Top five why we should be proud to be Filipinos right now

The great showing of our countrymen in the Tokyo Olympics has brought us immense pride and joy, to say the very least. But the brilliance of the Filipino continues to shine outside the world of sports- and can be felt in other fields as well. Here are top five reasons why it’s truly exciting to be a Pinoy right now:

1. Pag-IBIG Fund took home the gold in the Stevie Award was for its Alagang Pag-IBIG: Helping the Nation Recover from COVID-19 campaign

This is in recognition of the agency’s COVID-19 response. This aided nearly 4.8 million members with home loans and cash loans by providing them with grace periods totaling 6 months; aided 320,406 borrowers through its own 3-month moratorium on loan payments. Pag-IBIG also made available P10 billion home construction fund to accredited developers to encourage production and boost supply of housing units. The Stevie Awards is considered as one of the world’s premier business awards which honors innovations and achievements of organizations worldwide. Over 900 nominations were received by the award-giving body for this year.

2. Team Philippines has won three medals in the virtual edition of the 53rd International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) in Japan

The two silver medalists this year are: Nathan Wayne Ariston of Philippine Science High School (PSHS) Central Mindanao Campus and Ron Angelo Gelacio of PSHS-Main Campus. Bringing home the bronze medal is Aames Juriel Morales of De La Salle University (DLSU) Integrated School Senior High School (SHS) Manila. The IChO is a yearly competition where nations around the world send a team of four students, who are tested on their chemistry knowledge and skills in a five-hour laboratory practical and five-hour written theoretical examination.

3) Researchers from the University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB) have found bacteria in the soils of Mayon Volcano in Albay, Bicol that may possess potential antibiotic and anti-colorectal cancer properties

This is according to the Department of Science and Technology. . Kristel Mae P. Oliveros, the project leader, is an assistant professor in UPLB Microbiology Division. Among other notable achievements of UPLB scientists are saving the tawilis, which is the world’s only freshwater sardine from possible extinction. They also had research which found that Philippine mango leaves’ extracts have shown great potential as cosmetics ingredients with good antioxidant, anti-aging, and whitening properties.

4)The beautiful faces of our local celebrities top-billed by Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla are gracing the screens of the bustling streets of New York and Los Angeles, USA

The global beverage giant is currently showcasing its #PepsiHitSaSarap campaign material in Times Square, N.Y.C. and Downtown L.A. which also features Billboard Music Awards-nominee SB19, collegiate basketball hotshot Ricci Rivero, and internet sensation Mimiyuuuh, bringing a bit of the Philippines to the Filipinos abroad. Pepsi’s Hit Sa Sarap campaign is all about the importance of enjoying meal time with friends and family showcased in a true Pepsi way that is hip and fun, utilizing music and vibrancy. Pepsi is like the best friend that complements every meal made up of all good food there is. Be it with everyone’s favorite adobo, the crispiest chicken, the tastiest burgers and fries, the glorious inihaw na liempo, or just about anything one craves for, Pepsi literally and figuratively adds fizz to every meal. As seen in the Pepsi commercial, sharing delicious meals over a Pepsi becomes not just yummier but definitely more special. Check out the new Hit sa Sarap ad here. Follow @pepsiphilippines on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and Twitter. Post your #PepsiHitSaSarap photos and tag them on IG.

5) Sinigang, a sour soup native to the Philippines, has been named the World’s No. 1 vegetable soup by the online food encyclopedia, Taste Atlas

The popular Pinoy soup dish, which can have either pork, beef or fish as it main component, currently tops Taste Atlas’ international database of vegetable soups in the Best rated category, with a score of 4.8 out of 5 stars from food critics and diners from all over the world. Sinigang is the only soup on the list with a 4.8-star rating, outranking popular favorites Latvia’s skābeņu zupa, Italy’s fagiolata, and Nigeria’s ogbono soup.