Conversations About LONG COVID

The pandemic really got the nation crippled. I'm sure you're absolutely glad it's over, but for a percentage of the population.. the nightmare of debilitating conditions continue. Over coffee and tea this morning at One World Deli in Timog Avenue, we got to talk amongst those involved with the case of people living with LONG COVID. 

According to Dr. Camilo Road.Jr "Long Covid happens after the actual Covid itself. It's liberation day compared a few years ago where almost everyone was afraid of it. It's effects at the time of illness can be seen not just in the respiratory system, but also the immune system, therefore damaging other parts of the body. It caused death for a lot of people, and normalizing the body takes a lot of time after the cure. The fight may have subsided, but we do see mortality in 1%. The scare is still there, even in other illnesses that have higher mortality rate, some of which still suffer from it. Whether by scarring, virus fragments, while no longer contagious, still suffer from it. Long COVID happens 10-20 percent of those who had it, much higher in females and those who had it multiple times including the unvaccinated. Manifestation includes Fatigue, Headache, Attention Disorder, Hair Loss, Dyspnea. If you got it after being Covid, then that is Long Covid. Patients are taught to breathe more actively, avoid triggers, identify new limits and follow accordingly."

Roel Balingasay who's had Long COVID for 4 years told us "The chronic pains and silent battles just changed a bit of me being a man of action. In April, I thought I had flu, but was coughing intensely and felt I ran a marathon. I spent a total of 30 days in the hospital and couldn't eat because my throat was in pain, I also had muscle dystrophy so I couldn't walk, had widespread body pain, got so confused and had brain fog. I had palpitations, but it was a health crisis. I also had diabetes, kidney stones, 2 blockages in my heart and 2 percent calcified. I also had bronchial asthma, gerd, laryngitis, partial tearing of ligament, lung fibrosis which is a scar. I understood that's where the difficulty in breathing was coming from. It was Long Covid according to my pulmonologist, and told to check my BP, it was high when I was just sitting. Before I could work 12 hours, but now even talking was hard. I resigned from work, resorted to health supplements and machine, you may want to ask me about that. It has affected me, I couldn't sing anymore, work is strainous, I look healthy but it was that, stigma, I had to change homes. Recently I joined communities, and tell people about it. It's a public health issue, and research needs to be done for it. I hope people listen with intent, the challenges had happen to me and some of my friends would tell me there's no Covid anymore. I stopped talking to people because of it and had depression."

Author of My Long Covid Journey: The Saga Behind the Smile Ms. Becks Galvez Tan told us a bit about her life as she says "I am a diagnosed Long COVID patient, fighting for my life 4 years ago where lungs were damaged, had hair loss, difficulty swallowing, sensory overload and the symptoms came and went, like a rollercoaster. The COVID-19 damaged not the lungs, but other organs as well. I felt better when I read other patients had 147 symptoms, but now I am tied to a oxygen concentrator because of a paralysis in my right diaphragm. From being able to walk easily before, I can only do it 2 minutes now. Every 3 minutes I had to rest going up the stairs, I had to rest for 40 minutes here before I could talk. It's just hard to believe that now I couldn't lift a finger. The fatigue is real, and the pain is excruciating. Now I recover faster compared before, but it is like dying in so many ways. I don't see my old self, I am in disbelief but I have moved on and focus on what I can do. In between crashes, I wrote all of it in The Saga Behind the Smile. It is available on digital for free, you can read it, I am living testament that you can still live despite suffering in silence. I don't want to spend my life in misery, I now learned to pace myself, I rest and do something on other days. It's just hard for people to understand. It's different everyday so I can't tell if symptoms are going to happen or not."

It's an E-Book, which you can download via bit.ly/MyLongCovidJourney.

Right now they are creating support groups and want to reach other Long COVID patients to they can help in not just advocacy but find government help. Get in touch with them, it's not okay to suffer in silence, you CAN get help today. If you need more information about it, please refer to World Health Organization channels.and the Department of Health.

Susana's by Pelayo's: Comforting Pasta That Might Change Your Life

Susana's mouthwatering signature Lasagna

Quezon City certainly has some really remarkable food havens and one of them is the Banawe area. There's a multitude number of cuisines, and each street still has some dishes to discover, but this one might change your life (oh yes we love puns!).

For those who are familiar with Pelayo's Cafe + Bistro (and their restaurants across Luzon), they've been in the food industry for a couple of years now. Solidly known for their mouthwatering Crispy Pata and Patatim, they have been able to satisfy countless Filipino homes with their quality cooked dishes and hosted tons of events and gatherings too. With the success of the brand in recent years, they continued to innovate, research and develop recipes for the ones at home, and to be able to make their lives easy in preparing ready to eat meals especially for those who they love.

Native Salad with Poached Egg

My personal favorite, the Patatim

Their well loved Crispy Pata

Beef Sinigang for those rainy days

Bangus Sisig

Hearty and corn lovin Suam

That's the secret ingredient to the food they serve and this month, they're launching Susana's Lasagna, a namesake of the owner's (Rad Pelayo) grandmother. We had a half serving of it on a plate to whet our appetite, and to tell you honestly, their version is a really good one. If you're often being served the tangy Italian versions of it in high end restaurants in Manila, Susana's Lasagna is a lot different because they managed to modify the dish to fit the Filipino palate. It's not too sour, not too sweet, but just right. It's also very cheesy, where one should note that even if they made it affordable, they didn't shortchange in the quality of ingredients. This is something they take pride on.

How This May Change Your Life

Susana's by Pelayos is actually starting to grow their business. This means, that YOU have the opportunity to be part of that by becoming a reseller or a franchise owner. It's the holiday season and Susana's Lasagna knows there's a lot of people who dread cooking for a lot of people during this time.

Conveniently sold frozen, you would just need to have this delivered, thawed (if you need it for other days) and put in the microwave or oven. Their goal is to be able to help other entrepreneurs to start their own business by selling them, or even have it be supplied to restaurants and cafe's as well. This means that as a seller, you don't need to do hard labor cooking. Customers have been loving the pasta like we did and the products can last a few months (best to consume in 2 months) but it could last in the freezer for more than that.

Franchise owners have the option of having time tested products both from the Pelayo's bistro menu and the Susanas by Pelayos line of pastas to sell or enjoy. If you're interested, please get in touch with them via their BANAWE BRANCH at 0917 119 3366 or visit them at 74 P. Florentino st. Sto. Domingo Banawe, Quezon City or their LUBAO BRANCH by calling 0917 144 4628 or their address Purok 3, Lourde Lauc Pao, Lubao, Pampanga.

They have these dishes combined in boxes with drinks and other viands so you can conveniently serve guests during events. The pasta from Susana's are also available in Solo, Sharing and Party Size. I bet there's going to be a lot of people who would order this during Christmas or New Year. Ordering is also easy as referrals will be done with nearby sellers/franchisees once they get in touch with their page Susana's Lasagna on FB.

ANDREA BRILLANTES Does "Fire and Flowers" for TANDUAY CALENDAR 2026

After her surprising transfer to MQuest Artist Agency and official signing a couple days ago, your favorite Andrea Brillantes is now your 2026 Tanduay Calendar Girl. She is 22, the youngest to have been able to get this spot and at the event... she represented herself with Fire and Flowers. She's feisty, tough, experienced in life but still gorgeous, delicate and beautiful as a flower. She wore 2 outfits during this bit where at first she performed a burlesque number with the premier dance group G-Force ala Dita Von Teese (boning and corseted). 

In a way, Andrea represents a generation where one is exuding confidence, a way to have been able to get out of her shell and become the woman she always wanted to be.

Her second outfit was even more daring as it gripped much of her body in lace, more revealing sections and red colors. There is also prestige that comes with being a Tanduay calendar girl as numerous stars have donned this role like Heart Evangelista, Jessy Mendiola, beauty queen Kylie Verzosa, Bea Alonzo, Ellen Adarna, Ivana Alawi, Julia Barretto, and last year's Kim Chiu.

Executives from Tanduay certainly chose her for her qualities, her popularity and looks. But Andrea is even more than that, and I think that makes her a perfect fit for Tanduay's calendar. Congratulations Blythe!

Possibilities Unfurled on Recent ISP Hosting

If you've been hearing a lot of buzz surrounding the recent hosting of the International Series Philippines where golf superstars arrived in the country, this just unfurled the possibilities of what more we can do with the sport which was hosted by B!ng0P|us Foundation, the social arm of the folks from D!giP|us Interactive Corp. This has made really good waves in the local scene as those who love the sport took a few days to immerse themselves in international level of competition including local athletes who had experience in the course. 

This is one of the things they wanted to do as part of their goals in sports development which was reiterated by D!giP|us Chair Eusebio Tanco. He said this is also part of their commitment in Philippine sports, putting their foot where their mouth is including a whopping 17.2 million pesos as donations for entities such as the Philippine Sports Commission, National Golf Association of the Philippines, the Asian Development Tour and an NGO called Sisidlan Rizal Weavers who had a chance to showcase their products front and center. They mentioned how this would help the PSC to fund training in different sports programs, something that would make dreams come true for the next gen athletes. 

This meant 100,000 USD for the Asian Development Tour and 50,000 USD for NGAP to secure a slot for a Filipino golfer in the international series so they could get to experience the same level of sport against champions. They also have 500,000 php to Sisidlan Rizal Weavers (much of whom members are women) to further help them in the business including their participation at the event's Welcome Gala and at the LIV Golf Music Fest where tons of folks enjoyed some of the country's greatest acts. This is just a part of what they do to multiply the good in the community, for education and also health. That's just one of many initiatives they plan to accomplish in this side of the world. Congratulations D!giP|us!