The comments section under Rico Blanco’s tribute song to frontliners will surprise you

“This Too Shall Pass” paints a portrait of what “bayanihan” means in these crazy times, and its first responders have expressed their appreciation. By JAM PASCUAL


“This too shall pass” is a reliable adage, because it’s never wrong. Everything is temporary, and that goes for good things and bad things, even if that bad thing happens to be a national crisis that seems to be dragging out longer than it reasonably has to.

“This Too Shall Pass” is also Rico Blanco’s first solo single in four years. It is, pointedly and earnestly, Blanco’s tribute to the heroes fighting against the pandemic. That goes not just for medical frontliners directly fighting the disease and essential workers keeping families fed, but, well, everybody.

Maybe the last you saw him was in the music video for “Pagbabalik,” which was a collaborative smash with IV of Spades. His last album was “Dating Gawi,” which was released 2015, and you might have even seen him on the big screen, with 2016’s Camp Sawi. “This Too Shall Pass” sees the platinum songwriter returning to form in a way, with a verse and chorus that start soft and triumphantly build up, and lyricism that is optimistic without being grating. “I don’t know how / I don’t know when / But I know love will find a way again” is a solid piece of reassurance.

As for the video, the best thing about it isn’t the music video itself, which shows us empty cities and streets from different parts of the world, and light pouring through partially closed shutters on a quarantined Blanco. The best thing about the music video are the comments. So rarely is a YouTube comment section ever a testament to human kindness and compassion, but you’ll find in the comments below “This Too Shall Pass” scores of people thanking frontliners and eking out what hope they have about a situation that can oftentimes seem hopeless. Music, man.

Blanco is waiving all artist royalties for “This Too Shall Pass.” For the first six months of release, Sony Music Philippines is donating 100 percent of the proceeds to puhon.ph, a project collecting inspiring messages for and from people fighting the pandemic. “Puhon” means “hopefully” in Visayan. The site has raised P4.6M to provide essentials such as personal protective equipment for medical frontliners, and testing kits and relief goods for daily wage workers.

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'You Are the Champions': Queen, Adam Lambert update anthem for health workers

Rock band Queen and singer Adam Lambert are raising money for health workers fighting COVID-19 with new single "You Are The Champions," an updated version of classic hit "We Are The Champions" recorded on mobile phones under lockdown.

The track is for "all those in the frontline, all around the world... the people who are risking their lives to save us and save our families," guitarist Brian May told Reuters in a video conference call interview from his home in London.

The single came to life when May posted a video online



of himself playing his part, inviting the public to jam. He then urged drummer Roger Taylor and Lambert, who tours with the band in the place of late singer Freddie Mercury, to join in.



The band discussed whether to update the lyrics. In the end, Lambert swapped in "you" for "we" in the final verse, and left the rest of the words unchanged. It was an unusual move for Queen to alter even a single word of a classic song written by Mercury more than 40 years ago.

"But I think this is the type of event that warranted such a change. And it really, because it's such a well-known title, changing that one word makes a huge impact," Lambert told Reuters from his home in Los Angeles.

The lyrics still stand as the ideal anthem for the fight against coronavirus, he added: "It's really a song about overcoming obstacles. It's a song about, you know, defying the odds. And I think that's what we're doing right now."

Taylor's wife filmed him adding drums from his home in the English county of Cornwall. He listened to May's track on headphones and played along while watching on a computer.

"It was quite tricky because Brian was just playing without a metronome or anything," Taylor confided to Reuters.

The musicians and Mercury's estate are donating their proceeds to a World Health Organization fund for health workers. The music video shows footage of frontline workers around the world, including Taylor's daughter, Dr. Rory Taylor, a family doctor in West London.

"People feel it in themselves," May said of Mercury's song. "They feel this challenge. They want to be the best. They want to win. And the song just has it. So it's become a wonderful way of expressing triumph and determination in the face of something very difficult."

The band was meant to be on the road now but had to postpone a 27-date UK and European tour. May said it was "heartbreaking" to call off shows after fans bought 400,000 tickets, and the band hopes to reschedule for next year.

-reuters-

'One World' celebrity special for coronavirus draws 21 million Americans

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Almost 21 million Americans watched the “One World: Together At Home” global special on Saturday in support of frontline workers battling the coronavirus pandemic, according to Nielsen data released on Monday.

Nielsen said that the two-hour concert, which featured appearances and performances from their homes by multiple celebrities including Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, the Rolling Stones, Oprah Winfrey and Beyonce, was aired on 26 U.S. television networks.

The event, the biggest celebrity effort during the coronavirus outbreak, was viewed by an estimated 20.7 million viewers in the United States, Nielsen said. Audiences in other nations and on streaming platforms were not available.

The concert, organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and nonprofit Global Citizen, raised some $127 million from corporations and philanthropists for the work of the WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund.

Members of the public were not asked to donate but were encouraged to practice social distancing and handshaking and to show their appreciation for healthcare, grocery, delivery, transport and other workers.

Saturday’s two hour broadcast special was preceded by a six-hour streaming event which featured musicians and other celebrities from as far apart as Asia and the Middle East.

Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Christopher Cushing

Ara Mina bakes cakes, cupcakes for COVID-19 frontliners

MANILA – Since the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) has been declared in the entire Luzon, most people have been doing their own part in helping the COVID-19 frontliners -- whether by donating funds, goods or medical equipment, or just by staying at home to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease.

For actress Ara Mina, she has been busy baking cakes and cupcakes which she sends to various hospitals here in Manila and in Pampanga, and even to military troops manning checkpoints.

“First week of ECQ, I was able to bake some cupcakes, cakes and we sent some food for our frontliners in Pasig Doctors Medical Center, AFP Medical Center, Angeles Pampanga Police Station 5 as well as police and military officers in San Mateo Rizal checkpoint. Just a little something for our heroes. Thank you to our frontliners, we salute you,” she wrote on Instagram.

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First week of ECQ, I was able to bake some cupcakes, cakes and we sent some food for our frontliners in Pasig Doctors Medical Center, AFP Medical Center, Angeles Pampanga Police Station 5 (near #Hazelberry in Pampanga 😊), as well as Police and Military Officers in San Mateo Rizal checkpoint. Just a little something for our heroes. Thank you to our frontliners, we salute you! 😍 . My partner @christineangela21 and I were also able to share some groceries to our employees. Thank God for providing🙏🏻 . Tulungan lang po tayo hangga’t sa makakaya. We’re giving our best effort. Donating also to some friends na nagreraise ng funds. Still thinking of how we can help pa while still working from home for @hazelberryofficial para kahit papaano may maitulong pa tayo sa ating kapwa. . We can do this everyone! 😍👍🏻 . #FightCovid19 #FrontlinersPH #AraCares #GTGFCares #HazelberryCares #AraMinaFoundation

A post shared by 💖 𝐀𝐫𝐚 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐚 💖 (@therealaramina) on Apr 13, 2020 at 9:21am PDT

Mina, who owns Hazelberry Café which has branches in Quezon City, Pasig City and Pampanga, also said she and her partner have not forgotten their own employees, to whom they gave some groceries.

“Tulungan lang po tayo hangga’t sa makakaya. We’re giving our best effort. Donating also to some friends na nagre-raise ng funds. Still thinking of how we can help pa while still working from home for Hazelberry para kahit papaano may maitulong pa tayo sa ating kapwa,” she said.

Although the current situation may be difficult for everyone, Mina said there’s nothing we can’t do if people will help each other.

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Frontliners give thanks

Health workers form hearts with their hands as they show appreciation after the residents of La Verti Residences gave a tribute to frontliners on Easter Sunday in Pasay. Tributes to frontliners have been flowing in as Filipinos thanked them for risking their lives in the fight against COVID-19.

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TikTok pledges $1 million to PGH Medical Foundation

MANILA -- Video-sharing app TikTok is helping the Philippines in its fight against COVID-19 as it pledged to donate $1 million to Philippine General Hospital Medical Foundation Inc. (PGHMFI). 

PGHMFI is a non-profit organization that is a major partner of the Philippine General Hospital (PGH).

The fund will help provide protective gear and equipment as well as relief for health care workers, according to a statement released by TikTok on Thursday. 

"Nothing's as priceless as a community that comes together in times of crisis and does their part to battle against it. PGHMFI greatly appreciates the enormous support from TikTok, which will help us secure PPEs and essential supplies to the front line health care professionals of PGH," PGHMFI president Dr. Telesforo Gana said.

"This is truly a big help as the PGH continues to fulfill its role as a government-designated COVID-19 hospital. With coordinated efforts, we believe we can prevent a greater outbreak, save more lives and start healing," Gana added. 

Helena Lersch, global public policy director for TikTok, for her part, praised Filipinos' resilience amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

"TikTok could attest to the Filipino resilience. We have witnessed how the Filipino community managed to look out for each other and bring a smile or deliver a message of hope despite the gravity of the situation," Lersch said.

"We are grateful that TikTok has been part of Filipinos' everyday lives. We hope that this donation will give our medical frontliners the best equipment and supplies that will lead to the healing of the Philippines. From the bottom of our hearts, maraming salamat Pinoy community, and salamat, frontliners!"

TikTok users in the Philippines have been showing their support for health care workers through the #salamatfrontliners campaign, which has received 29,742 videos and 56,209,777 views.

In response, frontliners also took to TikTok to share their messages of hope and inspiration, with some of them dancing to "Fight Song" as they continue their battle against the novel coronavirus. 

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La Salle Green Hills opens doors to health workers of Medical City

MANILA -- Health workers of The Medical City have found temporary shelter in La Salle Green Hills (LSGH), which launched its Safe Shelter project on Friday. 

In a Facebook post, LSGH thanked all those that helped them make this possible, while calling for more donations to sustain their project for frontliners.

The school, located in Mandaluyong City, also shared photos of their converted spaces, such as classrooms turned into sleeping areas.

"Continuing to do all our actions for the love of God, LSGH opens its doors for the health workers of The Medical City today," LSGH said. 

"Welcome, dear guests! We hope you find in our school, a refuge, a safe shelter," it added.

Late last month, De La Salle University and De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde welcomed the homeless to stay inside their campuses during the coronavirus-induced lockdown.

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KC Concepcion sends food to frontliners

MANILA — KC Concepcion is among the local celebrities who are helping frontliners amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. 

In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Concepcion shared photos of the food she sent to a hospital in Quezon City.

“Done delivering 200 jars of ready-to-eat chicken and pork adobo to our frontliners at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center. Perpetual Help Medical Center - Las Piñas, you're next,” Concepcion wrote.

source: news.abs-cbn.com