Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Saturday, June 21, 2014

Say Yes to San Jose: Let NSJBI Build Your Dreams For You

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Dreaming of having your own home, then you should wake up now and head on over to any of the properties developed by New San Jose Builders, Inc. (NSJBI)!

The renowned Filipino property developer headed by its chairman, Mr. Jose Acuzar recently launched a heightened campaign to reach more Filipinos and provide them with quality yet affordable homes.

Honestly, its my first time to hear about this developer but I've heard the name of Mr. Acuzar already. It seems reputation precedes him as the man behind the properties is more famous than his creations.

New San Jose Builders, Inc from its humble beginning back in 1986 as a contractor of government projects, it has already diversified to include residential and condominium properties that are communities with a higher standard of living. It begins with a strong foundation brought about by the patron saint from which the company was named after - Saint Joseph, the carpenter.

Philips LED: A Glimpse of the Future in Lighting Innovation

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They are saying that Philips is set to revolutionize the landscape of lighting with innovation concepts that are a glimpse of the future. And so we were given a brief experience of the possibilities of what the future of lighting holds through Philips remarkable presentation during their LED product launch held at the Blue Leaf Events Place located in McKinley Bonifacio Global City.

The event initiated in total darkness. Well..not really total darkness...but I thought so until I remeber that I forgot to take off my shades. I came in late so when I was led to a room, I saw mostly darkness but I can see that there were people all around watching a video presentation. They are only seen because of the light coming from the video screen.

Then I heard a familiar voice. The voice of Gabe Mercado, one of my favorite comedians and now a member of SPIT - a group that does improv - but that's another story. He was discussing everything that we needed to know in a subtly humorous way. It was all about the latest innovations from Philips - who I believe now leads in the lighting industry through amazing innovations that goes beyond merely lighting dark rooms or streets.

Now lighting becomes more than just to illuminate with Philips. It is now a way of life, a lifestyle, an experience that sets the mood, a collaboration with other materials and technology that goes beyond the boundaries of what is normal. It elevates the thinking of men into becoming more creative and experimental.

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Canada is a hot bed of pop music activity. Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne and Alanis Morrisette are just some of the big names to have come from the big country up north and this proves that Canadians can pump out great sounding world pop. That's why it's with great anticipation that we're holding our breath for one Elise Estrada.

Dubbed as the “Canadian Pop Princess,” Elise is a singer-songwriter-performer with a string of number one hits to her name. Her music videos are bombastic audio-visual experiences and best of all, Elise has got Pinoy blood pumping in her veins. This foxy Filipina-Canadian had an amazing debut back in 2008 when her album and its title-track “Insatiable” hit number one at the Canadian Billboard pop charts. Her streak continued with another top ten hit in “These Three Words,” before hitting the top again with the R&B tinged pop track “Unlove You.”

Elise has since been nominated for the Juno (Canadian Grammy) Award for “Best R&B Soul Album,” and has aced prestigious nods like the “Emerging Artist Award,” “Best New Artist,” and has over 40,000 airplay spins on FM radio for “Insatiable” alone. Over the course of two R&B inflected dance albums, Elise has produced a total of ten Top Ten hits. She has also shared the stage with Lady Gaga, Rihanna, 50 Cent, Sean Kingston, Nelly and The Backstreet Boys, making good on the monicker given her as the “Rihanna Of Canada.”

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Acoustic guitar-flavored pop music acts are a dime-a-dozen. But every now and then, somebody new comes along who just coaxes you with the easiest melodies and the catchiest of original songs.

Say hello then to Kito Romualdez.

This singer-songwriter is originally a native of San Juan, Manila. But he's lived most of his young life in Canada. Now that he's back in the land of his birth, all he wants to do is sing you his songs. His musical influences are John Mayer, Jason Mraz, John Legend, Alicia Keys and a few more choice singers. The common denominator here is that he's into artists who write their own songs.

Maybe that's why Kito is into creating his own material. In fact, the first track off his self-titled debut is a self-penned tune. And incidentally, it's also one of the best tracks in his album.

An imaginitive piece of pop writing, “Ready Ka Na Ba?” is a call to action as Kito asks, are you ready to be in a relationship? It's plain as day as Kito sings “ready ka na ba lumipad, sumayaw at umikot-ikot sa mundong kong ito? ready ka na ba magsaya, kumanta sa mundong nakakahilo?” It's obvious what Kito's asking---are you ready for the rollercoaster ride of love?---It's exciting and nerve-wracking for sure. But you're assured here as Kito ends that little verse with “kapit lang, andito ako.” Coupled with a head-bobbing melody that you can't escape, “Ready Ka Na Ba?” is an excellent way to start an album.

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Two companies combined their resources into a single event to promote health and wellness that will rejuvenate our bodies both inside and out. I was actually surprised that a bottled water and a skin care company were organizing an event together. But it does make sense when they finally explained why.

Well, frankly it was sort of a bit difficult to understand but maybe because I'm not just thinking too deep. Most of us are probably like that. We often neglect some things because of so many other things we do. We are too busy or somehow only focused to a few like a saddled horse with restricted sight that we could not multi-task effectively.

We learned from the event that not all bottled water are the same. Some do really stand out among the rest if you do proper testing to reveal which one is really beneficial to your health. Aquabest introduced the alkaline water produced by their new technology.

Meanwhile, Evee launched the Lumina white line - a comprehensive facial care line developed to achieve the Asian ideal for skin which considers very fair, bright, and blemish free.

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During the interview at the press launch, I asked Topper Fabregas if he is now aiming for a Gawad Buhay awards this time as he directs Red Turnip Theater's David Lindsay-Abaire's 2007 Pulitzer Prize winning play entitled Rabbit Hole as its initial offering for the second season, and he laugh out loud for he knew it was meant as a joke and followed it with "After that speech, I don't think I will nominated ever." Lol!

Topper was one of the presentors during the Gawad Buhay Awards night held a few days ago at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and sort of took the moment to express his bitterness towards the panel of judges who chose the nominated actors and actresses because of the fact that he was not nominated for an award. Of course we knew he was joking so we had a huge laugh during that night.

Now, during our "speed dating" interview after the cast made an initial introduction to themselves and the season opener, they alternately transferred from one table to the next so members of the media would have a chance to do more intimate interviews on a two artists per table procedure.

The second season presscon was held last June 16, 2014 at the 2nds restaurant located at Bonifacio Global City, and was partially sponsored by Fila Philippines.

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Led by enforcers from the Land Transportation Office (LTO), ten (10) colorum buses have been caught in different areas of the country since yesterday, 19 June 2014, marking the implementation of Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01 of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), and the LTO.

DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya advised the LTO to “Carry on with the good job so far of enforcing safety measures which will protect motorists and commuters alike. Let’s continue creating a culture of road discipline for the public good.”

According to LTO Assistant Secretary Alfonso Tan, Jr., the 10 operators which were caught by traffic enforcers are the following:

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Reacting to the transport caravan organized by several transport groups today, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) is making its message clear: If you are not violating traffic rules and regulations, you have nothing to fear.

“We issued the revised fines and penalties to better ensure road discipline and safety for the public. If these groups are not violating traffic rules and safety measures, then what are they protesting about? It is time for them to follow rules like everyone else, and to practice discipline and orderliness on the road,” said DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya.

“Commuters put their safety in the hands of transport operators everyday. It is government’s obligation to make sure that public utility vehicle operators are responsible in delivering their services. That is why we issued the Joint Administrative Order,” Abaya added.

Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01 of the DOTC, the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board (LTFRB) sets higher fines and penalties for various violations of land transportation rules and regulations, including a P 1 Million fine for colorum buses. It took effect today, threatening the operation of illegal or unauthorized PUVs.

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Facebook remains the preferred target for cybercriminals who specialize in stealing social network accounts.

According to Kaspersky Lab’s statistics in Q1 2014, fake sites imitating Facebook accounted for 10.85% of all instances when the heuristic Anti-phishing component was triggered.

Only fake Yahoo pages sparked more phishing alerts, leaving Facebook the prime target among social networking sites.

Today’s Facebook fakery is a global business, with cyber criminals attacking the site in a variety of languages like English, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Turkish, Arabic and others.

Unauthorized access to accounts in Facebook or any other social network can be used to spread phishing links or malware.

Cybercriminals also use stolen accounts to send spam to the victims’ contact lists and publish spam on their friends’ walls where it can be seen by other users, or to spread messages asking their friends to send urgent financial assistance.

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There's this contemporary Spanish restaurant and cocktail bar at Bonifacio Global City that has leveled up the dining experience by offering a more sumptuous menu version number 2. I can fully support that statement with proof by showing you a photo of what's left in our table after a great lunch treat. Left-overs will also soon be out of your vocabulary if you will frequent the place.

It is very rare that we end up eating everything up in just a couple of hours. We would normally have a dish or two that we won't like and leave it barely untouched. But there was a huge difference at Las Flores (The Flowers). I would know because it's my second time there. I was also there last year when we tried out their dishes and just like now, we left nothing for the doggie bag.

Las Flores offers modern Spanish dishes that were creatively fashioned to entice all senses. Even their cocktails and other liquor mixes are works of art that are totally satisfying that you wouldn't want to waste a drop. They have lots of dishes to serve you until you're all bloated and feeling good about your decision that you chose to dine in this heavenly place.

Jeepney Tours: Videoke Fun Time While Touring the Streets of Manila

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The jeepney is the most iconic representation of the Philippines next to the national flag. I know that the original make were used to transport soldiers during wartime, and that many of these vehicle were left behind after the war and eventually "pimped" by the Filipinos to make it more attractive and pleasing to the eye.

At present, it also shows how creative our countrymen are. There are a variety of festive designs ranging from superheroes to family member portraits that clearly shows how endearing we are to both our hobbies and personal ties.

Just like our many festivals, the jeepney is as colorful and grand in terms of decorations depending on how affluent the owner is. But what is very evident about jeepneys is how it also represents the resilience of Filipinos. This vehicle can carry loads of passengers beyond its seating capacity. We can see many passengers hitching a ride at its back, and even some on top, just like our visits to the provinces. True enough, just like Filipinos, we can handle loads of stress and distress, and come out still strong and raring to go for more rides.

But wouldn't it be great if we could further pimp our Jeepney ride to also actively promote tourism in the country while having loads of fun at the same time. Well, at Jeepney Tours, they made touring the streets of Manila, and other provinces of the Philippines, a real fun ride that you would literally want to sing out loud to rejoice its beauty, and of course to freely express your joy that has been wanting to come out from deep inside.

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It was sort of intriguingly funny to realize the food attendants were carrying names like Pepper, Garlic and Sausage. Though it's not their real name, but merely fancy pizza toppings-themed nicknames given to them that reflects their personality. The restaurant management thought it would be a crazy way to totally immersed their customers to a complete pizza adventure. You're not just making your own pizza, but even the people around you has a hint of a pizza in the making.

Imagine yourself calling out to a server named Pepperoni, and maybe you'll see yourself unable to stop grinning. Well, I was smiling all over the idea, that even encouraged me to ask some of them to do a video shoot (which you will see embedded within this article) to highlight their individual aliases. Try to see if it truly matches their personality when you visit the restaurant.

The recently opened Mad for Pizza is located at Il Terrazo, Tomas Morato in Quezon City and offers Toppings All-You-Want pizza for only P280. But what makes it different from the other pizza place with a similar Make-Your-Own-Pizza theme is that this brand not only allows you to customize your own pizza, but it also offers a lot more equally satisfying dishes and drinks to complete your dining experience.

Launching of the First Philippine University Investment Club

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MetisEtrade has recently spearheaded and launched the Philippine University Investment Club Program in collaboration with 5 top Philippine universities - ADMU, DLSU, UA&P, San Beda, and UP.

The Philippine University Investment Club (PUIC), an elite trading and investment training program, launched its first of seven training sessions last June 14, 2014 in Ateneo’s Ching Tan Hall, John Gokongwei School of Management. The training is being spearheaded by MetisEtrade and attended by select students from five Philippine Universities with renowned business programs.

The investment club’s objective is to develop the financial industry in the Philippines particularly through incubating the foreign exchange, precious metals and commodities fund management industry. By working with prestigious universities in the country, the program hopes to find, select and train future fund managers.

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John Cooper, famous Mini fiddler and F1 designer, may now have enough reasons to make him turn in his grave to try out the car that now wears his name.

The undeniable exuberant charm and retro coolness of the Mini have taken this car brand to great heights. Now, a look at the new Mini Cooper S and it becomes really clear that the Mini is no longer a "mini." You’d never get the impression that the Mini is a big car as long as it’s not parked next to one of its predecessors. But "big" here does not only mean the outside physical look, you have to step inside into the driver's seat to really know what "big" means. This third-generation model pushes the envelope on “premium” way, way farther.

The yellow paint job and black racing stripes paired with bug-eye headlamps gives the 2014 Mini Cooper S a distinct style. The car looks great from man angles. The classical cute, stocky, upright and similarity to the rough-and-ready look of an English Bulldog was said to be intentionally kept and will never change in every redesign.

Thanks to the more aggressive bumpers on both ends and a mesh radiator grille, the Mini Cooper S adopts a sportier appearance than the Mini Cooper. The designers have bestowed the car with even chunkier exterior styling, headlights that are gaping cannons of halogen (or optional LEDs), and huge logos.

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The Eco-Products International Fair (EPIF) 2014, the largest environmental exhibition in Asia, also included an Epson booth where products from the digital imaging and printing brand were featured. The EPIF, held at the Taipei World Trade Center Exhibition Hall earlier this year, was jointly organized by the Asian Productivity Organization (APO) and Taiwan's Bureau of Foreign Trade.

Owing to a series of disasters caused by extreme weather patterns, the overall interest in environmental action has been mounting in Asia lately. Taiwan, which has a strong market for environmental goods, was chosen to host this year's EPIF, now in its ninth year. Epson had a solid presence at EPIF, with Epson Taiwan Technology & Trading Ltd., Epson Singapore Pte., Ltd. and Seiko Epson Corporation presenting exhibits that highlighted Epson's efforts to create eco-considerate products in new business areas and to help realize a sustainable society.

Epson depicted mileposts in the company’s development, starting with the seminal EP-101, the world's first small, lightweight digital printer. The digital imaging company also drew attention to the environmental benefits of Epson’s compact, energy-saving, and high-precision technologies and explained that Epson is expanding beyond consumer markets and into the business, industrial, sports and personal healthcare sectors.