Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Saturday, December 5, 2015

11th Philippine Blogging Summit: iBlog Therefore I Am

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I still consider myself a noob in blogging since I am not really aware of the technicalities like SEO and stuff, and even the accepted etiquette that is expected of a blogger. Though there have been so many issues surrounding bloggers due to these similar situations, where most are unaware of the proper actions to take as a blogger, I believe there are redeeming qualities that make up for the lack of formal training similar to what journalist undergo.

The big difference bloggers have with journalists is that we are supposed to be biased and emotional. Since we all know that blogs were supposed to be our online journals - where we can share all our special experiences, thoughts and opinions - there are some people that would discourage being too open and would want us to abide by rules they believe should be followed by everyone in the blogging community.

However, even the guests speakers from the iBlog events themselves have conflicting opinions and share different methods and strategies which further strengthens and confirms my belief that man-made guidelines are just there to serve as suggestions and not really to anchor us down and limit our creativity.

Now on its 11th year, iBlog, more popularly known as the Philippine Blogging Summit, is organized by Janette Toral, known to many as the Mother of E-Commerce, and one of the influences in my blogging life, was held at the Penthouse Lecture Room of Bocobo Hall, UP Law Center, UP Diliman, Quezon City. It's a two-day event held this time on December 4 and 5, 2015 to accommodate more people who may not be available on a single date.

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NBA2K Online is an action-sports online game that combines the best of what the award-winning NBA2K basketball video game series has to offer with immersive gameplay, rich player customization, and a massive online community.

I'm quite familiar with online games and the NBA2K franchise since I was previously an Internet Cafe and Gaming Shop owner for several years before I got into the world of blogging. I still remember how updated my online games were, and how diligent I was in keeping it patched and ready with the latest program updates so that my customers will nit have to wait for the game loading for a long time. Keeping the online games updated with the latest patches was a regular task I would usually do on a weekly basis, or sometimes daily, because there were several online games that needed to be updated as well.

NBA2k was a very popular game as well, but it was only played via network gaming. Though there were already a few online basketball games back then, this will be my first time to encounter NBA2K as an online game.

X-Play Online Games upped the tempo when NBA2K Online entered its open beta test (OBT) phase on November 24, 2015. A media launch was held on December 3, 2015 at the NBA Store located in Glorietta 3, Makati city.

The Intellectual Property (IP) is owned by 2K, a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc., and is co-developed by Visual Concepts China and Tencent.

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Jonathan Yabut, the lucky and very deserving Filipino winner of hit reality TV show The Apprentice Asia, recently launched his book in the Philippines on December 3 at Fully Booked Bonifacio Global City (BGC) High Street.

What started out as a series of posts on his popular Facebook fanpage(Facebook.com/AAJonathanYabut) became a collection of stories on how Jonathan won the show through leadership and grit. It is now an autobiography and motivational book, entitled "From Grit to Great." The book shares his life journey from humble beginnings to winning the “world’s toughest job interview.

For every book that you purchase, a portion of the book’s proceeds will be donated to educational NGOs in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Vietnam. The beneficiaries of “From Grit To Great are Yayasan Bright Foundation Indonesia, Teach for Malaysia, Student Development Fund of Vietnam, and our very own UP School of Economics Alumni Foundation.

The book is a delightful treat for aspiring students, rockstar yuppies, and budding entrepreneurs looking for inspiration and motivation to succeed. It’s the book where business meets wit. Though, upon interview with Jonathan himself, he said it's not limited to the youth or those below 35 years old, since anybody can still find inspiration from the book no matter what age they are.

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Don Papa Rum, a premium aged small batch rum from the Philippine island of Negros Occidental (known locally as Sugarlandia), is the flagship spirit of the Bleeding Heart Rum Company, the trading arm of Chat Noir Co.Inc, based in Manila.

Don Papa puts other rums to shame and sets a new standard in Philippine luxury with its magnificently bottle packaging with eye-catching design and a real cork stopper. Distilled from the finest sugar cane, Don Papa actually has two products, its flagship spirit, the 7 year old, which is aged in American oak barrels thus giving it a light amber color. It is light and fruity on the nose, smooth and delicate in the mouth with a long textured finish, offering flavors of vanilla, honey, and candied fruits.

Meanwhile, the second product, the limited-edition super premium 10 year old, showcases the Blender’s art to perfection. A careful, artisanal process by dedicated master craftsmen steeped in the Filipino rum-making tradition. The rum is aged for ten, long years in re-charred American oak barrels, giving it a dark amber color with hints of oak and vanilla. Its higher cask strength gives Don Papa 10 year old a slightly higher ABV of 43%.

At the Philippine launch of Don Papa 10 were Matthias Cadeac D’Arbaud, Don Papa Rum’s International Brand Ambassador, Davide Boncimino, the overall champion of Don Papa’s first-ever cocktail competition, a nationwide search for the ultimate Don of Cocktails, Celina Le Neindre, another Don Papa Brand Ambassador, and Kathryn Eckstein-Cornista, Don Papa Brand Ambassador and Mixologist. Also at the event were Christel Molina, Don Papa Brand Manager, Andrew Garcia, Managing Director for Asia-Pacific, and Monica Llamas, Head of Brand Communications.

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With the fast evolving landscape and developments in energy policies, the Department of Energy (DOE), through the Investment Promotion Office, has been conducting regular investment fora in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao to promote investments in the Philippine Energy Sector by facilitating the process of doing business and availment of incentives in the country.

In observance of the National Energy Consciousness Month, the DOE held its last Energy Investment Forum for 2015, now on its 11th year, on December 04 (today) from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon at the InterContinental Hotel in Makati City.

Energy Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos said that the DOE urges the private sector to invest more and for timely installation of committed projects, adding that “We hope to see the infusion of investments in the coming years to be able to provide for reliable supply of electricity in the country.”

The Energy Investment Forum presents the current energy climate including the demand-supply outlook, potentials in the power sector, and developments of conventional, renewable and alternative energy resources.

Exciting Biscoff Biscoveries for Christmas

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It is once again the sweetest time of the year and making the holidays even sweeter is Europe’s favorite cookie with coffee[1], Biscoff. An original from Belgium, Biscoff is spreading its sweetness in Manila. Long known as the perfect partner for any coffee break, Biscoff is now also being introduced as the perfect culinary partner.

Just in time for the holidays, Biscoff gives away easy to make, do-it-yourself recipes that are perfect for the holiday season. Whether to use as gifts or as holiday party treats, Biscoff offers delightful bites that everyone will enjoy making at home.

Rice Crispy Treats with Biscoff Spread[2]

With only 15 minutes preparation time, Rice Crispy Treats with Biscoff Spread is easy to make and has minimal ingredients.

Ingredients:

· 3 tablespoons butter
· 1/3 cup of Biscoff spread
· 1 10 oz. package of about 40 regular marshmallows or 4 cups of miniature marshmallows
· 6 cups rice crispy cereal

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When guests are expected at home, serving a heavenly chocolate cake appears to be a sure crowd pleaser. Red Ribbon—one of the country’s biggest bakeshops—is bringing back one of its best-selling round chocolate cake that’s sure to delight your family and friends.

Red Ribbon’s Rocky Road Cake is now making a grand comeback, carrying with it more delicious toppings that will definitely add more texture and flavor to the family’s time.

The Rocky Road Cake is made of three layers of rich chocolate cake with choco-cream filling, topped with fluffy white cream rosettes, chocolate kisses, soft, white marshmallows and chocolate drizzles.

What makes the Rocky Road Cake even more special this year compared last year isthe addition of Red Ribbon’s signature brownies. These chewy brownie bits are topped along with the cake’s other toppings, giving the cake a more moist and chewy texture. Additional sprinkles of cashews and marshmallows are sandwiched in between the cake’s layers, creating a perfect combination of sweetness, softness and crunchiness from the inside and out.

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I've recently been affected by a "ransomware" where the malicious "virus" encrypted our documents (including photos and videos) and required us to pay for a decryption key if we want to decrypt our files. It also comes with a time limit where the decryption offer would only last a few days, after that it won't be available anymore.

Unfortunately, our back-up is done on a weekly basis thus we lost all our files done in a week and could only restore from the backup the previous files coming from the backup storage drive.

The one week of files is still a big thing for us as we had several files saved throughout the past week. I could almost cry in desperation when I couldn't find any solution no matter how I Google for an answer.

I'm not sure if that particular "ransomware" already existed for a long time or if it's an updated version of the previous virus release. Sadly enough, no anti-virus developers have found a solution to this threat. The only solution for this instance is to have backed-up on a daily basis. It may mean a lot of hard work yet it's the safest way to ensure we won't lose our precious data. If only I knew about this virus in advance then I could have encouraged myself to back-up daily.

It's a great thing that companies like Fortinet is making initiatives in determining what could be the next virus threat. Though announcing, and learning about, possible upcoming threats may also work against us. The people who intend to make us suffer via their sophisticated or "viruses."

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The Department of Energy, along with its partners, successfully hosted this year’s Don Emilio Abello Energy Efficiency Awards at Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria recognizing individuals and companies whose exemplary energy efficiency initiatives significantly reduce their energy consumption.

Celebrated every December since 1982 as part of the National Energy Consciousness Month, the DEAEEA was named after the former Meralco Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Emilio Abello, who also held the position of Chairman of the Energy Conservation Movement in the country.

The energy efficiency initiatives of the DEAEEA companies have resulted to a total of 776.3 Million Kilowatt Hours of electricity equivalent to Php 6.34 billion (more than 202.6 Million Liters of Oil Equivalent) in energy savings. According to DOE data, the industrial and commercial sectors are among the top four highest consuming sectors in the country taking up more than 40% of Final Energy Demand in 2014.

Energy efficiency and conservation is also one of the DOE’s measures in ensuring energy security for the country. This is especially significant given the current power scenarios of the nation and in light of El Nino.

Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950 XL Launch

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At a media launch held at the Aracama restaurant in Bonifcaio Global City on the very first day of the month of December, the Microsoft Lumia 950 and 950 XL was announce to be available on December 14 and priced at Php 28990 and Php 32990 respectively.

It will be the first to come with Windows 10 OS. It also has new PureView cameras with 20 megapixel sensors and triple LED natural flash that shoot 4k video. Now that means mobile photography, and videography, at its best....well, so far. It's not surprising if after a month, another announcement will take it further up to a higher level.

That is the fascinating fact about smartphones in general. There will always be a new technology to be introduced making the next version a much sought after item that all those who would like to maintain personally having the latest gadgets would definitely watch out for new releases or models.

The difference between the 950 and 950 XL aside from the size? The processing speed and gorilla glass version is obviously better on the 950 XL but only the 950 makes use of liquid cooling technology.

Liquid cooling is not a new technology since PC players would install that feature that were previously done on gaming or multimedia desktops. The installed so they can use the mileage everywhere where there's a lot of more beneficial thoughts.

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The Philippines’ transport industry—privatized yet heavily regulated—is a textbook example of how public transport shouldn’t be run. It is inefficient, and the ones who lose are the riding public. This is one of the reasons tech disruption, in the form of ride-sharing and taxi-hailing apps, are very successful. Smartphone apps like Uber and GrabTaxi are changing how the public is demanding service: whenever and wherever they need it. Although the response of taxi companies and regulators is to maintain the status quo, the public marches on with technology.

Which begs the question: what if there could be an Uber of Philippine real estate? If tech innovation could disrupt an inefficient industry, what’s to stop others from disrupting real estate? In fact, whether the industry likes it or not, property hunters’ behavior is rapidly shifting, and they’re taking their home-search online. Here’s why:

1. Tech innovations put the power to homebuyers

In the not-too-distant past, people looking for properties drive by neighborhoods or leaf through pages of Sunday classifieds to find apartments for sale or for rent. This is quickly changing.

A 2014 survey by Lamudi Philippines found that 9 out of 10 real estate agents said that the Internet is now the preferred tool during the house-hunting process, while a 2015 survey conducted by the real estate portal found that Facebook, Google, and other online means are used by homebuyers in looking for properties 92 percent of the time.

This puts the power to homebuyers, who until recently have to rely on information fed to them by real estate agents. Homebuyers now can choose the property that falls within their requirements, regardless of which broker is handling it. In effect, they get to choose the property that falls within their budget, and let the agent do the grinding later.

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Shopping online may be the “in” thing these days, but for most people, nothing can beat the physical experience of going to malls to meet up, bond with family and friends, have fun, and indulge in activities that cannot be experienced anywhere else.

Malls are not just places to shop, they are activity centers that fulfill many functions for mall goers. Learning nooks, workout places, lifestyle destinations, dining hubs, entertainment venues, and more, malls are woven into the colorful social fabric of countless communities.

Vista Malls are community malls that have been designed by its developer, Vista Land & Lifescapes, Inc., to be ALL ABOUT YOU. Within each meticulously designed commercial complex are a variety of retail options – all tailor-fit for the communities in the various Vista Land developments. Because of that, no one Vista Mall is the same as the other in terms of look or feel. Each one reflects the community that it serves.

“What makes VISTA MALL unique from other retail centers is that we focus on the communities we cater to. We don’t aim to offer everything, but we take great effort to understand our communities and give them what they need. This is the central concept of ALL ABOUT YOU,” says Camille Villar, Managing Director of Vista Land, that has created over 30 master-planned communities all over the Philippines in the past 40 years.

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Most companies nowadays add Christmas Bonus on top of the mandatory 13th month pay to show appreciationfor their employees.It’s only a few days until you get your hands on the most coveted company benefit, and here are the ways you can maximize your hard-earned money.

1. Apply the 70/30 Budget Plan

By now you may already have plans in spending your bonus.To maximize your money, it’s always best to set up a budget plan. This budgeting ratio is very effectiveif followed correctly.

The 30% of your bonus may be dividedas shown below:

10% should go to paying yourself first. Add this amount to your savings. You know how much you can afford to save and the expenses you need to prioritize. A little goes a long way as long as you set aside something for your savings.

20% should go to giving yourself a well-deserved treat and/or Christmas gifts for your loved ones.

The 70% of your bonus should go to your personal expenses such as rent, gas, loans, and utility bills. These might cause a setback in your finances if neglected, so your diligence in following the 70/30 budget plan is important.

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Another cool way to tour around the Philippines is via the AAP-Petron Drive Tour Caravan. This shows how possible it is to bring your own vehicle and take it along with you on the trip. In our case, we were around 15 vehicles in a seemingly VIP convoy escorted by policemen and with an ambulance ready to serve us just in case we encounter an accident or any of the participants needed immediate first aid.

AAP is the Automobile Association Philippines who partnered with Petron to provide a "drive-tour caravan" experience to interested participants who would like to see the Philippines through their unique way. They've been doing this for a few years already and now they've introduced a tour around Cavite. With coordination from the local government units and tourism offices of the province, the "drive-tour caravan" takes you on a delightful journey of selected stops at different tourist destinations to also promote the province and cities included in the itinerary.

I was invited to join the two-day "drive-tour caravan" through a media friend whom I met at a previous Department of Tourism event at La Union. This is actually the second time he recommended me to the organizers starting off with the Oriental Mindoro for the very first MIMAROPA Festival held in Calapan, now he again said good words about me for the AAP-Petron Cavite Drive-Tour Caravan held on November 28 to 29, 2015.

Overwhelmed at how my friend believes in my capacity, I am somewhat challenged to do more than my very best so I can fully show the organizers that I am indeed rightful to be part of the event.

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The year 2015 was an eventful one for Philippine real estate. It was a roller-coaster ride that coursed through both news of optimistic growth, and the not-so-positive issues that affected everyone involved in the real estate business. Either way, these happenings helped shape the local real estate scene to what it is now, and could give us an indication of what’s in store for 2016. To refresh your memory, MyProperty.ph offers a look back at 10 of the biggest real estate-related news of the year.

A way to monitor real estate prices. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is preparing to launch a residential real estate price index (RRPI) that aims to track property prices in Metro Manila, as well as nearby provinces. According to the BSP, the RRPI, which will include information on costs of construction materials and types of houses being built, will help determine the formation of a housing bubble so that preventive actions can be taken.

Rise of the townships. The year 2015 saw the rise of townships all over the country by different property giants. Megaworld Corp. alone launched five townships this year: Sta. Barbara Heights (Sta. Barbara, Iloilo), The Upper East and Northill Gateway (both in Bacolod, Negros Occidental), Westside City (Bay City, Parañaque), and a still-unnamed township in San Fernando, Pampanga. Ayala Land added two townships to their growing portfolio: Cloverleaf in Balintawak, Quezon City; and Capitol Central in Bacolod. Meanwhile, Vista Land and Lifescapes, Inc. is ramping up the development of Vista City, a 1,500-hectare “communicity” located at the boundaries of Cavite, Laguna, Las Piñas and Muntinlupa; and SM Prime is continuing to expand the Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay.