80 for Sta. Ana Hospital

I dispatched 80 earsavers to the Covid Ward frontliners of the Sta. Ana Hospital. I feel blessed to have finished this batch as this week was quite challenging for me. Amidst overcoming a few personal setbacks, I kept on crocheting. And before I knew it, I was able to send these to the frontliners who need them most.

Please consider volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH by joining our Facebook Group! We need crafters, delivery angels, and materials sponsors. No help is too small for our frontliners who risk their lives everyday to cure the sick. Those of us who can stay at home can still do our share and be there for our modern-day heroes.

God bless us all!

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.

Source: Nyou

Buttons For Earsavers

I would like to thank Bon Seng Commercial Inc. for donating 300 buttons for my upcoming earsavers. I feel grateful because I do not have to crochet buttons for my next batches. This will enable me to do other things and focus more on meeting my personal deadlines for donations.

Earsavers for Lifesavers PH Facebook group has really changed my quarantine for the better, as I had a sense of responsibility even while stuck at home. Please consider joining us to help out as a crafter, delivery angel, or materials sponsor. The quarantine may be modified in some areas, but our frontliners still need earsavers.

Hope to see you there!

Earsavers For Frontliners

I have delivered 20 earsavers to a friend of mine who works in a pharmaceutical company and 15 earsavers to a cousin of mine who works as a bank frontliner. For me, it is important to do my share during the pandemic, even if my contribution is merely small. I enjoy helping others from home, and it makes me happy that I can somehow alleviate their pain by donating earsavers.

Please consider being a crafter, delivery angel, or materials sponsor for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH by joining our Facebook group! I hope to see you there!

50 More for QMMC

I donated 50 earsavers to various frontliners of the Quirino Memorial Medical Center last May 11, 2020. I have already embraced crocheting for these brave souls who serve our community during the pandemic. I am thankful for the photos of the QMMC frontliners who received my earsavers provided by Dr. Riz Remulla.

If you also want to volunteer as a crafter, delivery angel, or materials sponsor, please join our Earsavers for Lifesavers PH Facebook group! The feeling of helping others is truly rewarding.

One Year After

My family commemorated my dad’s first year death anniversary today with prayer and song. Since most of my relatives are based overseas, we had the service via Zoom. It was heartwarming to be with family despite the distance, as technology was able to bridge the space between us.

As we celebrate my dad’s life, I will go forth thinking that I can be better than the way I was yesterday. He may not be here on Earth anymore, but that does not stop him from being my father.

I will keep going on.

Mother’s Day 2020

We celebrated the first Mother’s Day without my dad this year. I got my mom preserved fresh roses and a DIY salad kit from Isabel’s.
We had a lovely day and I am grateful to have a strong mom. Happy Mother’s Day to all strong moms out there!

Quarantine Drive

I drove to Maginhawa yesterday to buy food. It was refreshing to be out and about after being safe inside my own home for a week. I was out for less than an hour, but it really worked wonders on my mood and outlook in life.

I am more appreciative of the fact that I can afford to drive and buy food. I am luckier than most, and I won’t take these simple joys for granted again.

I hope that this will all end soon. For now, stay safe and healthy everyone!

100 for San Lazaro

I donated 100 earsavers to the San Lazaro Hospital yesterday. My donations went to 50 Payward and 50 ER & Covid Triage frontliners. They are bravely caring for the sick and doing so amidst challenging circumstances. I am humbled to have helped them even in my own small way.

It makes me happy to help frontliners from home. If you can crochet, knit, sew, or donate materials or funds to support our cause to provide earsavers to health workers, please join our Earsavers for Lifesavers PH Facebook group. I hope to see you there!

Extra special Mother’s Day at home with The Manila Hotel

Mother’s Day is a yearly reminder to cherish our relationship with our moms. Given this year’s unique circumstances, many of us will be celebrating this special day at home or even away from the special women in our lives—mom, grandmas, and aunts. Still, even when fancy dinners are impossible, Mother’s Day doesn’t have to becanceled. With some creativity and preparation, you can still give the most special woman in your life the Mother’s Day she deserves. 

Clockwise from bottom: Mango Cheesecake, Ohaina Chocolate Gateau, Opera Cake, Trio of Chocolate Mousse

The Manila Hotel pulls all the stops for you to still be able to give her a memorable Mother’s Day. This home celebration will have a five-star hotel feel and The Manila Hotel will make sure it gets close to a real feast. 

The Manila Hotel’s Mother’s Day Surprise gives you discounts when you choose to order the food-and-cake bundle and pay online on or before May 8, 2020 (Friday). You may choose items from the A La Carte Menu or Home Buffet sets (Filipino, Italian, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese favorites, as well as Certified Halal items) and get a 20% discount on your food bill, and a 10% discount on the cake of your choice. 

Because mothers deserve the only the best, you can choose from our awesome selection: our decadent Opera Cake; Ohaina Chocolate Gateau, a Lifestyle Inquirer Best Dessert Winner; the mouthwatering Trio of Chocolate Mousse, and our amazing Mango Cheesecake. 

 To order or for more information, please call 8527 0011 or message 0998-9501912. 

Source: The Manila Hotel

30 For QMMC PICU

I donated 30 earsavers to the Pediatric ICU of the Quirino Memorial Medical Center yesterday. This is already my second donation to this hospital. I am thankful to be given this assignment because I genuinely enjoy crocheting earsavers. I also believe that frontliners deserve all our care and generosity. This is the least that I can do for them.

I would like to acknowledge Dr. Riz Remulla for providing me with the pictures of the smiling Pediatric ICU frontliners in this post. I am still volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH. Doing this has given meaning and substance to my quarantine period. I will forever look back on this time as a season of growth and giving.

To volunteer as a crafter for earsavers, or to donate materials or funds for deliveries, please join the Earsavers for Lifesavers PH Group. I hope to see you there, and may God bless us all!

ECQ Essentials

The Enhanced Community Quarantine or ECQ has been challenging for all of us. We have been spoilt for choice when it comes to activities and events pre-pandemic, so spending the whole day at home could be daunting for many of us. As our frontliners battle the Covid-19 virus at the hospitals and essential workers keep our communities up and running, let us continue to stay at home to flatten the curve. And let me make life a little bit easier for you by delivering natural toiletries and home essentials straight to your doorstep via my Human Nature online shop.

Not only can you shop my favorites such as our shampoo bar and hand sanitizer, you will also support the livelihood of our amazing employees. And you will also help me bounce back with every purchase you make! My small business enables me to stay afloat with essential products, and I hope that you will buy your self-care needs from my shop.

Thank you in advance, and I hope to see you on my online store soon!

Limitless Entrepreneur Day 5

I just finished the Limitless Entrepreneur Retreat! It was created by mastermind coach Melyssa Griffin to train creative entrepreneurs to have an abundance mindset. I personally took it because I wanted to develop my entrepreneurial mindset.

Here are some of my answers to Melyssa’s questions for Day 5:

What is the offer that you’re going to launch?

• My offer is WRITING! I aim to utilize my communication skills primarily in writing and public speaking to become an asset to my future employer.

What impact will this product make in the lives of your buyers?

• I will ensure that my clients will notice that I practice empathy when dealing with them and producing output for them. By putting myself in their shoes, I can create effective copy that they can use for their businesses.

How do you want your customers or clients to FEEL after purchasing your offer?

• I want them to feel good as they know that they can trust me to help them communicate effectively to their target audience.

Imagine them chatting with a friend after purchasing your offer. What do you hope they say to their friend about what it was like to purchase from or work with you?

• “Sam is able to help us provide better services to our clients by producing effective and concise messages for our marketing emails, social media posts, and customer service templates.”

How can you incorporate this “vibe” into your onboarding and sales process? What can you do to make sure your clients or customers FEEL the way you want them to?

• I will make sure that I will ask my clients what they want, how they want to be perceived by their clients, and who their clients are. I want my clients to feel like I am a friend whom they could trust to help them communicate better to their customers.

Which onboarding tactics are you going to implement to ensure that your buyers feel taken care of?

• I will confirm that they receive my services and that they are satisfied with my work. I will make sure that this is done in writing, preferably via email between me and my clients.

• I will ask for feedback and if they are satisfied, I will request for testimonials for my future clients’ reference.

I really enjoyed this course, and I hope that you will also learn from it! Click here to take the course yourself and watch your mindset shift from fear to abundance! Enjoy!

100 For East Ave

I donated 100 earsavers to the Laboratory Department of the East Avenue Medical Center today. It is an honor for me to serve a hospital located near home. I am praying for all the frontliners who risk their lives everyday as we fight Covid-19. I consider this as my simple contribution to help ease the burden of our health care workers.

The photos (except for my selfie) were generously provided by Rita Sebastian, a medical technologist at East Ave. I am volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH, a nonprofit dedicated to connecting crafters to frontliners who need earsavers made for them.

Let us help our frontliners flatten the curve by staying home, practicing social distancing when outside for necessary errands, and wearing face masks. And let us please find ways to give supplies to these brave workers because they are the ones who keep us safe from the virus.

God bless us all!

Limitless Entrepreneur Day 4

Today is my blog www.speakoutsam.com’s third anniversary! I am celebrating it whilst at home due to the enhanced community quarantine. While the lockdown is only temporary, my learning journey is a lifelong one. This is why I signed up for Melyssa Griffin’s Limitless Entrepreneur Retreat to make the most out the quarantine by learning how to have an entrepreneurial mindset.

Here are some of my answers to Melyssa’s Day 4 prompts:

Help them visualize the transformation they’ll experience if they work with you. How’s their life like now?

I realized that the world will not be the same after the pandemic ends. We are already aware of the possibility of productivity at home. Work is possible even while at home thanks to technology. Working with me will make life easier for my employer because I am able to utilize the available technologies to communicate the client’s message to his target audience. I am also capable of meeting clients and upper management face-to-face, which is an advantage when making pitches or networking. I am flexible while also prioritizing time management when it comes to achieving results.

How will it be after working with you/purchasing your products and experiencing the transformation you can get them?

I have a Human Nature online store (please support! We deliver during the ECQ) which enables me to deliver high quality natural personal and home care products to Filipinos during the quarantine. I am able to provide a ritual for self-care and cleanliness during a period of uncertainty. I am also working as a freelance writer during this time. I am also a volunteer for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH as a crocheter.

I am able to share my passion for natural products, writing skills, and crocheted earsavers during the pandemic. I provide a sense of humanity in the face of an unseen virus. I give hope when there is so much negativity and fear in the world through my ability to communicate, sell, and for my volunteer work, to crochet for frontliners.

Now, this transformation needs to be real and achievable. Don’t promise them something you can’t deliver, you want to be honest and help your audience get actual results. Do you have a personal transformation you can share? What might their transformation look like if they purchase your offer?

A couple of months ago, I was a freelance writer with an online business. I also had my blog which has enabled me to attended learning and networking events. My life completely changed when the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) was implemented. I has to quickly pivot since I had to be safe at home during the entirety of the pandemic. I chose to volunteer as a crocheter for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH because I wanted to help our frontliners. It became a journey of transformation because my focus shifted on something bigger than myself. Since then, I no longer thought of this pandemic as a period of loss and solitude. Rather, I saw it as an opportunity to serve those who heal the sick.

Rico Blanco returns with inspiring new anthem “This Too Shall Pass”

After a four-year hiatus in making songs of his own, Rico Blanco returns with a rousing new anthem to help us deal with the uncertainty of the times.

This Too Shall Pass is Rico Blanco’s first solo single in four years, as well as his first under Sony Music Philippines. The song was written from a place of discomfort and fear, witnessing how the much louder tremor of pandemic anxiety instantly changed our lives and left us with little time to mourn and move forward.

With frontliners risking their lives with little protection, people going hungry, and the social order crumbling to pieces, Rico felt powerless by the situation. Hence, he had to forego his difficulties of living alone and coping with his own emotional troubles, as there was work to be done. He shares, “My efforts are little in light of a pandemic like this. As big as my imagination is for this song, I also feel that it’s not enough. But it’s what I can do and contribute as a musician.”  

This Too Shall Pass succeeds in repurposing music’s mission: Outside of its function as an entertainment fodder and a way to escape, it carries the resilience of the human spirit. In darkness, it shines brighter. 

The big, sprawling pop tune is his most personal to date, which he struggled over the course of two weeks to finish, and almost did not. “Some songs are anchored on truth, but they are wrapped and adorned in a lot of romanticized thoughts,” he shares. “This song is real, inwards and also outwards; it’s something that I really want to tell every single person. I wasn’t able to give a message to the frontliners, and I feel very guilty about this. I needed to finish this, and I want them to hear this. I know each one of us is going through something. I wrote this song as my way to reach out.” 

With sonic elements that span continents and a carefully honed production which he supervised himself, Rico’s latest single defies convention with a global sounding opus that incorporates musical dispatches and personal anecdotes. From samples of his nieces laughing culled from a family chat group to his attempt to blur the cultural lines by incorporating European techno, hip-hop beats, Asian riffs, Afro chanting, and Pinoy fiesta in a seamless, genre-bending extravaganza, This Too Shall Pass is ambitious in scope and sound design, but its heart is for the people who need light and love.

There’s a sliver of joy in finding one of the most prolific artists emerge from a long silence. As Sony Music’s GM Philippines and VP Business Development Asia, Ms. Roslyn Pineda sums it up: “Music is important – we all know this.  But never more so than when we are faced with uncertainty, because it is then that the power of music becomes unquantifiable, almost limitless.  Music can make you feel you’re not alone. Music can save you from despair. And so it is with a song like This Too Shall Pass.  It is so relevant to the times that it becomes a declaration, a prayer, a mantra -- all rolled into one.”

Rico Blanco’s “This Too Shall Pass” is now available on all digital platforms worldwide. Watch out for the music video to be released soon.

Source: Nyou

Speakoutsam At 3

Happy third birthday to my blog, www.speakoutsam.com! I will keep this entry short and sweet, as we are all on quarantine anyway. Here are some things I learned while being a blogger:

1. Networking is simply an exercise in communicating your why. In my case, I share my passion for social entrepreneurship, handmade, and positive thinking. There is nothing intimidating with being myself when facing others.

2. My blog can be used as a landing page for my Human Nature online store (please support! We deliver during the ECQ!). My blog entries have also served as a means for my customers to get to know me better.

3. I am thankful to all the companies and institutions for their trust. My blog has enabled me to attend learning and networking events at places such as the ADB, AIM, PCC, Embassy of Israel in the Philippines, Shopee, Zapateria, and CITEM. No story is too simple to share. By being my authentic self, I am able to earn the trust of these companies. I am grateful for the seminars, events, and opportunities which I enjoy through this blog.

4. I am grateful for the blogger community for welcoming me and making me a part of their world. I enjoy learning from fellow bloggers and I hope to see them again after the quarantine!

5. It is possible to use my blog to share what is good and right. I love featuring small businesses and local brands.

Thank you for being a part of my journey! I pray that www.speakoutsam.com will grow and be filled with more meaningful stories.

God bless us all!

Limitless Entrepreneur Day 3

I just finished Day 3 of the Limitless Entrepreneur Retreat by mastermind coach Melyssa Griffin. I crocheted earsavers while watching the video for the day, and completed the module in between batches of crocheted bands. I like working this way because my mind is alert and I am able to seamlessly integrate my volunteer work with my lockdown learning routine.

Here are my lessons learned for the day:

1. My blog, www.speakoutsam.com, has become a platform for me to share my thoughts on volunteerism and the small businesses I support. I plan to continue showing up on this blog as often as I can. I am sharing my life because I believe that living intentionally can help my audience and connect me with like-minded individuals.

2. My Human Nature online store (please buy today and support my small business!) has not just become my primary income source during the lockdown. It has also become my calling card of sorts. I believe that social entrepreneurship is the way to go as I can support myself while helping the needy at the same time. I am thankful that Human Nature is a company that produces essentials, which is why I continue to be in business during the pandemic. I hope to continue thriving beyond the quarantine period.

3. Volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH as a crocheter has given me an abundance mindset. I no longer think that I don’t have enough resources because so far, I was able to provide more than 400 earsavers to frontliners. I am still making for some pending requests. Helping others has helped me change my thinking and perspective.

I am excited to learn more in the coming days!

60 for QMMC

I dispatched 60 earsavers yesterday to the Quirino Memorial Medical Center (QMMC). I sent 50 to the Emergency Room frontliners and 10 to the OB OR frontliners. I am very proud to serve this hospital, as it is a public institution. I have high respect for healthcare workers who dedicate their lives to serving our country in this challenging time.

I am still volunteering for Earsavers for Lifesavers PH as a crocheter. We have recently reached the 10,000 earsavers donation mark, and I am very happy to be a part of this milestone. The team behind this nonprofit has migrated the organization to a Facebook Group where crafters, frontliners, and donors can DIY their requests using specific formats.

We hope to see you there, so that we will continue to craft earsavers for our brave lifesavers!

Photo provided by Dr. Riz Remulla of QMMC

Photo provided by Dr. Riz Remulla of QMMC

Limitless Entrepreneur Day 2

I just finished Day 2 of The Limitless Entrepreneur Retreat by mastermind coach and podcast host Melyssa Griffin. I accomplished this after a Zoom meeting and in between crocheting earsavers.

I am on this short course not because I want to launch my own coaching business, but because I want to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. I already have a Human Nature online store (yes, please support my small biz!), and right now, I am busy with my freelance writing job.

After the enhanced community quarantine period, I am planning to return to the workforce. I cannot do so without knowing what I can offer to my employer and how I can apply my entrepreneurial mindset to thrive in my career. This is why I am attending webinars, completing courses such as this one, listening to podcast, and taking ownership of my volunteer work for Earsavers for Lifesavers while on quarantine. Every aspect of my life leads to this shift in mindset which I hope can push me to achieve greater things and maximize my potential.

Here are my answers to some of the questions Melyssa asked on Day 2:

What struggle or problem will you focus on solving for your audience? Alternatively, what desire or longing will you help them achieve?

Remember, aim for something they need help with *right now* and that is essential for them. This will help you offer them what they need, exactly when they need it the most.

• I have writing and communication skills which can benefit my employer

• I am able to creatively pivot during difficult situations. An example of this would be my task to make earsavers for frontliners while on quarantine.

  • This has further strengthened my desire to get involved with Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.

Who’s the ideal client for this offer? What’s the outcome or transformation your future clients will experience after purchasing your products or services?

Describe what their life is like before working with you and what it looks like afterwards. What has changed? How has their life improved? How do they feel now that their problem is solved / their desire is fulfilled?

• I want to make my employer or supervisor feel that they can trust me to communicate their message to their target audience through my output.

  • I will do so by practicing empathy. This will let me know how my client actually feels and let me produce more effective output for them.

Which format would fit your offer the most?

There are quite a few online options you can select from, such as one-on-one services, group services, online courses, e-books, templates, workbooks, and more. If you let your intuition guide you here, which format sounds the most enjoyable to you? Also, which format works best for the content or information you’d like to sell?

• I still prefer to work in a traditional 9 to 5 job for a corporate or SME setting. A social enterprise, startup, or education company will also be suitable for my work ethic and thinking process.

• I enjoy writing blog posts, articles, researching on market trends, CSR practices, and watching webinars to learn from industry experts in real time.

• I can also multitask. I am able to balance work with volunteer work.

This course has enabled me to pinpoint my communication skills as my top employable feature. I know that getting employed after the lockdown will be challenging, but I know that it is possible through technology and design thinking.

I also realized that my passion for volunteerism is an asset. I can help my employer serve their community while realizing the corporate values of our company. This will also fuel my personal life as I find joy in serving others and those in need.

I have faith in myself now, even amidst this pandemic!