Nicole Cordoves talks about being a 'halamom' and upgrading her lifestyle at home

As a busy working woman, Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2016 Nicole Cordoves admits she was not used to staying at home all the time. But like everyone else, she has discovered new passions and learnings, and also realized there is so much still to be grateful for.

Nicole shares the pandemic forced her to upskill--there were a lot of things she never thought she could do well, like cooking and gardening.

“All that I’ve been doing since March is to learn as much as I can from a lot of rich sources online, particularly YouTube. I never thought I would learn so much in such a short amount of time. I used to just stay on my phone or binge on Netflix when I’m not doing anything,” she shares.  

New life in lockdown

Nicole confessed that when the community quarantine was announced, she wasn’t as surprised because it was necessary to keep everyone safe and protected. “There were already warning signs prior to the lockdown and I had a number of events getting canceled. I was more surprised by how the lockdown dragged on; I didn’t think we’d lose an entire year because of it,” she said.  

To keep herself busy indoors, Nicole has been trying new recipes and putting her cooking skills to the test. She also shares that she’s thankful to have a reliable partner in PLDT Home Fibr so she can watch more of her favorite YouTube content and remain productive at home—from learning how to better clean and organize her home to editing her own videos for her channel.

Upgrading technology and upskilling oneself are important and necessary

Nicole admits that upgrading one's internet connection at home is a must, especially for households with multiple-device requirements. With her increased internet bandwidth usage at home, especially for video calls, online classes, live hosting, off-site taping, or streaming her favorite Netflix shows, she knew she needed an internet connection with reliable and higher speeds that could cater to her daily digital needs. 

A newfound love for plants  

Since the pandemic, she has also become a certified plantita or, as she likes to call herself, a halamom. She shares that she now has a corner in her room filled with indoor plants, which also serves as her go-to background for Zoom calls.

“It all started with indoor plants that progressed to growing my own food on my balcony. Today, I harvest my own sili, sitaw and kamatis,” said Nicole. In fact, she even started a series on her IGTV dedicated to her halamom journey to update her fans and fellow plant enthusiasts.

The return to Binibining Pilipinas as a mentor

Nicole also keeps herself busy and productive at home by mentoring the Bb. Pilipinas 2020 hopefuls with Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray.

“It was challenging since online workshops can leave out a lot of things that are essential to public speaking, like non-verbal communication, gesture, body language. So, we dedicated our modules to focus on content instead, and the girls blew us away,” she recounts. “In true Binibining Pilipinas fashion, they came and they conquered.”   

Nicole admits that she sees a queen in Rabiya Mateo, this year’s Miss Universe 2020. “When I saw her preliminary interview, she immediately became my bet! She spoke so naturally while courageously sharing her own opinion. She’s already an amazing queen who can really connect with people on a real level,” she shares.

Know more about how you too can upgrade your digital lifestyle at home just like Nicole. With the Super Speed Deals promo, PLDT Home gives subscribers the added convenience of upgrading their internet speeds by simply dialing 170 for PLDT, Smart and Sun or (02) 8000-0170 for other networks (toll charges apply). Visit www.pldthome.com/superspeed and find the best internet speed for your home.

Editor's Note: This article was provided by PLDT Home.