Hazel Ann

“DO YOU JUANA…? Women represent the cornerstone of a family’s overall health, ensuring they have access to quality care also can lead to improved health for children and families. The health of families and communities are no doubt, tied to the health of women. Women’s lives have been impacted during the pandemic and how women are playing a central role in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and keeping their families and communities safe and resilient. “The pandemic situation and school closures have increased an already high burden of care and domestic work for women. These are impacting women’s physical and mental health. Equal share of domestic and care work is especially important during this time,” said Rahmawati Yayu Ningsih, a freelance illustrator and the winner in the category 25 years old and above all.  The COVID‑19 pandemic is harming health, social and economic well-being worldwide, with women at the centre. First and foremost, women are leading the health response: wom...

The COVID-19 vaccine has been safely administered to millions of children ages 5-17 and shows good protection against infection and severe disease. These are very important especially to children and teens. They must be vaccinated for their own sake. This is not just to ensure their safety but also to prevent the spread of the virus. This is an opportunity for the country to catch up to vaccination goals and is a crucial step toward beating the pandemic. Vaccinating your children can help protect them and your family and bring the pandemic to an end faster.  COVID-19 vaccines can help prevent your children from getting COVID-19. It can help your family get back to a more normal life. It protects your family, friends and teachers. Vaccinating your children reduces their risk of being infected with COVID-19, which can help keep them from being sick. Vaccination not only reduces the risk of your child becoming infected, but it also slows the spread of the disease by preventing it from...

The Day of Valor, officially known as Araw ng Kagitingan, is a national observance in the Philippines which commemorates the fall of Bataan to Japanese troops during World War II. It falls every April 9, although in 2009, its celebration was moved to April 6 to avoid it from coinciding with Maundy Thursday. Officials in command of Bataan—where Filipino and American forces maintained the main resistance in the war against the Japanese—formally surrendered. Through the Voice of Freedom radio broadcast, Third Lieutenant Normando Ildefonso Reyes—reading a message prepared by Captain Salvador P. Lopez—informed the Philippines and the world from Malinta Tunnel in Corregidor: “Bataan has fallen.” The Philippine-American troops on this war-ravaged and bloodstained peninsula have laid down their arms. With heads bloody but unbowed, they have yielded to the superior force and numbers of the enemy. The siege and defense of Bataan lasted 93 days—or just four months after the United States Army For...

 Lenten Season During This Pandemic      The Lenten season is a time of fasting and preparation for Easter. It is a time to reflect on Jesus's sacrifice and to prepare our hearts for Easter. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and lasts for 40 days. The season wherein Filipino people recall Christ's passion, his suffering, death and resurrection. The preparation of the believer for Easter through prayer, mortifying the flesh, repentance of sins, almsgiving, simple living, and self-denial. The Philippines is battling a renewed surge in infections, including those of the new and more transmissible variants, prompting the government to tighten existing curbs in the capital and nearby provinces. Dozens of Catholics in the Philippines braved the threat of coronavirus on Sunday to attend a mass outside the Baclaran Church in Manila to celebrate Palm Sunday, marking the beginning of the Holy Week. Wearing face masks and observing physical distancing to protect themselves from COVI...

     KANNAWIDAN FESTIVAL Kannawidan Ylocos festival is the commemoration of the foundation of the province of Ilocos Sur. Kannawidan is a variant of the  Ilocano word "tawid" meaning heritage or  inheritance.ItIt is a celebration that lasts from the last week of January and ends on the first week of February. This festival is a showcase of indigenous performances, religious rituals, as well cooking demos featuring the best of Ilocano dishes. It is a celebration that lasts from the last week of January and ends on the first week of February. It is the Ilocanos’ way of giving thanks to the Almighty not only for the bountiful blessings but also for the rich heritage of the province, including the close family ties among the Ilocanos. It is a tradition that during the opening of the festival, there is usually a mass held at the St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral. It is followed by a procession of the Patron Saints of the 40 parishes and images of Jesus Christ and Virgi...