Viva La Vida Lockdown!: Concert for Teachers

by: Amidala Mallari, Thames International Undergraduate Student

The COVID-19 Pandemic has been the worst of times. Millions of people lost their jobs, lifestyles, and loved ones. For a while it was unsafe to even go out of the house. There were moments when many felt hopeless. Despite it all, there is still a silver lining in these hardships. One is the dedication of our modern-day heroes: our teachers.  

The goal of Viva La Vida Lockdown was to celebrate the passion of our teachers. Last May 28, Thames International, Akadasia, and City Savings Bank hosted this free virtual concert to pay tribute to the hard work of educators in the country. Teachers were celebrated as determined and passionate frontliners who continuously exert their best effort to inspire students. Even before the pandemic, teachers have always been the solid ground that built leaders of the world, yet the pandemic challenged the passion of Filipino teachers when thousands of students were affected by the abrupt shift to online learning. Overall, the goal of the event was to relieve the educators’ stresses and congratulate them for a successful blended learning year.

Talented teachers graced the virtual stage, including Selina Macas, Ozamiz Region 10 Public School District Supervisor, who sang Go the Distance while showcasing some of the picturesque spots in the region, and Xerxes Culang, a Grade 7 MAPEH teacher from San Jose National High School Antipolo, with his live rendition of Kahit Isang Saglit. There were also performances by some renowned artists such as Comedian Jon Santos with his impersonation of “Ate Vi”, reminding the audience that teachers are the true stars for all seasons. Award-winning actress, singer, and beauty queen Isabella De Leon also serenaded the crowd with her rendition of You’ve Got a Friend in Me and original Bayanihan: Saludo Sa’yo. 

Another cause for celebration was Thames Heroes 2021 reaching its 100,000 teacher milestone. Heroes 2021 is a three-step program started by Thames International using the institution’s experiential and technology-abled learning model that helps teachers thrive in the unfamiliarity of a complete online class set-up.  Thames International President and Co-Founder Joel Santos mentioned the regions and local government units who have already joined the program thus reaching over 119,000 teachers since the start of the pandemic. The numbers do not stop here as they are looking into training more educators by the end of 2021.

Viva La Vida Lockdown was successful in relieving the stress of teachers. The audience had nothing but good vibes and positivity in the comments section during the livestream event. Teachers were filled with gratitude and appreciation for the organizers, and the acknowledgement of their hard work.

In today’s times, teachers are proof that one does not need a cape to be a hero. With passion, hard work, and drive, you can touch and transform the lives of the people you come across forever. That is what the essence of the profession is, and we owe our gratitude to these educators for turning us into valuable members of society.

Thames is committed to helping in nation-building through providing necessary training for schools and other organizations that need further help in adjusting to the new demands of the new normal. For any inquiries on this matter, feel free to contact the school via inquire@thames.edu.ph.