached out to 14,944,593 parents in all 13 regions. In total, 45,321 schools have helped the Department in conducting seminars to educate both teachers and parents. 

Putting emphasis on mental health 

The mental health of the academic community also continues to be one of DepEd’s top priorities for this school year. Prior to the opening of classes, DepEd trained teachers to provide support to students who may be struggling to cope with education’ new normal. 

The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS) program gives learners the necessary support they needed during the first week of remote learning. Likewise, DepEd’s stakeholders also enjoy wellness checks to also help them cope with working at such a peculiar time. 

DepEd also issued the Parents’ Handbook for the New Normal in Basic Education to serve as a guide for SY 2020-2021. The handbook helps parents further understand the alternative learning modalities and provides information on where parents can seek help should they encounter difficulties in understanding the learning modules. Practical tips for parents of learners with disabilities and positive parenting and discipline tips when facilitating home learning are also included in the handbook. Parents can secure a copy of the handbook by downloading it online. 

“The millions of learners who are doing their best to learn despite the pandemic are truly inspiring and encouraging,” said Secretary Briones. “The Department remains steadfast in its commitment to provide all learners with the quality education they deserve, and we will continue to work hand in hand with our stakeholders to continue education for Filipinos across the country amid these trying times.” 

About the Department of Education 

The Department of Education (DepEd) formulates, implements, and coordinates policies, plans, programs and projects in the areas of formal and non-formal basic education. It supervises all elementary and secondary education institutions, including alternative learning systems, both public and private; and provides for the establishment and maintenance of a complete, adequate, and integrated system of basic education relevant to the goals of national development. 

Jake Cuenca and Ivana Alawi summon bad omens in "Sitsit's" back-to-back horror flicks on iWant TFC

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Jake Cuenca and Ivana Alawi will give us back-to-back horror flicks, on iWant TFC starting on a movie series “Sitsit”.

Virtual media conference for iWant TFC's Halloween offering "Sitsit" with Jake Cuenca and Ivana Alawi, and producer Paulo Avelino with directors Ato Bautista and Erin Pascua .

Jake Cuenca and Ivana Alawi’s desire for money and sex will corrupt their minds and summon evil into their lives in the back-to-back horror flicks for the movie series “Sitsit,” streaming on iWant TFC on October 31.

“Sitsit” presents two different stories in “Scorpio” and “Aswang” about people who, out of desperation to escape their misery and turn things around, take the easy way out and end up attracting evil elements that will manipulate them and could tarnish their souls completely.

In “Scorpio,” named after the Zodiac sign, Jake and Dido Dela Paz portray Danny, a lustful aging photographer who fears living a lonely life with no one to love. To get the woman he loves and is obsessed with, he takes a mysterious potion that will turn him into a young handsome man to win her heart.

“Aswang,” on the other hand, follows a money-hungry prostitute named Joyce (Ivana) who is desperate to escape her life after being used and abused by different people. One day, she meets Nala, a stray dog who becomes her companion for life and ends up turning all her insecurities and worries into life-changing opportunities.

In Filipino myths, the word “sitsit” or “pssst” signifies a calling of an individual or object that is usually accompanied by a bad omen when one responds to such call. The two horror flicks, however, provide a darker twist and a modern take on Filipino folklore elements “aswang” and "gayuma,” as the characters summon evil spirits due to their selfish desires.

“Scorpio” is directed by Ato Bautista, while “Aswang” is directed by Erin Pascual. 

Actor Paulo Avelino, meanwhile, co-produced "Aswang."

Catch “Sitsit” on the iWant TFC app (iOs and Android) or on iwanttfc.com starting October 31. 

For updates, like www.facebook.com/iWantTFC, and follow @iwanttfc on Twitter and Instagram, and subscribe to www.youtube.com/iWantTFC. For inquiries and concerns about the service, users can also send a message on iWant TFC’s Facebook page or e-mail support@iwanttfc.com.