Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Saturday, July 18, 2015

FlipTrip.PH Holds Sun & Soul Kick-Off Party at Z Hostel

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It looks like summer is extending way past August for we are soon visiting sunny Zambales on August 8 and 9 for the Sun & Soul music festival of FlipTrip.PH, an online booking platform that makes it easier for people to travel and discover the Philippines. The site connects travelers to local experts in different destinations within the country.

Sun & Soul music festival is a celebration of the return of the South Swell, the end of summer, in preparation for the coming of surfers, old and young, who flock to Zambales at this time of the year. The event is a celebration of surf, arts and music. It is a gathering of creative souls out to celebrate life. It is not just another music festival, but a soulful weekend for kindred spirits united by the love of travel.

A retreat and festival in one, Sun & Soul will take place in the quiet sanctuary that is Liwliwa, Zambales. Explorers can take part in workshops for surfing, poetry, arts, music and other creative pursuits amidst the beautiful mountains and beaches of Zambales. Participants can meet fellow travelers and immerse themselves in the wonderful community of Liwa as they go on a road trip to a paradise where there are no strangers.

"Where there are no strangers" ...hhhmmm...sounds familiar? Yup! The venue in Zambales would be at The Circle Hostel, a chain of budget friendly eco-hostels in the Philippines. It is a sanctuary for the artsy and the adventurous where they can express themselves freely among each other and on the walls, pathways, stairs and almost everywhere.

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Lemma, Scintillas!

Brace yourselves for an experience of a lifetime as you find your HUE and shine your light this July.

The Philippine Society of Youth Science Clubs (PSYSC), the largest umbrella organization of science clubs in the Philippines, proudly presents the 26th National Youth Science, Technology, and Environment Summer Camp (NYSTESC 2015) with the theme, “Transprism: Finding Hue in Spectrum of Candella”.

In celebration of the International Year of Light 2015 (IYL 2015) which is a global initiative adopted by the United Nations, NYSTESC 2015 is geared towards providing its participants an understanding of and appreciation for Optics, with in-depth focus on the pivotal role that light plays in society in the modern world.

This July 26-29, 2015 at Sarabia Manor Hotel and Convention Center in Iloilo City, high school students and teachers from all over the archipelago are coming together to discover and explore the wonders of light. With fruitful lectures from distinguished speakers, interactive workshops, and fun activities in store, the campers will surely be shining the brightest with the learning and the memories.

Cebu to Take Spotlight at Property Summit

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The Philippines’ second most important metropolis takes center stage at the first ever Property Summit Cebu, co-organized by global property platform Lamudi Philippines and MediaCom Solutions.

Boasting a thriving tourism and leisure industry, a vibrant BPO, business, and shipping sector, and some of the Philippines’ best beaches and diving sites, Metro Cebu’s property sector is more buoyant than ever. Both national and local developers are looking into expanding their portfolios in the “Queen City of the South,” including real estate giants SMDC, Ayala Land, Megaworld, and Federal Land, among others.

To give industry professionals, investors, and entrepreneurs an outlook of Metro Cebu’s rising real estate market, including the opportunities and challenges it presents, Lamudi and MediaCom have lined up an exceptional roster of speakers to share knowledge and expertise on the city’s property market.

They include Colliers International’s Julius Guevarra, who will discuss Cebu’s real estate outlook; and Rudolf Kotik, founder of Filipino International Franchise Association, who will share his expertise on how to spot the perfect location for one’s retail, franchise, and food and beverage business.

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Climb tropical mountains and bask in the warm sun of Southeast Asia in this year’s International Forestry Students’ Symposium (IFSS). Now on its 43rd year, the Symposium will be held from July 28 to August 10, 2015 with the theme “Ensuring Life for All.” It will be hosted by the local committee (LC) Association of Filipino Forestry Students—University of the Philippines, Los Baños (AFFS-UPLB) at the University of the Philippines Los Baños, a university that is cradled by the renowned Mt. Makiling, and neighbored by the great Laguna Lake.

Known for its rich biodiversity and numerous islands, the Philippines serves as an ideal host for the IFSS. Half of the country is covered with forests, and it houses 15,000 species of flowering plants, and more than a thousand species of wildlife species. Because of this diverse set of flora and fauna, it is no question why the Philippines is only the third country in Asia to host the IFSS, with Indonesia hosting last 2003 and 2008, and South Korea last 2010.

As issues of deforestation and climate change plague the world, it becomes even more important that more individuals are informed of the important function that forests serve. This year, as a country that depends heavily on its forests, the Philippines and IFSS 2015 aim to highlight how the existence of humanity is dependent on its forests. From its role as habitat to various other living creatures, to its provision of resources and livelihood to many, it is clear that the life of forests lead to the life of the world, and thus does its death mean our own.

Florante at Laura Set to Open on July 31

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Gantimpala Theater Foundation Inc. proudly presents its 38th season opening production Francisco Balagtas’ “FLORANTE AT LAURA” -- one of the most enduring Filipino literary masterpieces described by many as a poetic art that examines the nature of justice, truth and commitment to fairness, written into a play by award-winning and respected playwright Boni Ilagan, with multi-awarded actor, Roeder Camañag as its director.

The famous Filipino love story uses the theater form of the ‘komedya’ complete with its majestic marches and grand batalia. See how the love of florante, laura, Aladin and Flerida conqyered the warring Moors and Christians.

“Boni Ilagan wrote such a superb script!” exclaims director Camañag. “His interpretation of the classic focuses on the many facets of love — from its purest form to its most corrupted version. His understanding of Balagtas’ words allows audiences the opportunities to witness Florante’s encounters with love — his love for knowledge, his love for his parents, his brotherly love for his best friend Minandro, his romantic love for Laura, his love for his enemies, and ultimately, the love for his country and the Higher Cause.”
“We are highlighting the beauty of the language and the elements of komedya,” he continues. “What we give the public now is a tribute to Florante and Laura, as literary characters, a tribute to Francisco Balagtas and his mastery of the Tagalog language, and a tribute to the komedya, which is a true Filipino theater form.

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The Bureau of Customs (BOC) recently launched its implementation of Google Apps for Work via local cloud computing and data center services firm IPC (IP Converge Data Services, Inc.), with the goal of improving the bureau’s internal collaboration and information dissemination.

Specifically, Google Sites will be used to create an internal website for updates and new information accessible only to authorized personnel. Customs can also take advantage of features such as Google Drive to store documents that need to be accessed by employees easily anytime and on any device, such as memos and announcements. The licenses were provided through IPC and are distributed to the roughly 4,000 staff of the Bureau of Customs.

According to Che Lazaro, IPC Director of Sales - Google for Work, “Google Apps for Work allows real-time collaboration, enabling multiple users to work on a single document at the same time. This will eliminate multiple versions of one document, improve tracking and accountability, as well as cutting down time in finalizing reports.”

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Do we already know everything there is to know about the universe? Sometimes, Science throws questions that are even bigger than life itself. Some remain as mysteries, while others are like jigsaw puzzles slowly being solved.

This month, Academy Award winning actor Morgan Freeman brings to life man’s many questions on science and existence in Through The Wormhole with Morgan Freeman. In each episode, Freeman tries to sheds light on questions which science is beginning to answer such as:

Are Aliens Inside Of Us?

Odds are high that extraterrestrial life exists. So why haven't aliens been found in the galaxy? Are experts looking in the wrong places? New research shows that experts should look closer to home, even inside the human body. It turns out that a lot of our DNA is from a mysterious, nonhuman source. Theoretically, alien microbial life can make the journey to Earth from distant worlds, and scientists are finding some unearthly microbes in the upper atmosphere. Could it be from outer space? Could humans be part alien? It is even possible alien life is already here as digital life forms, hiding inside technology.

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We all get to remain in the groove if we are constantly reminded of our tasks. A word of encouragement goes a long way to keep us motivated and to endure extra hardships especially if it means a more fruitful or productive outcome. This also applies to sports activities where endurance and stamina can be attained if we persevere in our training and exercise requirements such as running regularly to keep fit, alert and active in both body and spirit.

To set our moods up a notch higher are technological advancements that further improve our lifestyle. There are gadgets or equipment that can effectively monitor our health and performance.

The Sony Smart B-Trainer is an awesome sports companion that comes with a non-slip neckband -style housing with the latest sensor and software technologies. It offers intelligent music playback based on heart rate monitoring and various training plans. It comes in black, white and even pink (order basis), and blue (order basis).

The product is available at a discounted price until tomorrow, July 17, for only Php 10,999. After that it goes back to its original price of Php 12,999. Smart B-Trainer is an all-in-one training device that personalizes your running regime and features versatile training plans through apps.

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Is the European brand of mobile phones better than what we have right now? Well, they are now getting ready to conquer the Philippine market.

We are about to experience refinement in mobile technology as they unveiled their product last July 15, 2015 at their grand launch held at Society Lounge located at Atrium building of Makati city.

Everyone is fully aware that the Philippines is a smartphone country where the units outnumbers the population already since many have more than just one unit at hand. Like myself, I have more than two units of smartphones aside form the tablets that I'm using.

Jojit Alcazar, Managing Partner of Veracity Mobile, led the presentation of the Prestigio brand. Under the Veracity Synergy Solutions Inc. (VSSI) group, Veracity Mobile offers a great alternative to the growing mobile devices segment through its partnership with respected European brand, Prestigio marking the Philippines as its 86th country served.

The brand started out by presenting 6 models of smartphones with prices ranging from Php 5,699 (lowest priced unit) to Php 13, 899 (highest priced unit). Models of different lifestyle outfits, came out one at a time to show off the different models, until they've finally competed on stage the initial products being offered by Veracity Mobile for the Prestigio brand.

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These rainy months, Sugarleaf Makati continues to provide a parade of health and wellness options for the entire family perfect to boost the immune system and prevent illnesses common in the season.

The organic resto’s new menu is getting a lot of new followers and praises from our loyal customers who continue to inspire us to serve up health yummy goodness for everyone.

Start your day with gluten-free waffles, topped with free range eggs or stewed fruit and coconut syrup.

Runaway best sellers are our different flavours of skizzas, crisp thin wheat crust topped with raw organic pesto and yummy toppings like smoked salmon or blue marlin, Iberico belota chorizo or turkey ham. Vegetarian skizza options are available as well as for our selection of paninis and pita.

For pasta lovers, our home-made organic basil pesto is now joined by kale and spinach ravioli and your choice of three different sauces–pesto, pomodoro and white sauce. Rice fans can choose from grass-fed beef tapa, lemon-pepper or basil pork, ocean sea farm-raised bangus served with free range egg and side salad. Health can be had for only P95 with our organic red or brown rice topped with bangus relleno or siomai, served with a mini- organic salad.

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The Philippine Azkals will face a hardened and experienced Uzbekistan squad on Sept. 8, a game that would test the mettle of the newly-minted and strongest ever roster of overseas- and local-based professional footballers.

“We need the support of Filipino football enthusiasts and even non-football fans to fill up the Philippine Sports Stadium in Bocaue, Bulacan, and applaud and inspire our players to give their best for the country,” Team Manager Dan Palami said.

Opened on July 21 last year, the world class Philippine Sports Stadium is the newest and largest stadium in the Philippines with a maximum football seating capacity of 20,000. Located within a tourism enterprise zone in Bocaue, it is bordered by the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) itself and easily accessible by private or public transport. Travel time is less than an hour from most parts of Metro Manila as the site is just after Marilao and before Bocaue with direct access exit along NLEX.

Holding the game at the Philippine Sports Stadium will also allow spectators to experience first class facilities and ultra modern surroundings and see the 103 x 68 meters football field with natural grass surface, he said.

The much-awaited match, which is part of the Asian qualifiers of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, starts at 8 p.m., giving football aficionados and non-aficionados enough time to catch the first kick.

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The leading national tech startup conference in the Philippines is once again seeking to connect Filipino creative and innovative talents with tech champs from across the world so we can build and nurture a world-class Philippine startup ecosystem.

Geeks on a Beach (GOAB), organized by a non-profit organization called TechTalks.ph, will be having its 3rd run on August 20 to 21, 2015 and will again return to Boracay for a two-day tech confab where delegates can establish networks with some of the country's and the world's biggest names in the startup and investor community, as well as secure enduring partnerships and lucrative investments.

But Boracay is not the only reason why you must join this event. This will be a gathering of top minds in the tech industry that has made significant accomplishments at their respective startups, as well as an opportunity to meet investors that you would want to impress.

The very first GOAB was held in Boracay while the second one was held in Cebu. Now on its 3rd year, the organizers promises this laid-back yet productive interaction on the latest technology and entrepreneurship, will be a triple splash for having triple number of innovative minds, triple funding opportunities, and triple doses of fun.

DOST-ICTO to Hold Press Briefing on ICT Month, NSTW, Tech4Ed and Free Wi-Fi Project

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Due to the recent rationalization and re-organization of the Information and Communications Technology Office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-ICTO), it has been a while since the office has had a stand alone press briefing. nonetheless, they are still very much active with their programs.

I am sure many of you have heard of their Free Wi-Fi Internet Access in Public Places Project. Some of you have even reported about it, in fact, it was even a trending topic on social media last month. Likewise, there had even been criticisms of the project on social media. The DOST-ICTO never had a media briefing about this project, and on 16 July they would be having one to answer any questions that the press and public might have about it as well as provide the latest updates.

The press briefing will be held at the DOST- ICT Office Seminar Room in Diliman Q.C. on Thursday, 16 July 2015, 10:00a.m. and will be about the ICT Month, ICT Office preparations for the National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) and updates on the Free Wi-Fi in Public Places Project.

The DOST-ICTO aims to spread awareness on the projects and activities that the office has been conducting to promote ICT as a relevant field of study and a competitive career choice for every Juan. In line with this, key representatives of the DOST-ICTO shall be discussing the highlights from this year's ICT Month, the sub-events in the upcoming NSTW, Tech4Ed, and updates on the Free Wi-Fi Project - known to be the flagship project of the agency. They are also going to discuss future strategic goals of the office to strengthen the ICT landscape and valuation in the country.

3 Big Learning Events at the Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs’ Expo

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On July 17-19, 2015, a grand showcase of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country will be held at the SM Megatrade Halls 2 & 3.

The Philippine Business and Entrepreneurs’ Expo (PBEX) is part of the organizers' conscious effort to cultivate and nurture the SMEs. It focuses to deliver a unique event experience to support the success and growth of SME businesses in the Philippines. It also serves as a connection to explore business opportunities, learn the latest SME market trends, establish contacts, exchange views and ideas, display products and services and acquire latest technology and promotional tools.

Three big learning events will be conducted from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM simultaneously on these dates:

July 17 – The ASEAN SMEs Business Conference

July 18 – Business Readiness and Preparedness Summit

July 19 – Travel Business Forum

The three learning events aim to gather over 200 SME owners, top managers and supervisors to learn and network from our speakers and business leaders from NCR and come up with learning and sharing of knowledge in preparation for the 2016 ASEAN Integration.

Wazzup Pilipinas is proud to be a media partner!

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Yes, you read that right. Everyone’s favorite children anime series, “The Flying House,” is back!

The children deserves the good old animations or cartoons of yesteryears that dwell on the stories found in the Bible. Instead of letting our children watch the violent cartoons or anime, the best alternative is to watch the series filled with lesson that will nurture our children to become better citizens.

“We want to bless the children of the Philippines with the Word of God through animation that’s why we are re-airing ‘The Flying House.’ It has blessed millions of people from the ‘80s and there is a new generation now that can also be blessed by it,” said John Tan, Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of CBN. “The gospel can be quite difficult for children to understand,” Tan continued, “but through animation which is one of the easiest forms of media that children can watch, today’s generation can really be more attuned to God’s Word. May it be the light that guides them as they grow up,” he added.

“The Flying House” is a children’s anime series produced by the Christian Broadcasting Network and airs every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. on ABS-CBN and back to back with Superbook Reimagined every Sunday, 9:30 a.m.