Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Saturday, August 8, 2015

Palawan World's Best Island Tourism and Trade Expo at Glorietta Activity Center This August 7 to 11

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Palawan's top resorts and hotels, as well as tour operators, the local government units and advocacy movements are now present at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati for the Palawan World's Best Island Tourism and Trade Expo happening from August 7 to 11, 2015.

The first ever tourism and trade fair initiated by the provincial government aims to capture a wider tourism market and create broader awareness for the province of Palawan. It will also bring together local and foreign investors, economic development organizations, and high level government officials for greater business-matching opportunities.

Governor Jose Chavez Alvarez led the opening ceremonies on August 7 initiated with a ribbon cutting to officially open the expo. A program was immediately held afterwards on stage with Miss Debbie Tan, The Palawan Tourism Council President, giving the welcome address, while the Governor giving the keynote speech.

Also present at the occasion were DOT Mimaropa Regional Director Atty. Minerva Morada, Vice Governor Victorino Dennis Socrates, and other representatives from the Department of Tourism (DOT), Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and key officials from the province of Palawan.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

This August, Discovery Network’s EVE presents three series that will make you think about the wonders of life and love, however unconventional they may be. From unlikely births, odd physical appearances and seemingly strange occupations, the three new shows on EVE will spark the hearts of its viewers by showing that love for life pushes through, in whatever unusual circumstance or situation the people are in.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is back to examine the extremes of discrimination, bringing together people often defined by the way they look; whether they have facial disfigurement or an intense preoccupation with their appearance. Beauty and The Beast airs every Tuesday at 7.20 p.m., starting on August 25.

From a baby who was delivered in a shopping mall parking lot to a woman who went into labor as the hospital is torn apart by a tornado, join us as we experience the amazing true stories of women giving birth under extraordinary circumstances, during natural disasters, through incredible medicine, or in the most unlikely places. OUTRAGEOUS BIRTHS: TALES FROM THE CRIB premieres on August 10 at 8.10 p.m.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

You’ve taken Lamaze classes.

You have bought and read every baby book you can get your hands on.

But how much preparation can you really do? What if your labor does not go as planned?

These are the very questions each episode of EVE’s Outrageous Births: Tales from the Crib explores. Laden with first-person accounts by real mothers and fathers sharing their unbelievable, unexpected birth stories, the show shines the spotlight on the miracle – and randomness - of childbirth.

From a baby that was born during a hurricane to a baby that was actually born twice, each hour-long episode reveals three bizarre, mysterious and sometimes humorous medical stories involving childbirth, labor and delivery. The stories should fascinate locally, where outrageous births make headlines:

During the aftermath of Typhoon Yolanda, one good news that spread throughout the world was that of Emily Sagalis, who gave birth to her baby girl inside the destroyed Tacloban Airport. A makeshift medical center was created inside the ravaged airport, and her bed was a piece of plywood that rested amid typhoon debris. She named the baby Bea, after her mother Beatriz, who perished in the storm. She was quoted, “She is my miracle. I had thought I would die with her still inside me when high waves came and took us all away.”

Wazzup Pilipinas!

It is every hardworking Filipino’s dream to have a house he can call his own. NorthPine Land, Inc. (NLI), one of the leading and most trusted real estate companies in the Philippines, has committed to provide homes and purposeful areas that improve the quality of life. More than a good house, NorthPine Land builds better homes. More than a good neighborhood, it creates better communities. More than a good area to stay, they make a better place of comfort and security for the whole family.

NorthPine Land has established its own niche in the middle income housing market in the country since it was founded in 1996 as a joint venture of four leading companies. Hongkong Land, one of Asia’s leading property investment, management and development groups, partnered with local investors San Miguel Properties, the real estate arm of San Miguel Group; BDO and Metrobank, the country’s largest and leading commercial banks.

NLI President Alan R. Cruz affirms the company’s commitment to give people who strive to own their dream home the quality of life that only an integrated self-contained community can provide.

Cruz said, “NorthPine Land defines the ideals of fine living on five foundations namely design, quality construction, lifestyle amenities, continuing estate management, and value.”

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We were at the press conference organized by the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) with regards to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) 2015 conferences scheduled on August 10 to 15 - a two-part series of conferences namely the Policy Partnership on Science, Technology and Innovation (PPSTI) on August 10 to 12, and High Level Policy Dialogue on Science and Technology in Higher Education (HLPD-STHE) scheduled on August 13 to 15. This conferences will be held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

CHED and DOST combine forces to bring us a series of APEC conferences specific to policy talks highlighting Science and Technology in Higher Education. The DOST and CHED will host the talks.

The panelists during the press conference held on August 7, 2015 at the Sulo Riviera Hotel in Diliman, Quezon City was led by DOST Secretary Mario Montejo and CHED Secretary Patricia Licuanan. Other members of the panel were DOST Usec Amelia Guevarra, CHED Commissioner Minella Alarcon, and CHED Director Napoleon Juanillo. DOST Assistant Secretary Raymond Liboro was also there to moderate the panel, As well as DOST Undersecretary Rowena Guevarra, and other personalities from both the DOST and CHED.

Yours truly was representing Vigattin Radio of Radyo Inquirer being one of the co-anchors of the radio show aired every Saturday from 10 to 11 am. I was with Elison Barcelo, CEO of Vigattin Inc. I noticed that there were no bloggers invited to this particular press conference which was surprising because we were actually listening to the initiatives of government agencies that were supposed to be embracing technology in full force.

Best Cities in the Philippines for First-Time Homebuyers

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In real estate, the adage “drive and drive until you qualify” holds true, especially in the case of Metro Manila. As homes in the capital become more expensive, many first-time homebuyers whose work base is either Makati, Bonifacio Global City, or Ortigas Center are looking further afield in search of their dream home.

The good thing is that areas that surround the capital abound with affordable options for these homebuyers. Lamudi Philippines (www.lamudi.com.ph) picked the top cities and towns around Metro Manila for first-time buyers, using five factors to judge the best: market popularity, prices, inventory, and ease of commute to the capital.

1. San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan
Average home price: Php495,999
Inventory: 590

Although San Jose Del Monte, situated just north of Quezon City, has been previously known as the government’s go-to site for mass relocation projects, the city is now shedding that image and is fast becoming an economically important city. Big-ticket real estate projects, such as Ayala Land’s Altaraza Town Center, are putting San Jose Del Monte on the map. Homes in the city are still quite affordable, which average Php495,999, and plenty of inventory is available.

Start and End Your Day Informed with Yahoo News Digest

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In this day and age when news travels as fast as the speed of light, the challenge is to keep up without info-overload stress. Yahoo News Digest offers a solution by providing news delivered in digests twice a day, in a beautiful and seamless design. You can even choose from four different editions of the digest – United States, United Kingdom, Canada and International.

Yahoo News Digest offers a compilation of global headlines in the morning and in the evening, with topics ranging from world, politics, technology, science, sports, health, entertainment, odd news and business. As soon as they are notified that the digest is ready, users can scan the summary, as well as read units of information called “Atoms,” which provide context to each story, including maps, infographics, videos, photos and more.

The digest summarizes news from respected sources such as Reuters, BBC, and the Associated Press and supplement it with relevant information -- Wikipedia entries, related tweets, videos and maps. In case users missed some articles, the app provides a countdown to the next digest and an option to go back to previous digests.

The app was created to serve people’s daily need to stay informed about the most important news and events around them. The algorithms, which were developed at Summly, smartly reduce stories to the most fundamental elements and meaningfully combine them with select point of views sourced from around the web.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

This August, gear up and get ready as DMAX premieres five all-new epic series showcasing rare places and rides that will surely dial up your machismo!

EPIC MANCAVE BUILDS follows a motley crew of torch-wielding, adrenaline-soaked fabricators hell-bent on building the most epic mancaves in the world. Metalwork mastermind Brandon Ruff and carpentry wizard Tomas Aguirre head the rough-and-tumble company known as Firemass Metal. Along with their friends, Bryan, Jake, and Nate, team Firemass tears through garages, basements, and unused spaces across the country like a testosterone-infused wrecking ball. They demolish what was there and rebuild their monuments to manhood full of custom creations and mechanical masterpieces. Epic Mancave Builds premieres on Sunday, August 9 at 9 p.m.

Also premiering on August 9 is another show on epic builds! In EPIC BAR BUILDS, follow Aaron Heineman and the Heineman Bar Company team in Chicago as they create the most awesome and unique bars. The team takes on custom projects all over the country: from a home bar in the swamps to an outdoor bar at a hunting lodge. No bar project is too big or too small and they always rise to meet challenges such as a build around a pet alligator, or get a huge commercial bar installed in just a week. Nothing can stop these guys from getting the job done. Epic Bar Builds airs every Sunday, starting on August 9 at 9:50 p.m.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Grabbing some beer this weekend? DMAX, the definitive factual entertainment destination for young men who live life to the absolute fullest, gives you a new way to appreciate your trusted bartender’s work space.

In EPIC BAR BUILDS, watering-holes are taken to new heights. Watch Aaron Heineman, founder of the Heineman Bar Company, and his team build the most awesome and unique bars. Grab a pint and get cozy as you watch them rise to meet the challenges and the demands of their clients, no matter how tight the deadlines are. The job might be tough, but nothing can stop these guys from getting it done.

Catch the team take on all kinds of custom projects: a home bar with gator-skinned counter-tops and an outdoor bar at a hunting lodge that can withstand the most extreme weather conditions among others. They can build them from the ground up, or take the existing bar to the next level.

From turning your son’s bedroom into your neighborhood party place, to providing a signature drink through an interactive monstrous contraption, the Heineman Bar Company will fulfill all your bar’s needs and wishes.

Get tipsy with awe in EPIC BAR BUILDS, airing every Sunday starting on August 9 at 9:50 p.m.

Seven Heritage Places In The Philippines Worth Visiting

Wazzup Pilipinas!

If you attended a Filipino school as a kid, chances are you know that whenever August rolled around, it was time to polish your skills in declamation, singing, or slogan making in celebration of the Buwan ng Wika. As a nationalistic event, it aims to celebrate the Filipino language while also embracing our linguistic diversity.

This month is also an apt time to visit some of the country’s towns and cities that helped shape our history and heritage. You can make a holiday out of your visit to any of these sites, as many of them are located in distant provinces, although some of them are close enough to Metro Manila for a day tour.

Kawit
Province: Cavite
Spoken languages: Tagalog, Chavacano

Considered as Cavite’s oldest municipality, Kawit was founded in 1587 for the Spanish Crown and referred to by the Spaniards as “Cavite El Viejo.” Its most famous spot is the Aguinaldo Shrine, the ancestral home of General Emilio Aguinaldo and the site where the Philippine independence from Spanish rule was declared. It is also home to St. Mary Magdalene Church, one of the oldest churches in the Philippines; as well as the Battle of Binakayan Monument, which commemorates a struggle between Spanish and Filipino soldiers in 1896.

Malolos
Province: Bulacan
Spoken languages: Tagalog, Kapampangan
Malolos is recognized as the Premiere Heritage City of Bulacan for its ancestral houses, Spanish colonial churches and chapels, and historical landmarks. The Barasoain Church, for one, is the site of the First Philippine Congress in 1898. Also worth visiting is the neoclassic Bautista-Uytangcoy Mansion, known as home of Aguinaldo’s interior secretary Don Antonio Bautista, but is more recognizable as the site where Jose Rizal and Marcelo H. Del Pilar spoke with the 21 women of Malolos in 1892.