CitySavings, partners delight teachers with virtual concert Viva La Vida Lockdown
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Recognizing the sacrifices of teachers amid a changing educational landscape due to the global pandemic, City Savings Bank, Inc. (CitySavings), in partnership with education technology provider Akadasia, and Thames International - an international business school in Manila, thought of bringing joy to the country’s educators through an unforgettable lockdown experience. Dubbed Viva La Vida Lockdown, a free virtual concert for teachers was held via Facebook Live on May 28, 2021. The concert was jam-packed with performances from singer, songwriter, actress, and pageant queen Isabelle de Leon who serenaded the teachers with heartwarming song numbers - You’ve Got a Friend, originally by James Taylor, and her own composition, Bayanihan: Saludo Sa’yo, a heartwarming tribute to educators. Teachers from all over the country joined the affair, hosted by TV and theater actress Pinky Amador. Highlights of the show were the performances of Department of Education (DepEd) teachers who showed the world that they can do more than their lesson plans and modules. Xerxes Culang, a Grade 7 MAPEH teacher from San Jose National High School in Antipolo City, kicked off the festivities with his rendition of Kahit Isang Saglit, while Ozamiz City Public School district supervisor Selina Macas wowed the audience with her version of Go the Distance, which served as a fitting reminder of how much teachers are willing to give for their students. The teachers were also treated to a laugh trip session with a monologue from veteran comedian Jon Santos as the infamous Ate Vi, where he poked fun at the day-to-day challenges encountered by teachers. Teachers sent their warmest appreciation for CitySavings’ effort to provide them a breather from their everyday battles. CitySavings president and CEO Lorenzo Ocampo, for his part, said the main goal of the virtual concert was to express the bank’s gratitude for the hard work and dedication of teachers. “CitySavings salutes all of you, our education frontliners, for continuing to break ground and for trying to make things better for our learners,” Ocampo said. Meanwhile, the virtual concert also served as a venue for the relaunch for CitySavings’ Facebook Messenger chatbot Talk to Maria. The innovation has been enhanced from its previous iteration to allow customers to send in their bank inquiries, search for the nearest CitySavings branches and ATMs, and file loan applications without having to go out of their homes. As a gift, the teachers were given an exclusive promo code (VIVALAVIDA) so they can try out Talk to Maria.