Filipinos bid final goodbye to 'Courageous Caitie'

MANILA, Philippines – After spending almost two months in a well-known hospital in Singapore, undergoing intensive medication and battling one of the rarest form of leukemia, the body of Caitie Lucas, also known as “Courageous Caitie” arrived last Friday night at the Arlington Memorial Chapels in Araneta Ave., Quezin City via Philippine Airlines. Today, April 3, 2016, families, friends and admirers of Caitie bid their final farewell to the little warrior.

Confetti showered and filled the air as the black vehicle carrying the girl’s body touched the vicinity of the memorial chapel along with unsuppressable claps and cheer as symbols of honor and admiration not only for Caitie herself but also for JayJay and Feliz Lucas, the parents of our tiny hero.

Caitie’s wake was totally different from all the funeral services that we know. The memorial chapel was fully decorated with colorful designs and was transformed into a children party themed ambience. The family wanted the memorial service to be a happy and fun-filled event in memoriam of Caitie. The visitors were encouraged to wear cartoony or colorful bandaids to commemorate the little one’s bravery while she was on her sick bed. According to JayJay, Caitie loved to wear bandaids because it calmed, gave comfort and removed her anxieties.

Courageous Caitie wears her colorful bandaids. Photo Credit: Courageous Caitie Fan Page

It was pure and overflowing love for Caitie, as her visitors filled the biggest funeral room of Arlington Memorial Chapels with lots of singing and testimonies from her loved ones. Feliz, during her eulogy, narrated that Caitie’s last words before she left was all about Jesus’ love for her and love for others. They even sang little miss’ favorite kids’ church songs on her death bed and that’s why her parents taught the the crowd Caitie’s favorite songs with matching actions during the memorial service like they were in kids’ church, praising and worshiping.

People from different parts of the nation came to see Courageous Caitie for the very last time. She and her father were true Star Wars fans so as a sign of respect, fellow Star Wars fanatics dressed-up as Storm Troopers paid the “brave and little Jedi” a visit and volunteered to be her honor guards.

Storm Troopers were Caitie’s honor guards. Photo Credit: Courageous Caitie Fan Page

When Caitie was confined in one of the popular hospitals here in Philippines, the same cosplayers along with Darth Vader character visited her and the other children-patients in the floor where she was admitted and cheered them up.

At exactly 4:00 in the afternoon, Caitie’s body was brought to the crematorium for her cremation. As her body was on her way to the cremation room, people greeted her waving their pink balloons with smiles on their faces as signs of their ultimate love for the brave little warrior.

Lots of love for Courageous Caitie from her friends and loved ones. Photo Credit: Courageous Caitie Fan Page

JayJay and Feliz, are also known for being supporters of children with rare diseases. Couple of months ago, a law has been passed and signed giving all patients with rare diseases priority and financial assistance. And just hours after Caitie’s cremation, her parents posted on her Facebook encouraging the big pharmaceutical companies to combine efforts in building a facility where there are modern technologies which can detect mystery diseases like what their children had.

Photo Credit: Courageous Caitie Fan Page

Truly, Courageous Caitie’s passing didn’t go to waste. The 257,274 likes and counting on her page were not just random likers. They are people whose lives were touched by the child’s unbelievable display of hope, faith and bravery. These hundred of thousands of people were taught by Caitie not to give-up and keep the faith and hope alive despite of any difficult circumstances that life may bring us.

You will never be forgotten Little One. You fought well. You’re in safe place now.

Goodbye and thank you for the indelible lessons, Courageous Caitie!

-Joey Boy Capos, The Summit Express

ABS-CBN topples GMA-7 in March 2016 nationwide TV Ratings

MANILA, Philippines - Media and entertainment company ABS-CBN toppled broadcast giant GMA Network in the nationwide TV ratings based on the survey of Kantar Media for the month of March 2016.

The Kapamilya Network had the most TV households tuned in last month, after garnering an average audience share of 44% from combined urban and rural homes vs GMA 7’s 35%.

Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,610 urban and rural homes that represent 100% of the total Philippine TV viewing population, while the other ratings data supplier AGB Nielsen reportedly has only 2,000 homes based solely in urban areas that represent only 57% of the Philippine TV viewing population.

ABS-CBN stands mighty in the primetime block after hitting an average audience share of 49% compared to 33% of GMA 7. The primetime block is the most important part of the day when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investment in to reach more consumers effectively.

Still topping the list of most watched primetime programs during the previous month is “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” with an average national TV rating of 41.2% followed by “Dolce Amore” with 34.5%. The two leading shows’ rivals, “Little Nanay” and “That’s My Amboy” only had 17.8% and 16.1% respectively. “The Story of Us” and “We Will Survive” meanwhile had 18.8% and 15.2% with their direct competitors, “Because of You” and “Wowowin” only garnered 14.6% and 14.7%.

Completing the top ten programs of the month are “Pilipinas Got Talent” at number 2 with a 35% average rating, its fellow weekend fares “MMK” (32.9%) and “Wansapanataym” (29.5%), the only news program in the list “TV Patrol” (28.3%), “Home Sweetie Home” (24.3%), and “Rated K” (23.7%).

The company recently reported a 25% surge in its net income in 2015 to earn P2.55 billion, higher than 2014’s P2 billion. Its revenue, meanwhile, was up 11% to P38.28 billion, from P33.5 billion in the previous year.

Kantar Media is a leading television (TV) audience measurement provider with capabilities in gathering TV viewing data in both digital and analog platforms. It is a multinational market research group that specializes in audience measurement in more than 80 countries, has 26 TV networks, ad agencies, and pan-regional networks subscribing to its ratings services.

Among its local current subscribers are ABS-CBN, Peoples Television Network Inc., The Huddle Room Media Inc., JRA Advertising (J. Romero and Associates), 720 Consumer Connect, Viva Communications Inc., Manprom, Solar Entertainment Corporation, Starcom, Havas Media Ortega, and Media Agency groups IPG Mediabrands (Touch BPN, UM), Dentsu Aegis Network (Dentsu, Mediaforce, Carat), Omnicom Media Group (OMD, PHD and M2M) as well as Group M (Mindshare, MEC, MediaCom, and Maxus).

International subscribers to Kantar Media include Turner Broadcasting System Asia, NBCU Global Networks Asia Pte Ltd, Google Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Home Box Office (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Scripps Networks Interactive (Asia) Pte. Ltd., MTV Asia, Fox International Channels, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific Pte Ltd, CSM Media Research (China), AETN All Asia Networks Pte Ltd, Celestial Tiger Entertainment and Sony Pictures International.