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Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Wazzup Pilipinas Founder Awarded as Influential Social Media Evangelist


Wazzup Pilipinas!

Congratulations are in order every time an individual receives an award. To be recognized for excellence in whatever form of achievement establishes an identity that you are among the more significant few deserving honor and prestige.

The founder of Wazzup Pilipinas, Ross Flores Del Rosario, was officially awarded as the Best Choice Influential Social Media Evangelist during the awarding ceremonies held last July 25, 2014 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel located in Ortigas Center.

The Best Choice Awards recognizes companies and professionals that have gained significant achievements in their respective fields. The Executive award is given to an individual that has made outstanding contributions to the practice of the management profession, and has demonstrated leadership and initiative management concepts, techniques, practices or services.

The selection process to determine the awardees has been perfected with a third party research firm to ensure that only the best choice service providers are the winners within an industry. This is the only organization that conducts research that surveys both the consumer and the business community with statistical accuracy. The research method determines all service providers, products and individuals to ultimately select the Best Choice, and establishes the winner within each industry.


Anibersaya Celebration with Doris Bigornia - The Only Mutya ng Masa of the Philippines


Wazzup Pilipinas!
Got the extremely rare opportunity to meet with ABS-CBN's Mutya ng Masa, Miss Doris Bigornia - the charming lady of the masses for the masses, or shall we say, Madlang People, who has been conquering Philippine television with her down-to-earth interviews and features of the ordinary people around the neighborhoods of Metro Manila and other nearby locations.

What is memorable about the event is that it was actually a surprise on our part that we would actually be a part of her show celebrating its anniversary. As far as we all know when we got invited, we thought we were just covering the event for our blogs but we got the shocked when we were informed that we were actually going to be co-stars of the show.

Just like any TV production, there are times when we were asked to do things for the camera as it rolled to take video shoots of us entering the different venues of the whole-day celebration that was also sort of a tour. From getting on the bus, to entering the first restaurant venue where we had breakfast, we suddenly found ourselves acting for the camera. Lol!


A Dinner Date with Acupuncturist Dr. Philip Nino Tan-Gatue


Wazzup Pilipinas!

Relax! That's not me with a needle pierced through my skin. I would have loved to be the guinea pig, or the lab rat, that night, but no matter how adventurous I was, there still remains the hesitation if its about an old age tradition.

In this day and age, who would believe acupuncturists still exist? Modern medicine has several advance methods, equipment and technologies already so I was actually baffled that Mainland China's traditional Chinese medicine or alternative method of curing used by their ancestors was still around to treat various kinds of problems. Where ever is the source of this kind of treatment, many are still doubtful that it is indeed effective.

We all know how the new generation resist the old practices, the same way how the oldies are hesitant to adapt new technologies, but I guess some people are still into what they believe works. Like what some people say, you don't fix something that is ain't broken.

However, our dinner date with acupuncturist Dr. Philip Nino Tan-Gatue, a Medical Doctor and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, emphasized the point that the acupuncture method is really just complementary. Meaning, it should be coupled with other means to make it effective or eventually work.  There still exist the need for discipline to keep to the required treatments other than just solely acupuncture.


St. Nicholas Restaurant: Mandaluyong's Newest Dining Experience


Wazzup Pilipinas!

We found a new gem somewhere deep within Mandaluyong's residential area where only a few restaurants exist. Most of the dining spots out there are hole-in-the-wall type that has somehow clicked not only among the neighborhood but has also reached the radar of foodies all over the Metro.

When it's a real hit, it's bound to become the talk-of-the-town or in many cases the talk-of-the-online-world popularly known as social media or the Internet. Through the Internet, many of the new restaurants start getting some attention as soon as one person recommends it among his Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram friends.

There is sure to be many curious peeps out there that would like to try something new in order to satisfy their curiosity, and ultimate desire to be among the first. It is always an honor and privilege to be among the few people who gets to try out for the first time dishes from a new restaurant especially when later on you find the place enjoying its eventual popularity.

St. Nicholas Restaurant owned by Chef Nick Pelaez is a new events place that serves a lot of our favorite Filipino cuisine plus a lot more, even exotic delicacies like the Adobong Crocodile, and their Tapas made from deer and wild boar meat, which makes the place more interesting to visit soon.


Gilas Favorite Takeout Treat at Max's Restaurant



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Max's Restaurant continues to drum up support for these modern-day heroes as Gilas Pilipinas inches closer to the most awaited and prestigious competition in Spain slated for August. Max's recently launched the "Gilas Favorite Delivery Treat," an offering of one whole Max's sarap to the bones fried chicken with a free bottle of banana catsup and a limited edition Gilas Pilipinas Eco Bag for only PhP299.

Fans may now share the thrill of watching their favorite basketball team while enjoying Max's world famous, crispy-on-the-outside-and-tender-on-the-inside fried chicken. Max's Gilas Favorite Delivery Treat is valid until July 31, 2014 for both online and delivery transactions anywhere in the Philippines.

Coinciding with Max's Gilas Favorite Delivery Treat, Max's announced the winner for its "Dito Galing and Gilas" campaign. All set to fly for Spain are winners Pauline Vislenio and Jennifer Tayag Dueñes who will both be given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to watch Gilas Pilipinas compete live against the world's best basketball teams in the world.

Monday, July 28, 2014

Mutya ng Pilipinas 2014 Candidates Media Presentation


Wazzup Pilipinas!


We got first glimpse of all 30 candidates all vying for the top crown as Mutya Ng Pilipinas 2014 at a press conference held at the Manila Ocean Park where Hotel H2O was also located as the official residence of the candidates. A contract signing between the Hotel H2O and Mutya Ng Pilipinas management was held before the presentation of candidates to the members of the media.

I had my eye on a selected few for being so alluring not just because they have a well-proportioned body with vita statistics worth trading your current girlfriend with, hehehe, but also because they seemingly project the confidence that would make them ideal to represent the country.

We've seen how they walk, we've heard how they talk, we've seen them in a fabulous gown and in skimpy two-piece swimsuits, all wearing high-heeled shoes everytime, and we can't help but be amazed of how beautiful and charming they all are.

But one must select "The One" for our vote as the Darling of the Press, or the chosen one who will win an award that day as the choice of the members of the media.Candidate Number 25, Patricia Bosco of Milan,  was chosen as the Darling of the Press. There were two other winners that day that were each awarded a recognition from the sponsors. Chosen as Miss Hotel H2O is Candidate Number 4 Nueva Ecija's Ma. Jackielyn Dulay, and Candidate Number 26, Glennifer Perido of the Cordilleras, was chosen as Miss Tupperware.


Mike Unson: An Interview with a Professional Filipino Stand-Up Comedian


Wazzup Pilipinas!


Based from his Facebook page, "Mike Unson is one of the very few Filipinos who performs wholesome live point-of-view (POV) stand-up comedy. Because of his wholesome approach to the craft of stand-up comedy, he has even been invited to do guest lectures, and performances in many schools, and has also dabbled into event hosting, doing weddings, private parties, and shows for major corporations proving that his brand of comedy can thrive in any given environment."

I have to agree with those lines because I personally witnessed how he delivered his humor to the appreciation of the crowd during the Laugh and Stack Open Mic Showdown of Comedy Cartel held at the Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge last July 12, 2014.

We were invited to watch the show but we got a special treat for coming in early. We were fortunate to meet Mike and his manager, and another friend, who were also there early. We got to chat with the guy and do an up-close intimate video interview. We learned so much about him that it actually made the night really more special since we have an exclusive - no cuts, no edits - interview with the guy
whose "clever observations about the Filipino condition surpass the realm of mere insult comedy.”

Madrid Fusión-Manila: Spain’s Famed Culinary Event To Conquer Manila’s Food Scene


Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippines is set to host the very first Madrid Fusión-Manila in April 2015 after the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Spanish organizers Foro de Debate, S.L. and Arum Estrategias Internacionalización (Arum) inked a partnership agreement last 23 July 2014 (Wednesday).

The signing ceremony was attended by DOT Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez Jr., DOT Assistant Secretary Benito C. Bengzon, Jr., Maria Leonor Esteban (Administrator of Arum), Mr. Iñigo Cañado (Director of Arum), Ms. Lourdes Plana (Partner and General Manager of Foro de Debate), and Ms. Ana Capel Rives (Partner of Foro de Debate).

Madrid Fusión has established itself as one of the leading international gastronomy gatherings held annually in Madrid and attended by elite chefs and experts in the culinary field to discuss trends, evolution of tastes, and new food habits. More than 400 leading chefs from all five continents have graced its stage and performed live culinary demonstrations and memorable presentations on revolutionary techniques. Among these culinary experts included Grant Achatz, Gaston Acurio, Ferran Adria, Juan Mari Arzak, Alex Atala, Nobu Matsuhisa, Heston Blumenthal, Michel Brass, Paul Bocure, Quique Dacosta, Alain Duchase, Joel Robuchon, and Michel Troisgros. In addition to the culinary demonstrations, there have also been master workshops, contests, tastings, tributes, auctions, and exhibitors zone. Madrid Fusion’s 2014 edition brought together 1,000 congress delegates, 120 exhibitors, 96 speakers, 750 journalists, and 8267 authorized guests becoming a national trending topic on Twitter and appearing in most print and online publications.


Chef Lau's Pugon Roasters: Fast Food That is So Good!


Wazzup Pilipinas!

Visiting their third branch and learning that they will soon have a fourth one only signifies that the people have really appreciated how Chef Roland (Chef Lau) and Jacqueline Laudico (Chef Jac) has steered their restaurant as an innovative "fast good" on its way into a very successful restaurant chain.

Partnered with the the Raya family, Chef Lau's Pugon Roasters serves dishes with a twist that only the famous chef couple can amazingly conjure like magic. Aside from the two culinary experts, we also met Roberto Luis Raya and found out that he was in charge of operations of the restaurants, and this confirmed my belief that you really need to partner with other people if you want to bring out the best in your craft. Artists also need to partner with other individuals that have the necessary specialties to take their dreams into a better reality.

My experience with their branch in Ayala Triangle Gardens located in Makati was as good as this visit at Venice Piazza located in McKinley Hill of Bonifacio Global City. We were able to dine on different set of dishes that really made our taste buds swoon in delight. Plus the passion of the couple in relating their stories about their food and how they started out, including their belief in using only natural and fresh ingredients was a big bonus for us. It is not everyday that you meet a celebrity chef couple so the lunch date with the Laudicos left us starstruck too.


Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge: Delightful Dishes on a Laughter-Filled Night


Wazzup Pilipinas!

We had an invitation to watch a special show of the Comedy Cartel where they had an Open Mic Showdown called Laugh and Stack. Members of their group participated in a sort of competition to determine who among them can get the most votes from the audience and be declared as the winner for the night.

Haresh was the current champion and so he was defending his crown, but unfortunately somebody emerged as the most laughable comic for the night.

Nonong, or mamang pulis, took home the recognition as the top comic for the night who was able to convince the crowd to vote for him. What probably made him win was the fact that he made fun of himself all throughout his time on stage. He was also talking in Tagalog thus most of the Filipino audience was easily able to relate to his jokes.

But before we enjoyed all those humor on stage, we got to enjoy first a delightful meal courtesy of the host venue for the night - Relik Tapas Bar and Lounge.

Sunday, July 27, 2014

17 Years in the Making: Full Airline Operations at NAIA T3 by July 31


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Seventeen (17) years after the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) awarded the concession agreement for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 project, the modern passenger terminal building (PTB) will finally be ready for full airline operations this coming July 31st.

“We are extremely pleased to confirm that full airline operations will begin at NAIA Terminal 3 next week. Our gateway airport will now be able to welcome 3.5 million more passengers with modern facilities every year, and Terminal 1 will now be considerably decongested to improve passenger convenience,” DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya stated.

“The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) has informed us that Delta Airlines will have its first flight out of Terminal 3 on August 1st, while KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will move within the first week of August. Singapore Airlines, Emirates, and Cathay Pacific will follow suit by the end of next month. These five carriers have the highest volume of international flights coming in and out of NAIA, so we look forward to giving them a new home,” Abaya added.

This project was awarded in 1997, for supposed completion in 2002. Legal issues related to its bidding process mired the project, however, delaying its opening until 2008, and even then it was only 52% operational. Faced with this situation, then-DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas initiated talks with Terminal 3’s original contractor, Takenaka Corporation of Japan, to complete its facilities regardless of the ongoing cases.

Lipa City: A City for All Seasons


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The city named after a tree called “Dendrocnide meyeniana”, which is now commonly known as the lipa tree, is one of the emerging thoughtfully-planned commercial and industrial cities in the Southern Tagalog region. Recently, Lipa’s nickname as the “City of All Seasons” came about because of the locale’s cool weather, environmental consciousness, and because of the city’s 3-time mayor, now governor of Batangas province. Lipa City’s important and influential status dates back to the Spanish colonial era due to a flourishing coffee industry. This made Lipa the richest municipality in the Philippines. On October 21, 1887, the Queen Regent Maria Christina, who was acting in behalf of King Alfonso XIII, elevated it into a city. It was given the name Villa de Lipa. It was returned into a municipality in 1895, only to be once again declared a city on June 20, 1947 under the young Republic of the Philippines.

Now, Lipa City is a fast emerging key city in the province, becoming a major institutional/administrative center, medical center, commercial center, financial center, agro-industrial center and residential center.

Recently, the influx of business process outsourcing (BPO) firms, such as call centers, has contributed much to the growth of the local economy. BPO sites are scattered throughout the city, which ranked 6th out of 10 in the Top 10 next wave cities of 2010 named by the Commission of Information and Communication Technology (ICCT). This earned Lipa another nickname as the “Next Wave City.”

As a residential location, Lipa has much to offer to young urbanites and executives, starting and expanding families, leisure farmers, horticultural hobbyists, retirees and balikbayans.


Traveling to Lipa City is Now a Breeze


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Traveling to the city known as the “Little Rome of the Philippines” is now easier and faster with the road improvements in the Southern Tagalog region. The SLEX extension or the Toll Road 3 connects the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX) to the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road Tollway (STAR Tollway), cutting down travel time by bypassing the usually congested Maharlika Highway. Motorists can now reach Lipa City exit in a matter of minutes from SLEX.

As a bastion of the Catholic faith, Lipa City is home to several Catholic churches, convents, seminaries, catholic schools, and retreat houses. Lipa hosts an annual national Marian Pilgrimage at Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Grace Parish Church, which has become a year-round destination for Catholics and other pilgrims. The Archdiocese of Lipa, whose seat is at the landmark San Sebastian Cathedral, serves the faithful in the province of Batangas.

Lipa is one area that still offers spacious residential farm lots for young urbanites and executives, starting and expanding families, leisure farmers, horticultural hobbyists, retirees and balikbayans. Tierra Maria Estates, located at the heart of Lipa City, offers affordable lots, and a unique opportunity to build a dream home close to nature. With only 320 lots, Tierra Maria Estates, with residential estate farm lots that range from 750 to 1200 sq. meters, is designed to be a neighborhood with a serene environment that is very well within the reach of everyday comforts.

Aquabest Unveils Technological Quartet


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Aquabest the country’s premier water refilling franchise is set to revolutionize the way Filipino’s experience drinking water as it launches its four exclusive water treatment technologies.

Utilizing its new technologies the company will enable the company’s 700 store network to produce Granderized water a type of water that is not only clean but also healthy. The company utilizes four unique technologies Grander, Tanwing, Nanogen, and Reverse Osmosis; that alters the very nature of water to make it better.

Tanwing Technology and Reverse Osmosis are filtration technologies that help eliminate practically all contaminants in the water making them safe and clean. Tanwing works by utilizing two wavelengths of ultraviolet radiation to help eliminate all biological contaminants. At the same time, reverse osmosis filters water at the nanometer level far smaller than a strand of hair to ensure that all impurities are filtered out.

The Nanogen and Grander Technologies work at the molecular level to infuse health giving properties to the water by affecting the molecular structure of the water. Nanogen is a Korean technology that utilizes nanotechnology to neutralize pure water’s inherent acidity. Acidic water is supposed to be a contributing factor to some diseases. Grander Technology from Austria alters the molecular structure of water to improve body's absorption.

Overall, Aquabest Granderized Water improves on the inherent cleansing and rejuvenating qualities of water. Each drop reaches deeper into the core of every cell in our bodies, allowing them to perform their functions better. Drinking Aquabest Granderized Water will rejuvenate the body at its very core helping people look and feel better.

All Set for Hundreds of FilAms’ Visit


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From the 28th to the 31st day of July, about 300 Filipino-Americans and their main- stream American friends will arrive from the United States for the 9th Ambassadors, Consuls General and Tourism Directors Tour of the Philippines (ACGTDT).

These visitors will be here to relax, enjoy and spend precious time with families and friends as well as explore investment and retirement possibilities here at home.

Launched in 2005 during the term of then Philippine Ambassador the United States and now Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, the ACGTDT is a joint project of all Philippine Foreign Service missions in the U.S. located in Agana, Chicago, Honolulu, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.

As in the past years, the ACGTDT is being implemented in cooperation with the Department of Tourism (DOT) and its marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB). In July 2011, it was designated as a banner tourism project under the DOT’s Pinoy Homecoming Program. Major sponsors include the Western Union, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority, Duty-Free Philippines, and Philippine Retirement Authority.

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