Author: Latest Chika STAR

(Note: Pilipino Star Ngayon’s Bituin Ng Pag-Asa series looks back and celebrates viral stories of hope and inspiration this 2020.) This nurse was hailed “hero in white” after going out of her way to ensure the safe delivery of a homeless mother’s baby. Despite in a rush to report for work at a health maintenance organization, Mary Lorrainne Pingol, 29, didn’t hesitate to answer a call for help from officials of Brgy. Bangkal in Makati last August. An emergency situation had occurred where a street dweller — later identified in news reports as Jeca Mae Rausa, 31— was giving…

(Note: Pilipino Star Ngayon’s Bituin Ng Pag-Asa series looks back and celebrates viral stories of hope and inspiration this 2020.) No worker? No problem! This principal from Aklan wowed netizens after going beyond his official duties to serve his school and students. Elmer Lumbo, 59, didn’t expect that working overtime and personally completing the construction work at Habana Integrated School (HIS) in the town of Buruanga to meet a Department of Education deadline would generate so much attention last October. Sir Lumbo, as he is fondly called by students, recalled that last October 28 he was in a seminar when…

(Note: Pilipino Star Ngayon’s Bituin Ng Pag-Asa series looks back and celebrates viral stories of hope and inspiration this 2020.) The COVID-19 pandemic has left many businesses and workers, especially in the country’s travel and tourism industry, struggling to survive. Palawan-based Madel Lucena, 23, went viral after posting about her unplanned career change after losing the job that she loves. In July 2019, she was hired as a flight attendant. By July 2020, she joined her home province’s COVID-19 response team as a medical technologist. Madel was close to being regularized at the airline company she has been…

(Note: Pilipino Star Ngayon’s Bituin Ng Pag-Asa series looks back and celebrates viral stories of hope and inspiration this 2020.) As students struggled to cope with “new normal” learning challenges this year, one print shop in Malabon came to the rescue and won the hearts of netizens. Marvin and Ria Dungao, the husband-and-wife owners of DPI Print Solutions Malabon, went viral in May for their Free Student Worksheets Printing project to help students with their blended and distance learning needs. The idea to help out struggling students started after the couple increasingly received inquiries about printing of Department of Education…

(Note: Pilipino Star Ngayon’s Bituin Ng Pag-Asa series celebrates viral stories of hope and inspiration this 2020.) “Ano ba ang ambag mo?” This group of students became one of the bright spots in this otherwise difficult year after forming a charity organization as response to a question they often encountered when expressing themselves online. May Twenty Ako was born on the day the Enhanced Community Quarantine was imposed in Metro Manila last March, with the goal of calling for P20 donations to help the homeless in their community in Malabon. The youth-led org has since raised P4 million for Filipinos…

(Note: Pilipino Star Ngayon’s Bituin Ng Pag-Asa series celebrates viral stories of hope and inspiration this 2020.) Albay artist Sheila Brobio drew praise online for her “art for a cause” that helped schools and students cope with the challenges of learning in the new normal. A founding member of the Papercutters Guild of the Philippines (PGP), Sheila has had exhibited her art pieces in Metro Manila, nearby provinces and private studios. But as the country shifted to blended learning amid a pandemic, she decided to offer her paper-carved portraits not for money but bond papers to be donated to public…

(Note: Pilipino Star Ngayon’s Bituin Ng Pag-Asa series celebrates viral stories of hope and inspiration this 2020.) This 59-year-old vlogger has been dubbed “Pinoy Santa on bike” by netizens inspired by his gift-giving for street children as he pedals around Metro Manila and nearby provinces. Joselito “Tatay Joey” Belo — or Bike Camper JBelo on Facebook and YouTube — has been vlogging on his makeshift camper bike made of recycled scrap and junk materials. But there’s more to his unique ride than meets the eye. It carries toys he gives away to kids he encounters along the way. It all…

Even amid the new normal, BDO Unibank and SM Supermalls are finding ways to continue their annual tradition of paying tribute to overseas Filipinos (OFs) and their families during the Christmas season. This year, the companies held their much-anticipated Pamaskong Handog as a virtual event but still featured a star-studded roster of performers and exciting line-up of activities as it has been known for all these years. The importance of carrying on with the tradition was recently highlighted at a media teleconference that formally launched the Pamaskong Handog 2020: Sama-Sama Tayo sa Pasko. Among those who joined the announcement were…

Lloyd Cadena’s mom Lorita finally opened up on her last days with the late YouTube star two months after his untimely death last September. During Sunday’s episode of Kapuso Mo Jessica Soho (KMJS), Lorita couldn’t help but get emotional as she told broadcast journalist Jessica Soho how at first she couldn’t believe her youngest child was gone so soon after testing positive from COVID-19. (READ: YouTube star Lloyd Cadena passes away.) “Sa una di ako maniwala eh, kasi nagte-text pa kami sa gabi. Bigla,” Lorita said. “At saka si Lloyd malihim, di siya nagsasabi sa akin, ayaw niyang malungkot ako.” Lorita…

Gardenia Philippines taps into the community spirit once again with the “Laging Kasama” free virtual concert. The idea of Bayanihan is something that is deeply embedded in our culture. Regardless of how little or how much we have, it is wired in our DNA to always help, share and support others, especially during times ofcrisis. This selflessness is what Gardenia Philippines successfully captured in Laging Kasama, a free virtual concert held to celebrate Happy Bread Day. The event, which happened on October 24 via Facebook Live, gatheredsome of the best musical acts in the country to entertain everyone with their…