Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Playboy Philippines Anniversary: A Jaw-Dropping and Drooling Night with Mara Lopez and the Playmates

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It may have rained really hard, flooded many streets, and caused major traffic jams that day, but nothing's gonna stop your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger from attending the Playboy Philippines anniversary at Solaire Resort and Casino.

After getting a bit soaked in the drizzle because I had to walk several distances before and after my MRT train ride, since traffic was at a stand still, managed to reach the venue as if I was water-proof....but I guess I was more than just water-proof after I realized how far I had to punish my feet walking hurriedly unminding the perspiration aside from the drizzle because I thought I was so late for the event. I had no choice, there were no taxis available, and

Luckily when I arrived at Solaire, the event hasn't started yet. Same surprising rain caused by an unpredicted Low Pressure Area that turned some parts of Metro Manila into murky rivers. The rains ruined the original plan of Playboy to hold the event at the pool side. The organizers had to bring in everything inside to the grand ballroom instead. I could imagine the preparation of setting up the pool area gone to a waste, and the equally stressful situation of having to rush to setup the new stage.

But the two hours of waiting was finally rewarded when we saw several ladies wearing bikinis under their body-hugging and revealing sexy outfits. Did I just die and went to heaven?

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WebGeek Philippines presents the third iteration of its Hackathon, DevCup, happening this August 16-17, 2014. For the past two years, DevCup has been constantly garnering overwhelming results, in terms of participants and in terms of apps developed. With 62 teams battling out to create the best apps and with no less than 48 successful apps at the end of the 2-day hackathon.

“DevCup is the most prestigious hackathon in the Philippines to date” Nikko Bautista, LinkedIn Software Engineer, DevCup 2012 champion. DevCup’s goal is to further reinforce the commitment in showcasing the Filipino talent in Information Technology. The continuous change of challenges to reflect the current trends that makes the Philippines abundant in terms of talents and skills. “With this we are able to tell the world that we can adapt to new technologies as it happen and be able to use those in developing cutting edge apps” John Arce, the Founder of WebGeek said.

“One of my proudest moments as a developer is winning DevCup” Mark Steve Samson, Insync Engineer, DevCup 2013 champion.

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Techbox Philippines, the fastest growing gadget retail chain in the country, is advocating the growth and patronage of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) by pre-loading OPM songs in the MicroSD cards they sell.

“We are very excited about this initiative as it results to so many good things without requiring any extra effort from our customers,” says Angela Gutierrez, Business Unit Head for Techbox Philippines. “Not only does this project help prevent music piracy, it also helps protect the gadgets of our customers from security vulnerabilities that users can get from downloading from unreliable sources,” added Angela.

“Moreover, as a subsidiary of TAO Corporation – a Filipino company that takes pride in supporting local talent -- we are eager to promote and support the growth of OPM,” said Angela.

Techbox Philippines currently offers three variants of their OPM-preloaded MicroSD. The ‘Happy’ card includes hits such as “Biglang Liko” by Ron Henley feat. Pow Chavez, “Hip-Notize” by Solenn feat. Klumcee, “Tao Lang” by Loonie feat. Quest, “Otomatic” by Pedicab, “Paakyat Ka Pa Lang Pababa Na Ako” by The Oktaves, “Lord Patawad” by Bassilyo, “Picture Picture” by Tanya Markova, “Kahit Maputi Na Ang Buhok Ko” by Richard Poon, “Die Just A Little” by Side A, “It Wasn’t Me” by Sitti, “Leaving On A Jetplane” by Mitoy Yonting, “Elesi” by Paolo Onesa, and a music video of “Diva” by Solenn feat. Ron Henley.

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The the national basketball team of the Philippines known as Gilas Pilipinas has new uniform kits courtesy of Nike. The developmental Philippine national basketball team sponsored by Smart Communications and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), aside from other brands like Max's Restaurant, proudly showed off their new jerseys to members of the media, fans and supporters.

Nike unveiled the Philippines National Basketball Team uniform for the 2014/2015 season today with members of the Gilas Pilipinas team and Coach Vincent “Chot” Reyes before media, the Basketball Federation of the Philippines, and associates of Nike and the federation. The team will debut the uniform on-court at the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup in Spain in August this year.

The new uniforms made of Nike Sphere fabric are more lightweight, breathable, and durable. Sphere flocks the interior for sweat management; articulated armholes provide a better and easier range of motion; and laser cut perforations provide ventilation throughout the kit.

“The new uniforms are lighter in weight, which is an advantage for us when we play. Together with the heat management, the uniforms will keep us comfortable through the games,” said LA Tenorio, point guard for the Gilas.

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Student Media Congress: Empowering Media Catalysts is a 2-day event happening in De La Salle University on July 25 and 26, 2014. The congress aims to empower YOU and encourage your capabilities as a future media catalyst.

The event will feature speakers like Mr. Rico Hizon of BBC, Mr. Mick Atienza of The Philippine Star, Mr. Carlos Rodriguez of ABS-CBN, Mr. Santiago Elizalde of the Manila Broadcasting Company, and Mr. Howie Severino of GMA, which will help you realize your potential -- and that's only for the first day!

Fine-tune your skills as we bring you plenty of competing and non-competing workshops to choose from, which you can pre-enroll online from July 14-16.

Be a part of a congress that gives you more than learning. Be a part of a congress that challenges you. Be a part of DLSU Student Media Congress.

Wazzup Pilipinas is a proud online media partner

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Aviate was created to connect you with the information you need at the moment it’s useful. Since joining Yahoo in January, the creators learned a lot from their beta user community about how to deliver a simple, intelligent mobile experience. Today, they're psyched to launch globally as Yahoo Aviate, available for Android phones in English (no invitation needed!).

Yahoo Aviate simplifies everything about your phone. It starts with a clean, new layout and apps automatically organized for you. But it’s not just about making your phone simpler - Aviate also makes your phone smarter by offering intelligent information throughout your day. Whether you’re on the go, at work, at a restaurant or just relaxing at home, Aviate automatically shows you apps and information that are useful to you based on what you’re up to.

For those of you who already know Aviate, check out what’s new:

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LINE, the world’s leading mobile platform, marks its third anniversary on Monday, June 23 2014. It has even more reasons to celebrate as the total number of worldwide downloads for LINE and LINE family apps topped one billion on June 21, 2014.

LINE has been a worldwide phenomenon in the last three years, and its growing user base in the Philippines has helped foster this growth. With this momentum, Filipinos can expect more quirky and colorful features to be released by LINE.

“The development of new and exciting stickers and apps is our way of extending our gratitude to the Filipino LINE community,” said Greg Kim, head of LINE Philippines. “The Philippines continues to present great prospects in terms of growth, as it has an increasing number of smartphone users. And considering LINE’s cross compatibility across multiple platforms such as iOS, Android, BlackBerry, Windows, as well as PC, its market in the country is expected to be even bigger.”

Since its beginning as a free mobile messenger app, launched on June 23, 2011, LINE has been continuously evolving its features by adding free calls and stickers in October of the same year. With further addition of video calls and “LINE Premium Call”, a feature that allows users to make domestic and international phone calls to landlines and mobile phones at affordable rates, LINE demonstrates its ceaseless commitment to providing the best communication experience for all users. As LINE celebrates its third anniversary today, the service has grown to hold over 470 million users worldwide.

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Red Bull Thre3style held its second qualifying round tonight in Urbn Bar & Kitchen located in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, Metro Manila.

Seven of the country’s top DJs: DJ Brandon Jon, DJ FlavaMatikz, DJ Aryan Magat, DJ Mick Martinez, DJ Buzz, DJ SupremeFist and DJ Nix Damn P, all tried to outdo each other with their own electrifying 15 minute sets.

The competition was judged by 2011 Red Bull Thre3style World Champion DJ Hedspin and 2014 Red Bull Thre3style Finals judge DJ Shortkut.

At the end of the night, DJ Aryan Magat, DJ Nix Damn P (Nix Pernia) and DJ SupremeFist (Paul Macapagal) were selected to move onto the Philippine Finals by the international judges with DJ SupremeFist being named the overall winner of the Manila Qualifiers.

The top three finalists from Manila will now battle the top three from the Cebu Qualifier held last June 21 at J. Ave Superclub, who include: DJ Niki Del Rosario, DJ K Groove (Kristian Hernandez), and DJ Carlo Atendido.

As the overall winners of their respective qualifiers, DJ Carlo Atendido and DJ SupremeFist are given the opportunity to pick where in the lineup they will perform during the Philippine Finals taking place this Saturday, June 28 at Republiq Club in Manila.The winner of the Saturday’s Finals will be the first-ever representive from the Philippines at the 2014 Red Bull Thre3style World Finals held in Baku, Azerbaijan later this year.

International Film Conference This Year HighlightsCo-Production Prospects In Film Production

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The Centre National du Cinema et de l’Image Animée or CNC representative, Julien Ezzano will discuss how filmmakers can get funding through the organization at the International Film Conference to be held at the SMX Convention Center on Friday (June 27). The International Film Conference is part of the International Film Expo 2014.

The Centre National du Cinema et de l’Image Animée is the French national film fund in charge of both regulatory and support missions. In 2012 this organization had a budget of 667 million Euros, most of which was aimed at supporting the production of cinema and television content, and produced some 279 feature films through the CNC certification process.

Julien Ezzano will discuss international co-production, co-funding, and the importance of cultural diversity. He hopes to develop bilateral relations with all the countries and encourage foreign producers to work with French partners.

MRT-3 Deploys More Trains, Serves 2,364 More Riders Per Hour

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With the aim of decongesting lines at Metro Rail Transit III (MRT-3) stations especially during peak hours, two (2) additional light rail vehicles (LRVs) or coaches previously on standby at the depot have been deployed regularly by management to somewhat improve the rail system’s ability to meet passenger demands.

“We welcome MRT-3’s report that it has increased the number of running coaches from 18 to 20, which translates to an increased capacity of 2,364 passengers per hour per peak direction (PPHPD). Passenger convenience is of course always a concern, so we hope this helps riders somewhat in their daily commute by reducing their queuing time and taking them to their destinations faster,” said Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Jun Abaya.

According to MRT-3’s report, the transit line had a carrying capacity of 17,730 PPHPD prior to the additional coaches’ deployment. It now stands at 20,094. As a result, queuing time has significantly decreased especially in congested stations, where long lines along street levels are now cleared as early as 8:00 in the morning as opposed to the previous 9:00am.

The additional deployment began in the first week of June on orders of its officer-in-charge, Honorito Chaneco, shortly after he assumed responsibility over MRT-3.

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At a media and VIP launch held at the MINI Cooper showroom located at Bonifacio Global City, many witnessed eh unveiling of the new MINIs. Hosted by UK born Filipino/British Rugby Sevens Player, model and host Andrew Wolff, and graced by actor heartthrob Jericho Rosales and famed racecar driver and racing legend George Ramirez.

I got to see several makes of the new Minis including the Cooper S and the F56. I personally did a test drive, and also did a slalom course with George Ramirez himself driving, and whoah! was I in a state of shock for several minutes after those few seconds of high-impact adrenaline that I could feel rushing in my veins and making my heart beat faster than normal. I never thought the MINI can be both smooth and powerful. I had a blast driving it on my own but with George on the wheel, I was glad I had my seatbelt on and I didn't have a weak heart.

Watch below as I post videos (more to be uploaded soon and added to this post as soon as available). For the meantime, here are some photos during the launch and the official press release. More photos will be uploaded soon on the Wazzup Pilipinas Facebook fan page.

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Epson Philippines Corporation recently unveiled the new flagship interactive model EB-595Wi, the World's 1st 3LCD, finger touch-enabled interactive projector, along with six (6) other projector models in the company’s Ultra Short Throw projector range. The Epson EB-500 series is targeted specifically at educational institutions, and is designed to enhance engagement for both teachers and students.

With the Epson EB-500 Series interactive projectors, users can just touch the screen to scroll up and down, move icons and annotate, zoom in or out, open or close files, enlarge, reduce and rotate images, and even erase images – just like a regular touchscreen device, such as smartphones and tablets.

The new projectors can deliver color brightness of up to 3300 lumens on selected models, allowing the screen to be easily viewed from anywhere in the classroom without the need to dim the lights. The new Epson projectors have a contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and longer lamp life of up to 10,000 hours in ECO mode for better cost efficiency and savings.

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Fans were all swooning with delight and admiration during the Meet and Greet event held by Fila Philippines at 4 selected branches namely Robinson's Galleria and SM Megamall last June 21, 2014 and Glorietta and Mall of Asia last June 22, 2014.

The hunky members of the Philippine National Rugby Union Team (more popularly known as the Volcanoes), the first Southeast Asian figure skater to compete in the Winter Olympics Michael Christian Martinez, ultra-charming model, actor, host Fabio Ide and fashion designer, columnist and socialite-philanthropist known for her flamboyant outfits Tessa Prieto-Valdez was able to interact with fans of all ages at the Fila branches during these special events.

I think I was also overwhelmed of how fans lined up to get their Fila fans signed by the celebrities, as well as get photo opportunities, group shots especially "selfies". Some even had Fila shirts signed by the Fila brand endorsers.Another one even had his newly bought shoes signed by one of the Fila brand endorsers.

I am witness to how the girls all went gaga over the men endorsers namely the volcanic rugby hunks and especially to Olympic figure-skating fame Michael Martinez, Fabio Ide has a great number of lady fans all wanting to have a photo with him, and Tessa Prieto-Valdez was so fashionista with her outfits on both days that numerous fans also gathered around her.

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The 4th Yahoo Celebrity Awards (formerly Yahoo OMG! Awards) is proving to be the most exciting one yet! After only three weeks of voting, over 9 million votes have already been notched online, surpassing last year’s total number of votes! Voting for nominees is open online at yahoo.com.ph/celebrityawards until July 12, 2014, and Yahoo Philippines is hoping to achieve more votes as the awards night draws nearer.

Yahoo Celebrity Awards honors Filipino celebrities from the fields of movies, music, radio and television, who are voted into the top ranks by their fans from across the world. This is the fourth consecutive year of Yahoo Celebrity Awards, which are not only the most popular awards program in the country but also uniquely “Powered by You” - as fans have the exclusive power to vote for their favorite stars.

Kate Delos Reyes, Country Manager and Country Editor of Yahoo Philippines was ecstatic with the results and said, “We all know how much Filipino fans love our celebrities! Now is the time to show them how important they are to you. Ask your friends and family to vote to make sure your favorites win in their respective categories!”

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Ever contemplated the difference between ‘price’ and ‘value’? Ever watched a ‘special performance lecture’? How about drank milk in a theater while doing all of the above? Now you can.

The PETA Theater Center, the Cultural Center of the Philippines, and British Council Philippines present The Price of Everything by British performer Daniel Bye, showing at the PETA Studios on Thursday, July 10, 7:00 PM.

The Price of Everything has been performed to critical acclaim at the 2012 Edinburgh Fringe Festival and enjoyed a sold-out run as part of the Northern Stage at St. Stephens Festival last year .

Profound, provocative and definitely funny, Bye becomes the proverbial gadfly through this one-man show. Touted as a ‘special performance lecture’, the show combines stand-up comedy, satire and storytelling.

Bye is a theatre-maker from North East England whose material tackles big political and philosophical issues with naivety and reckless abandon. As part of the show, Bye asks the audience serious questions about ideology and money, while offering them all free glasses of milk!