Gear up for School with CD-R King

Students are thrilled to go back to school especially with new stuff to add to their gear.  Our children are so keen in keeping up with the Joneses and having the latest gadget gives them the drive to look 

forward to the school year 2016-2017.

They anticipate to parade on the catwalks of their beloved school sporting the latest trend to match their new uniforms, shoes, bags, notebooks, etc. Most of all its Parent’s funding season, the pinnacle of all. Allowance so to speak, where kids learn their first haggling in the world of finance.

Every parents dream is to fully provide for their treasured children/students. The necessities required by the academe is more often overwhelming. Thus Cd-R King perceives the need to provide for parents, students, and the school itself a channel where quality yet affordable supplies can be acquired. Remember when CD-R King disrupted the nation by providing the most affordable blank media? Everyone shifted to the brand and most Filipinos are thankful to have an alternative as oppose to the more expensive ones in the market. Giving Filipinos a practical option has always been CR-R Kings vision.

Widest more affordable options for everyone CD-R King still carries your beloved blank media for as low as Php5.00.

USB flash drives as low as Php160

They also have the most basic back to school neccessitites such as Ballpens for as low as Php2.00 a piece and Mechanical pencils for as low as Php10.00.

You can also buy Bond papers and other paper needs such as Photo and transfer sheets.

As far as gadget technology are concerned, you can now extend battery life of one gadget to another 

thru Miro USB to Micro USB mobile charging cable.

Get more data space for your Iphone with PQI i-connect.

Schools may also enjoy the affordability CD-R King has to offer Entry level projector for small classrooms can be acquired for as low as Php3,800

While bigger area projectors can be obtained for as low as Php9,900

Projector boards are offered for as low as Php2,280

Wireless Laser Presenter for as low as Php280.00

All these and more are available from your One-Stop media provider, CD-R King. Visit their more than 400 branches nationwide for any of your office, home and school needs. You may also visit their website, http://www.cdrking.com/ for more product listings. Like them on Facebook for more promos: https://www.facebook.com/cdrkingph.

Advocacy program raises awareness about mental illness in the Philippines

It’s a sad reality that in the Philippines, there’s an undeniable stigma with families whose one or more members are suspected to be suffering from mental illness. Most are hesitant to go to a psychiatrist for consultation because once the people around them find out about it, there’s a tendency to be looked at differently -- to be considered not normal.

This, according to Edmundo Isidro, president of Open Minds Foundation, is a crucial factor why mental health continues to be a growing problem in the country. “Stigma against mental illness can only be addressed by promoting education and awareness about it among individuals, families and communities,” Isidro said.

For people suffering from mental health problems, the social stigma attached to their illness can make it even harder to recover. Their conditions are also made worse with the discrimination they experience not just from the society but from their families and friends as well. Recognizing this, Open Minds Foundation seeks to have relatives and friends of mentally ill patients gain a deeper understanding of mental illnesses, as well as help and train them to find ways to cope. The support group’s objectives also complement other private efforts, such as an advocacy program dubbed as the “Patient’s Equity to Support ‘Out-of-Pocket Expense’ Value” (PESO Value). Funded by Johnson & Johnson (Philippines), Inc., (JJPI), it seeks to develop models of healthcare financing including for mental illness.

Since 2002, Open Minds Foundation has been hosting a forum each month at the Quezon City General Hospital, wherein they invite a psychiatrist to talk about mental illness on specific topics. Their participants, composed of 30 to 40 patients and caregivers, learn more about schizophrenia, depression, bipolar, anxiety, among others. In addition, the support group also has a regular radio program to reach out to more mental ill patients and their families, as well as a call center that provides a directory of psychiatrists. Through these efforts, they hope to make the public aware that mental illness is a disease that is curable and can be managed, Isidro said.

Consulting a psychiatrist is what saved the life of a 36-year-old mental patient diagnosed with schizophrenia, whose name will not be divulged for personal reasons. According to his mother, who also wishes to remain anonymous, she sought help for her son when he was in his early 20s, after he manifested unusual behavior, such as having difficulty in sleeping, shaving his hair and physically hurting himself and other people. The family could not pinpoint the exact reason that triggered the mental illness, but they suspect it was because of the high expectations set on him as the eldest, or the stress that he experienced from work. Prior to his diagnosis, the patient was working as a mechanic in one of the country’s leading automotive companies.

Stress was also one of the factors that led to the bipolar disorder of a 46-year-old mentally ill patient, who will also not be named. A widow with four sons, she believes her condition started as early as in her 20s, when she worked as an all-around maid for her relative. Over fatigue took a toll not only on her physical health but on her mental well-being as well, which was worsened by her marital problems. These led her to be depressed, and after going to the hospital for her goiter, she was recommended to seek the help of a psychiatrist. According to her, she displayed odd behavior, such as being too talkative.

Isidro confirmed that stress could be one of the triggers of mental illness. In fact, there is an upsurge of mental illness because of work schedules and unhealthy lifestyles, according to him. He reiterated, however, the importance of consulting a psychiatrist or a doctor to correct their mental health. In both cases, the two patients are taking medications to stabilize their conditions, upon the recommendation of their doctors. While the cost is considerably expensive, they opt for quality medicines to ensure efficacy, so they only take it once a day.

More than the financial support for hospital confinement or to buy medicines, mental ill patients need the utmost understanding of their families who usually are their caregivers. In the case of the 46-year-old bipolar, it took a long time for her family to accept her condition, mostly because they were embarrassed. The 36-year-old schizophrenic, on the other hand, do not experience the empathy of his friends, who do not understand his situation.

Support groups such as Open Minds Foundation and efforts such as the PESO VALUE aim to free mentally ill patients from the social stigma and discrimination, which can trap them in a cycle of illness. With the help of various advocacy programs focused on mental illness, patients not only have higher chances of managing their mental health, but of recovering fully.

Let the River Rest Campaign

On July 1, a bus full of artists & filmmakers will close the Puerto Princesa Underground River for three days. During those days, they will try to sell 3,600 passes to the river by driving from North to South of Mainland Palawan and continously upload videos of performances at stopovers and collaborations with the locals on Instagram to encourage buyers and Palawenyos to join the #PositiveValues Instagram video contest that can make them win US$3600 worth of Palawan adventure or Php360,000 film grant.

With a purchase of US$30 or Php1500 and not going to the river, one not only becomes a lifetime member of www.Facebook.com/isDaRevolutionPhilippines and be eligible to participate in all future events and contests of the organization but will also be able to sponsor one Palawan artist to the organization. (US$10 or Php500 only for Palawan residents until July 3.)

This is the #LetTheRiverRest Int'l Film Festival & New Media Convergence 2016. A project on PerCent Integrated Marketing Communications through its IsDa Revolution (Indie Support and Development Advocacy) Project in cooperation with CasaNieves.tv, The Palawan Heritage Center, WhenInManila.com, Palawan Council for Sustainable Development & the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River & National Park.
This years proceeds will be used as seed money to build the FilipiNow Theater, a state-of-the-art theater by the Underground River that will exclusively screen content and exhibit works produced by the members of IsDa Revolution.