Meet My Buddy

Meet Cindy, my new buddy...

Like me, she has asthma. On Sunday, July 3 - I encouraged her to run 5 km and she was able to make it.

We've been doing yoga every week until I got her to be my running buddy for the 9th Robinsons Fit & Fun Wellness Buddy Run. This is to support Robinsons Supermarket’s continuous campaign for health and wellness.

Aside from yoga, I also teach her the proper breathing in swimming. I strongly believe that I can help manage her asthma by doing a regular swimming routine.

The Alpha Strength

Becoming strong is becoming a better better person.

Strength is important, and getting stronger physically is just the tip of an iceberg.

We all have our inner strength and it's just a matter of unleashing it.

Yours truly attended the launch of the latest craze in fitness - the Alpha Strength.

Alpha Strength is a gym which believes that when a person is strong, everything  becomes easy.

At the soft launch held on Saturday, I asked Paolo, one of my fellow practioner why is he working out in Alpha.

He says he is training hard because he wants to compete in cross fit, since he started doing cross fit a few years ago he decided to enroll at Coach Aaron Dela Cruz' class.

Just like Paolo, with Alpha Strength you can achieve your goals whatever it maybe.

Coach Aaron is the head coach of Alpha Strength and Alpha Strike.

"Becoming stronger is not easy;  it will test you, it will disappoint, and just like life, it is not a walk in the park. That' s why getting strong is worth it, and that's what we are; we make people stronger. In the four corners of Alpha strength, we will prepare you for whatever life will throw at you. What we want you to be, is the best, strongest of yourself." he says.

Alpha Strength is located in SPARTA 126 Pioneer St., Mandaluyong

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alphastrengthph/?fref=ts
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alphastrengthph/

Lav Diaz is Vegan

Award winning filmmaker Lav Diaz is vegan.

In our chat during the deliberation of Sinag Maynila 2016 winners, he said he prefers not to eat meat substitute because it will lead you on going back to meat eating.

He prefers eating greens.

6 Reasons To Join Color Manila’s Blacklight Run

You see the same sights, follow a steady pace, and apart from the music blaring in your earphones, you don’t really get a lot of variety—so what’s fun about a run?

How about joining Color Manila’s Blacklight Run to see for yourself?

Color Manila is encouraging everyone to sign up for a one of a kind running experience—one that combines fitness with new and exciting sights, opportunities to bond with family and friends, while still getting all the benefits of exercise.

(From L-R): Pinoy Fitness’ Jeff Lo, and Color Manila’s Justine Cordero and Jay Em, encourage everyone to join the Blacklight Run, where there’s absolutely no competition – just running at your own pace and having fun.

Here are some of the reasons why you should seriously consider lacing up those running shoes—

For Fitness

While undeniably fun, you’re still bound to reap the benefits of exercise. Challenge yourself and see if you can beat your time and distance, or choose to take in the colorful sights at a pace you’re comfortable with—either way, you’ll feel better about having joined and finished it.

It’s At Night

Not a morning person? No problem. Since the Blacklight Run is happening at night, you don’t need to worry about waking up early or running under the heat of the sun. Color Manila makes this night run even more spectacular through the colors they’d be using – the colors would glow in the dark, thanks to the blacklight that would illuminate the entire race route.

Colors

Running can be boring—and once in a while, it helps to add a bit of variety into the mix. For Color Manila, as the name implies, it’s all about the hues. Whether you opt for the 10K, 5K or 3K, you can be sure to enjoy a unique running event amid filled with neon colors.

Go At Your Own Pace

The focus here is fun. It doesn’t matter if you’re a running pro who can easily complete 10K in a blink, or a newbie just dipping your toe in the world of running, it’s the perfect event to get started. Piece of advice – just enjoy the race route.

Get Social

For those who are always on the look out for something new and exciting things to do in the city, the Blacklight Run creates a perfect venue to get into shape, bond with family and friends, and of course, meet new people.

Ashtanga Yoga

Patrick is one of Yoga For Life's Ashtanga Teacher.

After being gone for 5 months, he is back with this week's Homecoming class.

I made this video for you Teacher Patrick, hope you like it!



For more info about Yoga For Life like us on facebook.

With Quino Reyes, Lester Quizon, Jorell Rendon,Daphne Paruli, Stephen Balang Jr., Patrick Santos,Bea Tabuñar, Jonats Gonzales, Carlo Camilo Valenzona, Marco Philippe M. Araneta, Steve Uyand Ralph Marco Morales at Surya Fitness & Yoga.

Boss London feat. Oscar -- adidas Football

adidas stars all over the world are now
bossing the game in the ACE 16+ PureControl. 

In the latest video clip released
by adidas, Chelsea star Oscar shows boss control in the headline grabbing
laceless football boots by pinging a corner kick off the cross bar and then
following up to score with the cheekiest, more nonchalant of touches.

PhilHealth

PhilHealth must improve enrollment in the formal economy to achieve full coverage – PIDS study

If you wish to know more about this study, you may download the Policy Note here.

Gauging the efficacy of enrollment in PhilHealth’s Employed Program will help policymakers in the health sector determine a more effective approach in achieving the goal of universal coverage.

Last year, PhilHealth officials iterated their commitment to achieving universal coverage by 2016. President Benigno Aquino III signed an amendment of the National Health Insurance Act highlighting the responsibility of the national government to cover the health insurance premiums of Filipinos in the informal sector.

However, full coverage in the formal sector also needs due attention and improvement. Thirty percent of PhilHealth’s members come from the formal economy where enrollment is mandatory. But based on a study by state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), “full coverage” is “yet to be achieved”.

The private sector currently sits at 95-percent coverage, while the government employed sector sits at 75 percent. Denise Valerie Silverberg, author of the study, argues that examining the level of PhilHealth coverage and enrollment in the formal sector will help policymakers bridge that gap.

Silfverberg surmised that the gap in coverage can be explained by looking at how some agencies comply with labor policy. For example, the low coverage rates may be attributed to the significant number of contractual employees in government who do not enjoy the benefits of being enrolled in PhilHealth.

The perpetuation of contractual employees—something the private sector is just as guilty— allows firms and agencies to stall enrollment of employees into the PhilHealth Employed Program and withhold “appropriate benefits”. 

But companies deliberately shortchanging employees are not just the only flaws. Variations of enrollment rate can also be produced by characteristics that set the private and government sector apart, and other factors like establishment size and area.

For the private sector, sectoral employment, nature of employment, union coverage, union-employees ration, and number of employees all influence variations of coverage rate. But in the provinces, it is the size of the firm that matters.

“More employees hired by medium-sized establishments lead to a higher likelihood for the province to have lower coverage,” Silfverberg pointed out, “On the contrary, the greater the number of employees in large-sized enterprises, the more likely it is for the province to have higher coverage levels.”

Silfverberg concluded that before the country can work toward full coverage, policymakers must find a way to address the problems that impede effective implementation of the national health insurance program. Enrollment should be more targeted, depending on the sectors where undercoverage occurs the most.

Monitoring by PhilHealth should also be strengthened. Medium-sized establishments, surmised by Silfverberg, are more likely to short change employees when it comes to health insurance enrollment if they are not closely monitored.

Employers have to be held accountable to follow the labor code provision on employee regularization. The rules are often undermined by resorting to a six-month cycle to prevent employees from being regularized, and to refrain from giving them their due benefits.

Employers—both public and private—should enroll their employees into the program, whether they are regular or casual.  Compliance at the local government level should be also closely monitored. After all, it would be harder to close the gap if government units themselves do not implement the health insurance program in their own offices. 

VRP, A New Year for Health

With the fiery new year comes new changes, VRP Medical Center embarks on a major
renovation plan for its people ­­ stakeholders, doctors, and patients alike. Since its renovations
earlier last year, VRP focuses on a more customer­ oriented approach. A family­ based
corporation never distracted from its vision: “A Hospital That Cares,” VRP opens its hearts to
developing and improving quality service, technological advancement, and a warm, calming
environment.

Doors open to a fresh Central Registration Area, a well­crafted mural to greet the children and
families, and a spacious waiting area for visitors and friends. From a 148 square meter room,
the Emergency Room will be extending to 224 square meters to accommodate patients and
those waiting in line. VRP sets into motion an additional 48 rooms to shelter its current 178 bed
capacity.

Focusing on comfort, modernity, and care, VRP continually strives to improve their wide array of
facilities in order to better serve the people.

The hospital launched their new Nuclear Medicine Department last October 2015 under the guide and eye of Dr. Jeanelle Margareth Tang, an immigrant from Canada who decides to come home to the Philippines and finish a training course, with hopes to set up a practice in Nuclear Medicine. In partnership with Mandaluyong Medical Services Inc. (MNMSI), VRP already has a solid support right from the start ­­ from its supplier, Intermedical SE, to its doctors, partners and stockholders.

The rise of the Nuclear Medical Department brings forth new services for its patients such as thyroid function tests, general nuclear imaging, bone scans, reflux studies, GFR and radionuclide therapy. It also boasts a new set of high­quality equipment like the Multicam 1000, a camera that provides
hi­res solution and better imaging under medical procedures, and the Berthold Multicrystal
LB2111 Gamma Counter.

Dramatic change is everywhere, both inside and out. With an idea of a holistic healing, the roof deck will be converted into an intimate chapel for those in search of spiritual guidance.

Additional offices, departments, and a Physician Center is also in the works.

The facade will also undergo a major contemporary aesthetic change which could reflect beauty and care of VRP.

With its fresh, newly minted facility and developed professional care, patients could only expect more from the newly improved VRP Medical Center. As a family and as a community, VRP
welcomes the year right.