Usually portrayed in pop culture as intimidating and fear-inducing, we shed light on a routine trip to the immaculate clinic of the dentist and find out why you shouldn’t skip your appointments.
Perhaps a trip to the dentist is the last thing on your mind right now. Often reduced to a chore, it will become clear to you (especially after reading this) that it shouldn’t be. You see, oral and dental hygiene is more than just keeping clean, brushing off plaque and dislodging morsels of food stuck in between the hard-to-reach crevices of the mouth. Not only does the consistent and careful care of the teeth and gums keep it sparkling and fresh, it also fends off bacteria and acid build-up that causes cavities and gingivitis, which can lead to consequential periodontal (read: gum) disease. Apart from the standard and required brushing and flossing, we explore the different oral practices and treatments to keep your dental hygiene at tip-top condition.
Surprisingly, a good 80% of us are guilty of over brushing, according to Dr. Mark Burhenne, creator and author of Ask The Dentist. Aside from faulty techniques, which can cause abrasion to the gums, overworking the oral hygiene routine can be traced to the toothbrush and not technically to the you brush, brush, brush. However, a safe 2-3 times a day is still advised, clocking in at a standard 2-minute ritual, keeping in mind to tilt the toothbrush at a 45-degree angle by the gum line.
While braces are more commonly associated with a gangly amount of wire brackets on the teeth that force it in a specific and controlled direction, an accumulation of pop culture identifiers and modern-day aesthetics have pushed the dental field to enact necessary innovations to provide people with options to the typical and traditional. Today, you can opt for heat-activated archwires (uses body heat to move quickly and less painfully), ceramic braces (tooth-colored or clear brackets to blend in to the teeth), lingual braces (metal braces placed on the inside of the teeth), or the invisalign (a series of 18-30 custom-made, mouth guard-like clear plastic aligners that are replaced every 2 weeks).
More than just the usual round of routine prophylaxis and check-ups, the area of dentistry will at some point involve surgery. This focus is concerned with correcting problems or damage to the mouth, teeth and jaw. From the common wisdom tooth extraction or root canal treatments, oral surgery performs procedures such as dental implants (replacing missing or damaged teeth), bone grafting (addition of bone to the patient’s jaw), supernumerary tooth removal and deciduous tooth (baby tooth) removal. In extreme cases, these certified experts suit up for odontectomy (removal of teeth embedded in the bone), frenectomy (removal of the frenum or the muscular attachment of tissues) and finally, oral maxillofacial surgery (surgery on the structures of the face, sinuses and neck).
With a focus on dental care, there a lot of local clinics that put the patient at a premium, proving to be one-stop shops for oral solutions. This includes making sure that the dental experience is smooth, seamless and yes, painless. Featuring extensive, state-of-the-art bases all over the metro, these hubs almost immediately eliminates the apprehensions and fear that is understandable with every visit to the dentist. With procedures that are time efficient, convenient, and most importantly, safe for each patient, it isn’t surprising why people come back to these spaces for all their oral concerns.
It goes without saying that a trip to the dentist is a necessary part of the oral routine. Sure, it can be intimidating but a trip at a safe 6-month interval for the standard touch base and check-up is imperative when keeping things in tip-top shape. Whether it is a teeth cleaning, restorative teeth bonding, restorative dentistry or teeth whitening, consulting a medical expert is far better than opting for DIY, over-the-counter options. And the results? Well, they’re far-yielding most definitely.
What happens before or after the games? From the infamous cardboard beds to the simp energy for your favorite athletes, skip the TV because TikTok has all the answers.
Training, technique, and tradition aside, there is no denying that part of the gravitational pull of the Olympics rests heavily on the spectacle of it all. Drawn in by equal parts of passion and precision, what really latches us to the broadcast is the entertainment factor that runs the gamut of drama, humor, and obviously, action, among other things. But apart from the geographical loyalties, sport politics, and fostered biases with Olympians-turned-stars, the adrenaline of the summer games are fairly short-lived.
Ending as soon as it begins, there is little to nothing beyond the parameters of the sport, save for the heart-tugging video packages for the early favorites or winners. However, despite the overarching mystery that shrouds the Olympics, the contingent of athletes in Tokyo are currently breaking down the barriers by taking us behind-the-scenes through everyone’s favorite guilty pleasure, TikTok.
Exhilarating, euphoric, and emotional as the Tokyo Olympics 2020 are, what with all the records broken, legends immortalized, and history made (hello, Hidilyn Diaz and Nesthy Petecio), a lot of attention has been steered from the television and into our phones through TikTok. There is no need to plough through the popularity of the phenomenon that is the disruptive video-sharing app, but as it has done for many celebrities, influencers, and users in general, fame has been democratized and even humanized. Yes, athletes are just like us.
Unprecedented on so many fronts, especially pushing through amid the punishing conditions of the pandemic, much of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 has been pared down. Despite there be a pervading sense of being somber and still, the spirit of the games is alive and well, especially with the athletes providing a dose of hope to fire us up in our own fights. Aside from the display of unequivocal focus and skill, there are a lot of points of exhale in between the games, lending amusement when and where it is necessary. A quick scroll through social media, TikTok specifically, opens up to an entire universe of stories on what goes beyond the Olympics.
A deep dive into the full scope of the Tokyo Olympics 2020 reveals that at least where the formalities of the international sporting event is concerned, protocols, limits, and rigors are followed, no matter how stubborn and archaic they are. However, on TikTok, it’s fair game for the players at the Olympics. Being their most unapologetically authentically selves, they get to let loose and laugh, and for some, even advocate on causes and amplify necessary stands and messages that they cannot otherwise do on the stands. So, whether it be the honesty of Simon Biles on mental health, the encompassing victory of Tom Daley, and the immensely magnetic charm of our very own, Margielyn Didal, these snippets of the Olympics on TikTok deserve a gold medal as well.
Flooding the much contested For You Page on TikTok are a behind the scenes look at anything and everything Olympics—from the infamous cardboard beds, the thoughtful and thorough safety measures, to the dining hall offerings. Going down the rabbit hole of this binge, it is as if you are in the athlete’s village perhaps living out your dream to be an Olympian, albeit virtually. Here, things just make sense. After all, considering the Herculean responsibility and pressure mounted on the shoulders of these athletes, they all need a moment to breathe or well, dance.
With the release of his latest album, New Views, Kyle Echarri shows off a new sound, style, direction, and perspective.
These days Kyle Echarri is known as one of the hottest actors of his generation. After appearing in the phenomenon Kadenang Ginto playing Kristoff “Tope” Tejada, he, along with the rest of The Gold Squad rocketed to the mainstream. As one half of the love team KyCine, he and Francine Diaz regularly top the Twitter trends list by simply just appearing together.
It’s safe to say that the rising star that Kyle Echarri is on the up and up. But did you know that he originally started in the industry as a singer? For fans who have been following Kyle since the beginning, this is nothing new. He first appeared on The Voice Kids Season 2 at just 11 years old. SingingNight Changes by One Direction, he wowed Bamboo and Sarah Geronimo before choosing to be part of team Sarah where he made it all the way to Top 6. Ever since then, Kyle has continued to make music, releasing multiple singles, and two albums.
Just in time for his 18th birthday, he released his third album and latest project, New Views, an album that not only shows a new side of him sonically, but visually as well. The release of the album coincided with his entry into young adulthood with a more grown-up and mature sound. NYLON Manila spoke with the Kyle Echarri to talk about his new album, what it’s like working with Seth Fedelin and Andrea Brillantes on the album, and what he hopes fans could take away from the album.
According to Kyle, New Views isn’t just his third studio record, it’s his way for him to show his growth. “I called the album New Views because I just wanted to show everyone now that I’m older now. I wanted to show them that I have new views on life and new views on love life, like a new perspective of Kyle Echarri.” This new image may have taken some people aback, but Kyle says he always had this side to him, and only now could he share it with the rest of the world. “I’ve always been listening to older things and I guess you could say more mature things but I just wanted to show them who I really can be as an artist and a different side of Kyle.”
He continues, “They never really got to see the Kyle that I wanna show, because I was a lot younger before, but now that I’m 18, I’m happy that I’m able to really express myself and express myself in ways that I really want to.”
Kyle revealed that New Views has actually been in the works since his 17th birthday. But he couldn’t finish the album because he was too busy with his other projects. When the pandemic hit, it gave him the time to put all the pieces together. “I was able to focus on making the album. I’m also very happy that it came out during the time that I became 18 because I guess it just allows me to do a lot more as an artist now that I’m able to express myself a lot more.” Kyle releasing New Views near his 18th birthday seems more of a coincidence then, but on another end, it was the universe’s plan all along.
As Kyle set out to work on the album, he didn’t approach the project with a certain theme or vibe in mind. Instead, he wanted this album to show his versatility, as seen with a diverse slate of songs on the album, from the more R&B-focused Panaginip to the Latin-inspired Fuego. “I honestly really love different kinds of music and I just wanted to show that in each and every one of the songs. So whatever worked for me I was happy. Like whatever the people liked, I could do more of that but I could also still do other genres on the side ‘cause I really like a lot of different kinds of music.”
While Kyle was tight-lipped about the specifics of who or what inspired the songs on New Views, he did say that the songs come from different reasons. “It’s from past relationships and sometimes fantasizing relationships depends on the song.” He’s also aware of fans who try to guess who the songs are about. But one thing is for certain, what motivated Kyle to finally finish the album was because he wanted something to be proud of. “I was going through a rough patch in 2020 and 2021. I would have been happy but there’s just something that’s been on my mind so I just wanted to do something that I can really be proud of myself for and that’s one thing that really pushed me to finish all these songs.”
WORKING ON THE ALBUM
Aside from a few collaborators, Kyle wrote every single song on New Views, a 7-track album with a mix of English and Filipino songs. But despite the fact that he has released numerous songs and two albums, writing for New Views was not easy for him. “There are bad days. May mga araw talaga na mahihripan ka talaga and I realized that because I had some days where it was just not the best writing day. I just had the hardest time.”
When Kyle would have writer’s block, he would step back from his work and come back to it when he was ready. As he explains “What I would usually do is just wait until 3 AM, because for some reason at midnight is when your creative juices come out of your body that’s what happens to me. So, I usually wrote all my songs at midnight or when I’m at the beach or all that kind of stuff.”
So how then does Kyle Echarri know a good lyric from a bad lyric? According to him, he doesn’t really determine whether a line is good or bad. It depends on the person and who’s writing the lyric, and for Kyle what he usually likes to do is “just write the song and then I go back to the song every week, every other week ‘cause I like to take a while per song. I don’t have a single song that’s like written in five minutes.”
An album is like a movie, it has a beginning, middle section, and end. It’s meant to be enjoyed from beginning to end and offer a full experience. When it was time for Kyle to put the album together, he made the tracklist in that order to show off the different genres and sounds as well as what he thought felt good to him.
I’M SERIOUS
New Views starts off with I’m Serious, a song he previously released in 2020 and the first song from the album to be released publicly. The R&B track sees Kyle sing to someone saying that he’s serious about pursuing a relationship. He decided to make that the opening track, and make the song in the first place to combat the perception people had of him at the time. “It was the time of my career where everyone was really just calling me a chick boy, an F-boy. I was just very annoyed. It got to the point where like, I couldn’t have any friend that was a girl because they would say that I’m an F boy because of it. It was just the worst feeling. I really hated it. Really, really hated it.”
Kyle’s annoyance led him to make the song. Even though half the album was completed by that time, he decided to release it to the public. “I thought, ‘you know what, out of all the songs, [I’m Serious] was just the most significant at the moment so I’m gonna put I’m Serious out first.’ And I loved the song. I’m very happy with the song.”
LILIWAGAN NA KITA AND WORKING WITH SETH AND BLYTHE
Also included in the album is the standout track and his latest single, Liliwagan Na Kita(the music video of which if it surpasses one million views, the Dyosa MV will be unlocked). It is a collaboration with his fellow Gold Squad member Seth Fedelin that talks about courtship and the willingness to put in the effort to win the heart of their special someone. If it sounds like Kyle and Seth are having fun on the songs, that’s because they did as Kyle shares the story of how Liliwagan Na Kita came to be.
“Working with [Seth] on the song, it was a fun and funny experience. We wrote it on set of Wag Kang Mangamba. We were looking for different inspirations online about sa panliligaw and stuff like that. Seth was, you know, the natural Seth. He was the one who wrote the verse that goes, “Problemahin muna natin ang magulang mo. Nang may paglalagyan ako.” And after he said that line, we were laughing. We were all laughing in the room. It was the funniest.”
Kyle continues, “We were just throwing lines at each other. So, we finished the first verse, chorus, bridge, and final chorus, And we just couldn’t finish the second verse so before recording, I finished it up. I’m the one who wrote the whole second verse for Seth and me. I think the whole experience did not feel like work. It’s one of those songs that just comes naturally and you really just enjoy each other’s company while making it.”
Andrea Brillantes is also credited to the song and for Kyle, her help proved to be invaluable not only due to her being a girl, but also the fact that he didn’t know Andrea was that good at songwriting.
“I never really thought she had the songwriting in her. But like, there were lines in the whole song that she really had good input on. Like even if it’s just a small line it helps the song so much more than what I wrote. So she would always help me and Seth with like the small words and also some lines, and the chorus. And she’s very helpful in the whole process and it’s good to have a girl in this kind of song. Like what would she want to be said to her in this kind of song. That’s why I liked it ‘cause she would be able to help me and Seth on our roadblocks. She’d really be the one that comes up with something creative.”
Once the song was ready, the three of them went to the recording booth to do the song which Kyle described as a funny experience a video of which he has saved on his phone.
HOW FUEGO CAME TO BE AND WHAT IT ORIGINALLY WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
New Views’ final track is Fuego, a song co-written with his close friend Darren Espanto that talks about the willingness to risk it all just to have a special someone. Out of all the songs on the album, Fuego stands out the most because it’s the most unique song on the album with its Latin and trap-heavy inspired sound. “I ended the album with Fuego because it’s the most unexpected song that would come from me.” For Kyle, as you listen through the album and goes through all these love songs and emotions, you then end with a song like Fuego and have this feeling that you didn’t think a song like this would be on the album. As he says, he wanted to give a little “oomph” at the end.
The track was one of the first songs he finished with Darren, and it was originally intended to be a trio, with the other singer being PBB alumni and Now United member, Bailey May. “Bailey was supposed to be on the bridge but he has problems with his management, so we can’t really put him in.” The song then shifted to being a duet with Darren, but that didn’t push through for reasons. But Kyle is hoping to release a remix featuring Darren in the future.
There were however able to perform their version of the song during Kyle’s birthday concert which is something he is happy about. “I’m super happy with the outcome of Fuego…I’m happy that Darren was able to write this with me even though he was in Canada pulling all-nighters just for us to finish this song. It’s a blessing to have friends like that.”
It’s clear that Kyle has a special connection with Fuego because he considers that song to be his favorite on the entire album. “My favorites are all the songs but if I were really to choose, I’d have to choose Fuego because of how much work we had to put in to make that song. Like so many things happened to that song and I’m so happy. At least it was able to get into the album.” He also says that if New Views will be the first time someone will hear music from Kyle Echarri, he would want people to listen to Fuego first. “It’s the most unique and open I’ve been with my wordings.”
Though Kyle still loves all the songs and New Views and says that he can’t wait to perform all the album’s songs live, especially with an audience. “Imagine if the people were there. It’s a dream for a songwriter, while you’re performing the song, for them to sing it back to you. That’s just the dream.”
NOT FEELING THE PRESSURE AND NEW IMAGE
It’s been nearly three years since Kyle released an album. Since then, his career has exploded and reached new heights and a bigger fanbase. But he didn’t let the hype get to him nor did the increased pressure make him nervous. “I didn’t make it like the number one goal in this album. I didn’t feel the pressure of having to get like a million streams or a million views on a song. There wasn’t pressure to do that. No one was pressuring me to do that, which I’m very blessed. But I’m just happy with being able to express myself. That’s my biggest goal in this album, was just really to express myself.”
He shared how in his last album release in 2018, he didn’t write the songs on the album, nor did he produce any on the tracks. So when it came time to do New Views, he wanted a more hands-on approach. “My plan really was, ‘I’m gonna produce and write this whole album to show everyone who Kyle Echarri is and who Kyle Echarri can really be.”
The only thing Kyle wants to achieve with New Views is for his fans to see Kyle Echarri as a young adult, that he’s no longer “that little kid on The Voice.”
At the end of the day, this new era brings the arrival of a more mature and grown-up Kyle, one who wants to be treated seriously in the music industry and is ready for that challenge. “I wanna be respected as a singer/songwriter now. It’s not gonna be easy but I will make more music and I know that to myself who I am as an artist and I’m ready for that. I’m ready for the challenge of the people. I’m ready for the challenge of them denying that I’m a singer/songwriter and all that. I am ready to accept defeat if I have to and I’m just ready for whatever the world has to give me now.”
Remember Arthur Read? This is what he looks like now.
Just when we thought we couldn’t love Bretman Rock even more, he decides to have a little fun with dressing up. Often times and unintentionally, as a cartoon character (the real style icons!)—and he owns it every single time. From DoFlamingo to Patrick Star, here are 9 top-tier main character looks that Bretman Rock has blessed us with.
Aside from being constantly meme-d, Arthur Read from the popular kids’ show in the 90s and Bretman Rock obviously share the same vibrant taste in fashion.
MULAN
When Mulan took over Bretman Rock’s Instagram stories wearing a Savage x Fenty jacket, you know she got right down to business.
DOFLAMINGO
Bretman Rock channeling Donquixote Doflamingo of One Piece was the crossover we never knew we needed. The fur jacket, the pants, the overall style!
OSCAR OF FISH HOOKS
Oscar of Fish Hook’s glow up just got even better. Even the style of their shirts are identical.
RIKOCHET OF MUCHA LUCHA LIBRE
Bretman Rock as an actual wrestler would be fun to watch. He wasn’t named after two of the most popular wrestlers for nothing! We’re already predicting that he’d bring back the 80s wrestler style trend soon.
RED GUY IN COW AND CHICKEN
The real star of Cow and Chicken? Red Guy. It’s the battle of the biggest banks and most outrageous style in this one!
ITSUKI MINAMI OF AIR GEAR
It’s not hard to imagine Bretman Rock as a skater since he’s always been athletic.
PATRICK STAR
Never forget this classic. Still a serve!
BONUS: BRETMAN AS DARNA
Of course, we couldn’t leave out Darna on this list. Even Liza Soberano approved!
Proving that the woman’s strength is unmatched, Nesthy Petecio won a silver medal in boxing and joins Hidilyn Diaz in making history as Filipinas scoring a medal in the Olympics so far.
Filipina athletes continue to make history at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. After Margielyn Didal stole the hearts of thousands with her positivity and fun spirit, and Hidilyn Diaz became the first Filipino ever to win a gold medal at the Olympics, another Filipina athlete made history as well.
Nesthy Petecio won a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Her winning streak first started when she defeated Colombian Yeni Marcela Arias Castaneda in the women’s featherweight quarterfinal, a win that guaranteed her a bronze medal. During the quadrennial meet’s featherweight event on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, Nesthy cleaned up and earned a unanimous decision win with a score of 30-27, 29-28, 29,28, 29-28, 30-27.
She then defeated Italy’s Irma Testa during the women’s featherweight semifinal via split decision on Saturday, July 31. The two actually have faced each other before and Nesthy lost to her in 2008. So you could say Nesthy beating her was poetic justice years in the making.
During the gold medal match on August 3, 2021, she faced off against Japan’s Sena Irie, an opponent Nesthy has also faced off with in the past. Sena defeated Nesthy during the Asia and Oceania Olympic boxing qualifiers. Despite a strong effort from Nesthy, she lost to Sena via unanimous decision with a score of 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 29-28, 30-27. This makes it the third time Nesthy lost to Sena in the four times they have faced each other.
NESTHY PETECIO’S HISTORY MAKING SUCCESS AT THE OLYMPICS
Despite not winning the gold, Nesthy still made history and broke multiple records. First, she became the first Filipino to win an Olympic medal in boxing in 25 years. The last Filipino athlete to achieve this feat was Onyok Velasco when he won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Most importantly, she is the first Filipina in history to win a medal in boxing. Nesthy’s win made her the first Filipino boxer to secure a spot at the podium in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (followed soon by Eumir Marical and Carlo Paalam). She also became one of the first athletes in Olympic history to win a medal in women’s featherweight as the category made its Olympics debut in Tokyo. And this is on top of the fact that she’s going to get prizes, gifts, and benefits worth millions of pesos.
Nesthy Petecio’s silver medal, as well as guaranteed at least bronze medals for Eumir Marical and Carlo Paalam marks the first time that the Philippines won more than one medal at a single Olympics in 89 years. The last time this happened was during the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles where team Philippines bagged three bronze medals in swimming, boxing, and high jumping. This is actually the most medals the Philippines has ever won during a single Olympics.
The Olympic medal is the latest in accolades that the Davao del Sur native has achieved. She won the 2019 women’s boxing world championship and earned a gold medal at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games.
MORE CHANCES TO MAKE HISTORY
Photo via Louis Robayo/AFP
There are also more opportunities for Filipina athletes to make history at the 2020 Olympics. Yuka Saso and Bianca Pagdanganan will compete in golf on August 4. Will all that is happening right now, it’s so uplifting to see Filipino athletes do well in the Tokyo Olympics, even if they didn’t win medals. Congratulations to Nesthy Petecio and let’s also continue to cheer on the remaining Filipino athletes in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Not only is TOMORROW X TOGETHER a top-selling and chart-topping group, but they are also the latest ambassadors to one of the country’s largest telecommunications companies.
In just two years, TOMORROW X TOGETHER went from rookie group to one of the defining leaders of the current generation of K-Pop. The group had a mountain of pressure on them when they debuted. As the first group to debut under BIGHIT MUSIC’s (formerly Big Hit Entertainment) since BTS, all eyes were on TOMORROW X TOGETHER to see whether or not they would live up to the hype.
And sure enough, they proved their doubters wrong and established themselves as a group to watch out for in their own right, not just because they are BTS’s juniors. The group has distinguished themselves for their candid themes, music, and storytelling while also delivering forward-thinking and somewhat out-of-the-box concepts that are shown through excellent performances. This August is set to solidify their status as the “It” boy group of the 4th generation of K-Pop even further with what they have planned.
In news that delighted many Filipino MOAs, TOMORROW X TOGETHER became the newest ambassador to Smart, joining BTS who are also ambassadors of the brand. Smart teased that an announcement was coming and hinted that it would feature the group since the teaser photos used a design similar to the cover art for the remix of 0x1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You).
Wearing pastel colors, the boys talked about inspiring the youth to follow their dreams in the announcement video. While the actual campaign isn’t set to launch officially until August, we already are excited and the fact that three separate hashtags went trending after the announcement shows that a lot of people are too. Also, TOMORROW X TOGETHER saying “Simply Smart Ako” is going to be stuck in our heads for a while.
NEW REPACKAGED ALBUM
When TOMORROW X TOGETHER released their latest album in May 2021, it was arguably one of, if not their strongest work to date. The Chaos Chapter: FREEZE is filled with bangers from the pop-rock-inspired comeback single 0x1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You), to the slightly melancholic Anti-Romantic and the groovy and addictive Magic. The album debuted at no. 5 on the Billboard 200, the highest peak yet for a group from the 4th generation.
The album continues to chart on the Billboard 200 as of this writing and it’s currently in its seventh consecutive week. Magic, their first original English language song, charted on the Billboard Pop Airplay chart earlier this July, making them the fifth K-pop act in history to appear on that chart. We also don’t have to wait long for new music as the group is releasing a repackaged version of their second studio album called The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape on August 17.
Who knows what the rest of the year has in store for TOMORROW X TOGETHER. But we do know that whatever it will be, it’s going to be great.
From Kathryn Bernardo, Nadine Lustre, Paolo Pangilinan, and more, these celebrities and personalities have branched out from showbiz and are successful business owners in their own right.
With success in the entertainment industry comes fame and fortune. But fame is a fickle thing. Someone wise once said: one day you’re in, the next day, you’re out. There’s no guarantee that the success a celebrity experiences know will follow them for years, even decades to come. This is why quite a few celebrities have launched their own business, either to make extra income or to serve as a plan B when the showbiz industry is no longer calling them. These businesses also serve as another way for fans to support their fave celebrity. Who knows, you might even see them in the establishment. Here are 12 celebrities and personalities who have their own businesses.
When you think of superstar, Anne Curtis is one of those few names that comes into mind. Her decades-long career in the entertainment industry has established her as one of the top stars of the Philippines. She is a movie star, host, and social media phenomenon. Anne also successfully added businesswoman to the list when she launched her own makeup line in 2017, blk Cosmetics. In this endeavor, she wanted the essence of her brand to be timeless, classic, simple, and uncomplicated. Anne’s less is more makeup philosophy is reflected in blk and in just a few years, it has grown to be one of the top local makeup brands in the country.
Content creator Ayn Bernos has made a name for herself with her uplifting content and her unapologetically flaunting her Morena skin tone. In a society where having darker skin means someone is ugly, Ayn wants people to accept darker skin tones and that there is beauty in being morena. To aid her in this, she established her own clothing brand called Morena the Label. As the name suggests, the entire brand is dedicated to uplifting and celebrating morenas through statement t-shirts and pieces.
David Licauco got his start in showbiz as a model before he transitioned to being an actor. It wasn’t long before the young Kapuso would also start his own business. In fact, he actually has three. First, he is one of the owners of Sobra Comfort Food, a restaurant in BGC. He is also the founder of As Nature Intended, a health and beauty brand that sells healthy and organic food and snacks. Finally, he, along with his partners from Sobra, recently launched 25th Burgers, a burger restaurant located in Poblacion Makati.
Dominique Cojuangco took after her father, businessman Antonio ‘Tony Boy” Cojuangco Jr., and launched her own business. In May 2021, she, along with Michael Hearn, co-founded a beauty and lifestyle brand called The Collective. It bills itself as a place accepting of all skin types, shades, genders, and sexualities. If you go on their website, you may just find the next item to help your skincare game go to the next level.
The first time you may have heard of James Reid was during his appearance in PBB. That help launched his showbiz career that ran the gamut from acting, singing, and even dancing. James took his love and passion for music to the next level however when he and Bret Jackson established Careless Music Manila, otherwise known as Careless, an independent record label, in 2017. Today, the indie label is home to some of the most exciting up-and-coming OPM acts in the country.
Joshua Garcia’s business is a bit unique compared to others on this list. He didn’t start one from the ground up but actually helped in reviving a once closed business. Just recently, he, fellow actor Enchong Dee, and a few others helped relaunch and reopen the Academy of Rock Philippines. The music school was originally opened in 2012 but closed its doors in 2016. Joshua is one of the shareholders of the school, which means he invested money into the reopening of AOR Philippines.
Despite Kathryn Bernardo’s busy schedule, she still finds the time to run her own business, aside from supporting her mom’s own business. In May 2017, she opened her first nail salon called KathNails by KCMB. The store gets its name from her love team, KathNiel, and was started because of Kathryn’s love for getting her nails done. There are a few stores located around Manila and each one offers multiple services such as hand and foot care, nail art, extensions, and threading.
Kathryn Bernardo once again finds herself on this list, and she’s joined by her boyfriend and fellow actor Daniel Padilla. Daniel’s presence in her business isn’t just seen through the name of KathNails, the both of them also opened a barbershop together called Barbero Blues. The two have been planning on having their own joint business for a while and the barbershop idea came about because Daniel is quite particular about his haircuts. If you want to look as good as Daniel Padilla, you book a cut at one of their two branches, either in SM North The Block or SM Fairview.
If you ever wondered what the secrets are to Liza Soberano’s beauty, now you can thanks to the business she set up. Liza, along with her business partners, established the Hope Wellness Center in 2017. Aside from the fact that it is named after Liza (her real name), the Hope Wellness Center was brought about by Liza wanting to share her lifestyle tips and rituals with her fans. The first branch was set up in December 2017 at Quezon City that caters to hand and foot services. The second branch in Alabang deals more with facials and body wellness.
Nadine Lustre is an actor, singer, songwriter, and dancer. But despite her busy schedule, she still has time to be a businesswoman. In April 2018, Nadine launched her very own makeup line called Lustrous. The collection was made in partnership with Australian makeup brand BYS and Nadine is actually the first Filipina celebrity to collaborate with an international brand. She also released her own perfume called Lustre and helps run her mom’s flower shop, Betty Blooms.
Paolo Pangilinan entered everyone’s radar in his much-talked-about debut acting role in Gaya Sa Pelikula. As one half of the love team PangPang, Paolo stole hearts and established himself as a rising actor to watch out for. But despite it being relatively early in Paolo’s acting career, he already established his own business. Together with his mom Edzelle Gonzalez and sister Celina, the three of them recently established Wahu Mart, a Korean grocery store located in Mandaluyong. Check the store out or buy online to get your Korean food cravings.
Renejay is one of the country’s premier esports players. Across all his social media channels, he has amassed over 14 million followers. As a member of NXP-EVOS, Renejay is highly regarded as one of the best professional Mobile Legends players in the Philippines. But he also knows that Mobile Legends won’t be popular forever which is why at just 18, years old, he already has two businesses. The first is a clothing line called Baka Renjay To, which he runs together with his family. The second is a restaurant called Z Barbecue located in his home province of Bataan.
It might sound extreme, but a digital detox is not unheard of. In a world inundated with the complications of social media, a good sense of detachment is necessary to be more mindfully connected.
While watching one too many episodes of Grey’s Anatomy in an addictive succession will still not make me anything remotely near a medical expert, it has taught me that connections are both a good and bad thing. Where on a social and professional level, it does wonders with expediting cases and encouraging camaraderie in the face of life-threatening situations and alarming adversity, it does pose a serious disadvantage when one practitioner gets too close for comfort with each other or medically speaking, the complex network of nerves are inconvenienced, intertwined, and in some cases, inoperable by even the best in the field.
As with anything, a balance must be exercised, preceded by caution, and opinions considered from all ends before making incisions. A scrutiny under a microscopic lens, the expositions of the long-standing medical drama is a study of life in general, extricating realizations about connecting and conversely, unplugging, which in effect lays itself well for the better understanding of the human condition.
It goes without saying that we exist and thrive in a fully connected world, more so in the online landscape that is highlights dependence in more ways than one. Aside from the obvious context of relationship, we often fail to realize the almost addictive reliance to social media that adversely affects everything, most especially mental health. While we understand its implications, it is understandably difficult to detach ourselves from this perspective, considering that the world is necessarily entrenched online. However, it has to be said that too much is never a good thing, even for the most put-together and level-headed, which is why setting digital boundaries is easier said than done. However, when inundated with rampant misinformation, doomsday scrolling, and overwhelming opinions, it is imperative that we have the good graces to detach and go on a much-needed digital detox when possible.
“Social media has become such a huge part of all our lives, and I know all too well the negative impact it can have on mental health if we don’t set boundaries,” says Jordan Stephens, one-half of the UK music duo, Rizzie Kicks, and co-founder of #IAMWHOLE, an anti-stigma mental health campaign developed with the National Health Security and the YMCA. “A digital detox day is all about taking some time out to reflect, so we can form better relationships with ourselves and our devices.” It might sound simple, but there’s more to a digital detox than just shutting off from the world wide web.
Give Yourself A Break
“I love social media, it’s incredible in so many ways and it has helped build communities and businesses, and given people a platform in order to share their stories that might not otherwise have been heard,” continues Zoe Sugg, YouTuber and author who has joined the digital detox conversation with Jordan Stephens. “However, as the years have progressed and social media has grown in size, it’s clear that it has its flaws, too. Comparison, criticism, cyber bullying, a disconnect from reality and real life. All of these things and how often we are scrolling can have such a negative impact on our mental health,” she explains. A self-prescribed digital detox day can prove to be necessary, especially to “reflect offline about how we live our lives online and to introduce boundaries into our social media usage.”
It’s simple as it sounds: we are all encouraged to take a step back and unplug ourselves from the matrix, so to speak, and enter the analog flip side that is by all accounts more introspective. Even in a world craving for every bit of human connection possible as it continues to be held hostage by the unceasing virus, peace of mind is a necessary insulation to cushion us from the blows of the everyday.
On a digital detox day, it isn’t just shutting off and shutting down, but setting up a perspective that is more aware and attuned to what is essential. Sure, you will miss a few updates here and there, and that your notifications will stack up, but that one day to wade through the overwhelming distractions and to make sense of it all is more than enough of an exhale to fill you up with the energy to keep the conversation on mental health and anxiety going strong.
Just breathe, read a book, go on a baking spree, or even take your time in the shower every once in a while. Give yourself a break. It’s okay, you can do this.
As historic as the gold medal win of Hidilyn Diaz is for the Philippines, there is a lot more to it than we know. Here, we find out what this well-deserved triumph means for the living legend.
At some point when she was clearing her snatches in the 55kg women’s weightlifting finals at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, her calloused hands with painted nails broke into a wound. No cause for alarm, reassured the commentator covering the games live at the Tokyo International Forum, fill it in with a bit of chalk and it’ll be fine for the time being. If it wasn’t caught on camera, it wouldn’t have been noticed because apart from the passion and precision that was written all over the Filipino Olympian’s face during the snatch, she was all smiles immediately after. Cool, calm, and collected, Hidilyn Diaz, already a bemedalled athlete, had every bearings of a champion amidst strong competition. With her chest out, every stance, step, and snatch conscious and considered, the lashing on her palms was a small and expected pain in her path to victory.
As historic as her clinching of the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics was, it was something she manifested very early on. In an interview following her SEA Games gold with TV Patrol, Hidilyn Diaz said, “May SEA Games gold na ako, may Asian games gold medal na ako. So, Tokyo 2020, I claim it na maiuuwi ko ang gold medal.” Shifting from unerring determination with hands firm on the bar to the deep-seated lunge that led to that one big lift in the end, one could already sense the tearful expression taunting to explode after clearing her final clean and jerk to score an impressive Olympic record of 127kg in the aforementioned focus, as well of the total 224kg in the weightlifting category. Even before she could drop the bar and weights, the emotions were already giving way with every visible tremble in her body, and the very second she knew for herself, Hidilyn Diaz broke down in tears.
Finally, a triumph not only for a country desperate for a win, but most importantly, a dream come true for one of the strongest women in the world, Hidilyn Diaz.
Right then and there, she lifted the spirits of a worn out and weary nation ailing from the unrelenting pandemic and the unceasing incompetency of the government who once red-tagged the athlete in an oust-Duterte matrix, a severely misinformed and misguided move that almost derailed her chances in the Olympics. However, despite all that heaved on her shoulders, the first words recorded from her literally seconds after the gold medal win was a very selfless, “Mabuhay ang Pilipinas, mabuhay!”
In the summer games, heroes are born on the daily, but from this seasoned assemblage, only a handful are immortalized into the league of legends. Following a journey that took four trips to the international sporting event, a pandemic, and being stuck in Malaysia for close to two years where they had spent time training non-stop, as well as of a herculean combination of sacrifice, isolation, and hardships, this is by no means an easy feat nor a stroke of luck for the Olympian. A realization of hard work bookended by passion and purpose, there is a whole lot more to the Tokyo Olympics 2020 win of Hidilyn Diaz. “Sa lahat ng pinagdaaanan ko, pine-prepare ako ni God to be strong today,” she expressed in a post-game chat with Gretchen Ho. “Sa totoo lang, ang dami kong pinagdaanan. After winning the Olympics, ang hirap mag sustain…nagkaroon ng matrix, ‘di ba?”
But despite it all, Hidilyn is simply grateful, lifting her victory to God, her team, and an entire country rallying behind her. “Hindi ako makapaniwala. Nasorpesa ako, kakaiba si God. Sa lahat ng prayer warriors ko sa Pilipinas, thank you so much. Sa Team HD at sa lahat ng sumuporta sa akin, thank you so much for believing in me. When the times na gusto ko nang sumuko dahil sa dami ng pagsubok na pinagdaanan, kaya natin, kaya nating mga Pilipino,” she said. “’Wag tayong sumuko, kahit anong challenges and trials ‘yan, manalangin tayo kay God, maga-guide siya sa atin.”
Hidilyn Diaz At The Olympics
In the swell of her milestone of a victory, one that is celebrated all over the world, there is a lot of respect to be accorded the record-making and record-breaking athlete. From bringing the Philippines to a podium finish after a 20-year drought, earning the country its first ever gold medal in the Asian games, and now, obliterating a 97 year wait for the elusive gold at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, let it be known that Hidilyn Diaz, a woman, did that.
No longer eclipsed by the machismo and misogyny that continues to plague the country in so many ways, especially in sports, Hidilyn Diaz, along with female athletes, have proven that a woman can and a woman will. Armed with steely grit and a refreshing sense of grace in the strength-based sport, the professional athlete took the responsibility with ease and lifted it to a well-deserved victory that only got sweeter in exponential increments thereafter. And to think that the winning weight at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 was the first time Hidilyn Diaz successfully raised the bar to completion.
“Nata-try ko na siya sa training, pero hindi ko nagagawa. Every time na try ko ‘yun, di ko nagagawa, nafru-frustrate ako, umiiyak ako. ‘Di ko in-expect na mabuhat ko ‘yun kahapon. Siguro si God ‘yun and all the people who prayed kahapon…sobrang thankful ako sa lahat nagdasal and nag-novena,” she shared to Dyan Castillejo in a press conference today. “Hindi po madali ang pagpapapanalo ko nito, ng gold medal. Naging madali kasi may mga taong behind me, the private sponsors, the government, and POC for you know, giving us the opportunity to be here in the Olympics. Hindi ko inakala na makapasok ang Team HD nandito sila and napakalaking bagay. Gusto kong sabihin sa lahat ng mga Pilipino, walang imposible. Alam ko marami tayong pinagdadaanan ngayon dahil sa pandemic, pero tingnan niyo, kahit nasa pandemic, nakaya natin, na-survive ko, nasurvive ng Team HD, na-survive ng Pilipinas, ng Philippine team.”
And Rightfully So
Prior to the Tokyo Olympics 2020, rumors had it that Hidilyn Diaz was considering retiring from the sport completely. Pressure aside, it’s no secret that her path to this conquest wasn’t paved as many would want to believe. Stacked on top of the frustrating swirl of blood, sweat, and tears was a lack of financial support and a tepid consideration for the sport at best. Not one to give up easily, she persisted and prevailed despite the odds being against her. Little did she know that all this would lead up to a fulfillment of all that she has dreamed of ever since picking up the weighted bars.
While the emotions and euphoria of this historic have yet to settle at the Tokyo Olympics 2020, the 35 million peso richer (an average as of last count) Hidilyn Diaz is already looking to focus on three things: a feast including cheesecake and bubble tea, the SEA Games, and a world championship. “Hindi ako magsa-stop kasi kaya ko pa. Nakita ko yung galing ko and alam ko may ibibigay pa ako sa Pilipinas, together with Team HD and POC,” she asserted. “Hindi pwedeng after winning, susuko na ako. Alam niyo naman na I still need to continue to inspire the young generation to still dream. Ang standard ng sports baka bababa so kailangan tuloy-tuloy hanggang sa may susunod sa akin.”
Jabbed by the Filipino sports media on the virtual call, she was asked, “How about Paris 2024?”
“Natatakot ako for Paris pero for tinitignan,” she said, obviously overwhelmed. “Kung ang lakas po nandun, tuloy tuloy.”
With a fair amount of time away, there is no doubt that if there is anyone who can pull this off, it is Hidilyn Diaz, the first Filipino gold medalist at the Olympics. This time, nothing is going to stop her, not even a callous bursting open or the weight of the country on her shoulders. A mere flinch and smile away, it looks like we’ll be talking about this for a while, and rightfully so.
In the penultimate episode of He’s Into Her, Deib and Randall form a shaky truce for Max while Deib tells Max the three-word sentence we’ve all been waiting for him to say.
As the final episode before the finale, episode 9 of He’s Into Her continues the momentum the show has set up since episode 6. This episode sees the aftermath of what happened between Elle and Max while it also lays the groundwork for who Randall and Deib are to Max’s life. Here is a recap of He’s Into Her: Episode 9 Bear vs. Shark.
Episode 9 begins after the events of Elle and her mom leaving the house. Max is in her bedroom and going through social media when she reads a message from Kim in the Benison group chat about what happened between Elle and Max. The comments talk about her and her family in a not-so-subtle manner which causes Max to turn off her phone and get some fresh air. All the while Deib is with his friends and is worried about Max. He tried to call her ten times but she wouldn’t pick up the phone.
At a bar, Max is playing billiards when Randall shows up. They play a game together and she asks him if he had a girlfriend in the US and he says no. He then asks her if she had a boyfriend while he was away and Max says that she was loyal to him.
The scene then cuts to Kim and Khloe eating together. Khloe tells Kim that Deib has moved on from her and that she shouldn’t hope to get back with him. But Kim still believes that there is a chance and just needs to find dirt on Max. After checking out Max’s IG account, they discover that she follows Randall and that he posted a story of Max saying that she was always loyal to him. This then hatches a plan in Kim and she uploads a video on the Benison group chat showing the past photos of Randall and Max together as well as the IG story. This then gets Deib angry, and he goes to Max for an explanation.
A MISUNDERSTANDING AND A FRAGILE TRUCE
Back at the bar, Max is reminiscing with Randall about her past. She says that she misses her old life and that she missed him, not so much as a boyfriend, but as a friend. Max is then going to talk about her and Elle before she stops herself. Randall tells Max that he is sorry for his past actions and that he would never hurt her again. Then, the two hug it out.
Deib catches this and is once again angry. A heated argument between the three ensues with Deib and Randall nearly going to blows after insulting each other. Max steps in and tells them to stop. The three then have a civil chat where Max opens up that she wants to forgive Elle but is still hurt by what she did. Deib then holds her hand and says that she is a good person. Randall holds her other hand and says that he will always be there for her. Max leaves for the restroom and the two agree to form a shaky truce and not give Max any more problems.
When it’s time to leave, Deib tells Max that he’ll take her home, but she says that he can’t because of her dad. Max says that she’ll go home by herself instead, but Deib insists that he go home with Randall. Before Max heads off, he grabs her by the hand and tells her that he can’t imagine his life without her and that he made his life better. Max then says that what the two of them have is a miracle and he gave her hope. All of this happens as Randall watches on.
YSAY ASKS FOR FORGIVENESS
The next day, Max joins her dad for breakfast and the two talk. She tells him that it would have been better if she just left and went back to Mindoro to avoid what happened with the family. But her dad insists that she doesn’t need to leave to make him happy. Instead, she should just be her daughter which Max happily complies with. Meanwhile, Deib gets new information about his brother’s attackers and learns that they have CCTV footage of the attack and could hopefully ID the criminals.
At The Barb, Max and Deib are sitting beside each other as they study. Deib tries to hold Max’s hand and she tells him not to since she’s studying. The two then have a playful back and forth with one another before Deib tells Max that if she needs a shoulder to cry on, she can go it on his.
Later in episode 9, while Max and her friends are chilling on the basketball court, Ysay shows up to ask for forgiveness. She initially is met with hostility from Naih and Migz, but Max lets Ysay speak. Ysay emotionally tells Max that she did what she did because she didn’t want her family to get hurt and break apart. She felt that if she ratted out Choco, her family would get ruined. Max tells Ysay that she is hurt by what she did but understands her motivations because that is what Elle did as well. She then forgives Ysay and the five of them have a group hug.
PRE-DATE
In arguably the most important scene of episode 9, Deib and Max go on a pre-date, complete with flowers, a stuffed bear, and romantic music. Deib tells Max that this is just a preview of what their relationship could look like and he knows that Max has feelings for him too which causes her to blush.
As they are talking, Max gets a text from her dad saying that he is coming home so she has to leave because he has no one at home to be with. Deib asks her to stay for five more minutes, and the subject of his mom is brought up. He says that ever since the accident, his mom has been avoiding him like the plague and she makes him feel like it’s his fault. Max tells him that he shouldn’t feel bad and that she will be there to support him. Deib then tells Max that he loves her and adds that she doesn’t need to say it back, only when she’s ready.
In the final scene of episode 9, it’s the day of the game and the group is outside the venue. Everyone is there except for Max. Kim, while wearing snake earrings, tries to use the situation to badmouth Max. But Dieb doesn’t fall for it and the episode ends.
WHAT HE MEANS TO YOU
As the penultimate episode of He’s Into Her, episode 9 could have strayed into becoming an episode that just builds up the finale and has little pay-off. But that doesn’t happen here and instead helps continue the momentum that the show has been building since the start of the second half of the season.
What episode 9 does and does well is to establish who Deib and Randall are in Max’s life. Deib is the man who got changed by Max and is on the verge of becoming her next soulmate and boyfriend. Deib is clear about his feelings for Max, and with the closure she got from Randall, she too could finally open up to Deib. But Randall too still has a presence in her life. Even if they are broken up, they still regard each other as friends and who have shared a lot of special moments together.
This then sets up an exciting finale as not only are Deib and Randall fighting it out on the court, but also where Max will ultimately fall towards; the former bully turned potential lover, or the former lover turned friend (though it’s kinda obvious who Max should end up with). We can’t wait to see how it all goes down in episode 10.
