Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte: Hannah's Beach Resort and Convention Center

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Hannah's Beach Resort and Convention Center is a postcard picture wonder located in Barangay Balaoi, Sitio Malingay in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte. Even before entering Hannah's Beach Resort and Convention Center, one would already feel a sense of being at peace with nature. The sprawling mountains, the breathtaking views of the sea, and the sight of windmills all pave the way for the perfect getaway experience to come.

This seven-hectare exclusive paradise, nestled among endless turquoise waters and powdery white sand in Pagudpud, is emerging to be the crown jewel of Ilocos Norte. It is bounded by large forests and cliffs and an expansive sea. Literally carved from the earth are cliffs that jot out of the sea shore serving as a natural backdrop of the cove.

Hannah's Beach Resort and Convention Center is a place filled with wonders for all ages -like the many adorable statues of familiar characters and images like fastfood restaurant mascots and Disney fairy tales, dinosaurs, helicopter and soldiers, the POTUS, a smaller replica of the Statue of Liberty, plus many more.

They also have the zip-line situated along the beach that would surely be a favorite for those who want extreme and fun action. There's something for everyone so that you'll be able to easily create wonderful memories here.

Below are several photos to persuade you more that this place should be your next destination.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In this era of heightened environmental consciousness and the global drive to develop and use “green” power, windmills are on top of the pile of choices. They do not cause pollution, require no fuel, do not create greenhouse gases, and produce no waste.

The Bangui Windmills of Bangui, Ilocos Norte is the first “Wind Farm” in the Philippines consists of wind turbines on-shore facing the South China Sea and considered to be the biggest in Southeast. Asia. These gargantuan windmills are spread across a 6.5 km stretch or about 236 meters of the grey sand beach.

Standing 70 meters above ground and arranged in an arc spanning a total of nine kilometers straddling nine barangays, the windmills are difficult to miss, even by those who are several kilometers away.

The windmills, officially referred to as the NorthWind Bangui Bay Project, aren’t there as whimsical adornments to the local landscape, because they actually provide forty percent (40%) of Ilocos Norte's 600,000 population's power requirements making Bangui the capital of green energy in the Philippines.

NorthWind Power Development Corporation, the Manila-based company that runs the farm, reported a P70-million annual savings passed on to consumers in the form of cheaper power rates.

There are actually three wind locations in Ilocos Norte, namely, the 33-MW Bangui Windmills, operated by NorthWind Power Development Corp.; and the wind farms in Burgos (150 MW), owned by the Energy Development Corp. (EDC), and Pagudpud (81 MW), of the North Luzon Renewable Energy Corp. (NLREC).

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The Department of Health (DOH) in collaboration with the Local Government of Zamboanga City intensifies its surveillance and health promotion activities on sanitation and water safety after a diarrhea outbreak was reported in the city due to rotavirus, norovirus, and adenovirus.

Last March, 2016, increasing cases of acute gastroenteritis (AGE) were reported from different hospitals in Zamboanga City. As of May 25, 2016 a total of 2,936 cases were admitted in eleven hospitals within Zamboanga City. Cases started to appear on March 28, 2016 and peaked on April 3-5, 2016. There were 22 deaths reported. The said deaths are due to other associated illnesses acquired by the patient like pneumonia, dehydration, malnutrition and myocardial infarction (heart attack)

In addition, cases of AGE were also reported in Isabela City, Basilan and Zamboanga City and Sulu. As of May 20, 2016, a total of 201 cases were seen in four hospitals of Isabela City, Basilan, and Zamboanga City while 1,706 AGE cases were reported in Sulu. Cases in Isabela City, Basilan and Zamboanga City appeared on March 29, 2016 and peaked on April 24, 2016. There were no deaths reported within Isabela City, Basilan, and Zamboanga City while 23 deaths due to other associated illnesses were reported in Sulu. Further verification on barangays with highest attack rates is ongoing.

"Currently, DOH is closely coordinating with the City of Zamboanga to address the diarrhea outbreak. All water sources found positive for fecal coliforms and Escherichia coli were chlorinated and disinfected so it will be safe for human consumption. This also includes distribution of jerry cans to affected areas and information dissemination to the public on the importance of proper hygiene." Health Secretary Janette P. Loreto-Garin explained.

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Careers come and go. It is how one makes or breaks it.

As a prelude to the forthcoming silver linings of her career in the arts next year, multi-talented artist Banaue Miclat-Janssen has been connecting her heart, mind and soul into a wholistic process as part of her time capsule in order to become a much more meaningful artist.

Having worked with many co-artists over the past two decades in Manila and New York, Banaue has been praised for her openness to communicate thoughts, views and ideas by explaining the purposes of her goals. With her high level of intelligence, excellent memory, charming mannerisms, sensitivity, innovativeness, imaginativeness and loving temperament, Banaue’s career will surely fall properly into its place spelling more successes in the near future.

But even while others seem to have perceived Banaue for keeping a low profile in her career path, she has actually a very keen interest in its advancement. Quiet competence and consistency, that’s what she adheres to. In fact, Banaue’s closest circle of friends swear by her skills on time management. She combines her duties as a wife, mother, teacher and actor in many thousand ways.

Banaue is a pure Filipino born in Beijing, China. She credits her heritage to make her heir to a unique tradition that provides intensity to her craft as an artist. The high sense of cultural awareness in China, with its constant drilling in the importance of fundamentals, and a history that goes back thousands of years, opened her senses to the ancient world of the arts. Enriching this is her claim to the Filipino culture—molded and shaped by years of colonialism, of cultural diversity, of political ruptures, and a resilience and steadfastness of spirit. It is this Filipino spirit that empowers her with the creativity that compels her to be immediate and unburdened as an artist.

Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2016: The Jerome Salaya Ang Collection

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The Jerome Salaya Ang Collection shown on May 28, 2016 at the Discovery Primea during Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2016 was an undoubtedly breathtaking ensemble which explores the nature of change with Into the Unknown.

Ruminating on the impossibility of things; playing with a kaleidoscope of thoughts and the imagination. It is truly a journey into the unknown with Jerome's critically acclaimed and well thought-out collections.

You are deeply plunged into the unknown but what I am definite is that whoever wears any of these collection would be catapulted high up into the air as these designs will totally have heads turning.

The details,textures and creativity of every Jerome Salaya Ang design are beyond high fashion. They will put totally everyone in awe. I have never been so sure in my whole life.

Jerome Salaya-Ang has always been a fan of storytelling, with a narrative to accompany every collection he sends down the runway. Rarely do we come across designers who delve into pseudo-metaphysical concepts for inspiration. It is a treat then, when we come across a profound soul who does.

“My style is prêt-a-couture; it's prêt-a-porter but with a couture twist.” Jerome's pieces exude couture, made-for-the-runway flair, but paradoxically, possess a tremendous wearability factor as well. Jerome continues: “I like intricate beadwork, patterns, mixing of materials, I like complicated things. My design style is order in chaos. I like everything mixed up but with a point. You can always see that there is discipline in my designs.” says Jerome during an interview.

Jerome Salaya Ang x Power Mac Center's Sonix for ‪#‎PhFW‬ ‪#‎Holiday2016‬

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Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2016 proudly presents the Noel Crisostomo Collection on May 28, 2016 at Discovery Primea.

Love, nostalgia and haute couture are the inspirations of this Canada-trained fashion designer who presented us with a line-up that's bound to be a best-seller soon. His designs can be comfortably worn by anybody who wants to feel comfy yet classy. I would want to see my female friends wearing his creations for special occasions where you are not expected to be too sophisticated yet still command respect and admiration from the onlookers.

With a North American design sensibility and his love for “haute couture and tailoring traditions”, Noel has developed a personal vision of timeless elegance, where the classic generates a new modernity.

“Sleek, clean, polished, architectural, inventive, practical, ingenious, modern, fresh, elegant, restrained and classic are the words that describe my style.”

Congratulations to Noel for getting our full attention during his time at the Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2016.

Below are his designs for you to enjoy and appreciate and if you have the budget, you may want to order one or two. You deserve it!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Even before entering Hannah's Beach Resort and Convention Center, one would already feel a sense of being at peace with nature. The sprawling mountains, the breathtaking views of the sea, and the sight of windmills all pave the way for the perfect getaway experience to come.

Hannah's Beach Resort and Convention Center is a postcard picture wonder located in Barangay Balaoi, Sitio Malingay in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

This seven-hectare exclusive paradise, nestled among endless turquoise waters and powdery white sand in Pagudpud, is emerging to be the crown jewel of Ilocos Norte. It is bounded by large forests and cliffs and an expansive sea. Literally carved from the earth are cliffs that jot out of the sea shore serving as a natural backdrop of the cove.

The resort became even beautiful when the candidates from the Miss Global Philippines 2016 arrived and made it their temporary home and venue for their Resorts Wear & Long Gown Competition.

But this is not the first time that beauty queens came into this lovely part of the country. Hannah's Beach Resort and Convention Center is a favorite venue for beauty pageants, as it is for all members of society especially the entire family who wants to spend their leisure time at a place filled with wonders for all ages -like the many adorable statues of familiar characters and images like fastfood restaurant mascots and Disney fairy tales, dinosaurs, helicopter and soldiers, the POTUS, a smaller replica of the Statue of Liberty, plus many more.

They also have the zip-line situated along the beach that would surely be a favorite for those who want extreme and fun action. There's something for everyone so that you'll be able to easily create wonderful memories here.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Congratulations to Miss Global Philippines 2016 Candidate No. 19 Camille Hirro (@cjsuperhirro) for winning the following awards:

Best in Resorts Wear
Best in Evening Gown
Miss Hannah's

Camille, or CJ for short, stood out among the other candidates during the Miss Global Philippines 2016 Resorts Wear & Long Gown Competition at Hannah's Beach Resort and Convention Center located in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte.

This girl from Lubao, Pampanga has been called the "short-haired binibini" during her participation in the Binibining Pilipinas beauty pageant last year, and having a very unconventional beauty she believes that she will "make a good representation of the reinvention of the modern-day Filipina."

She continues with a very sensational statement "My whole life, I invested in things that I know would make me a better person—education, character, and reputation. I am the kind of woman who believes that as long as her brain is bigger than her breasts—let me correct that—as long as my brain is sexier than the rest of my body."

True enough, she has the wit, intelligence and confidence to talk and express herself infront of a huge crowd.

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In a meeting held earlier today, the Board of Directors of Globe Telecom, Inc. (“Globe”) (PSE: GLO), through its Executive Committee, approved the acquisition and signing of a sale and share purchase agreement and other related definitive agreements for the following entities:

50% of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Vega Telecom, Inc. (“VTI”) from San Miguel Corporation (“SMC”) (PSE: SMC);
50% of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Bow Arken Holdings Company Inc. (“BAHC”); and,
50% of the issued and outstanding capital stock of Brightshare Holdings Corporation (“BHC”).

VTI owns an equity stake in Liberty Telecom Holdings, Inc., a publicly listed company in the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE: LIB). It also owns, directly and indirectly, equity stakes in various enfranchised companies, including Bell Telecommunication Philippines, Inc., Eastern Telecom Philippines, Inc., Express Telecom, Inc., and Tori Spectrum Telecom, Inc., among others.

The transactions are intended to be completed immediately after the fulfillment of closing conditions specified in the definitive agreements.

The remaining 50% equity stake in VTI, BAHC and BHC shall be acquired by Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (“PLDT”) (PSE: TEL) under similar definitive agreements.

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Congratulations to the winners of Flores de Ermita 2016:

Flores de Ermita - Model #12 Designer Miss Nica Castro
Flore de Malate - Model #14 Designer Mr. Don Cristobal
Flores de Turismo - Model #17 Mr. Renelson Espaldon

Flores De Ermita, Manila’s special version of the Santa Cruzan, was held on May 27, 2016, initially at the Manila Hotel and then at Robinsons Place Manila. It was graced by the lovely Miss Earth 2015 Angelie Gabrena Ong and Manila Mayor Joseph "Erap" Estrada.

The Ermita Malate Business Owners Association's (EMBOA) Flores de Ermita - Parada ng mga Sagala and the Kasuotang Pilipino Fashion Show - has taken a giant leap forward showcasing the 2nd run of the Flores de Ermita event with young fashion designers of the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines.

The Flores De Ermita is done to celebrate the city of Manila’s special version of the well-loved flower festival in May, the Flores de Mayo. It does not only celebrate the beauty in fashion but also revisits the charm of the Philippine capital and once known as the ” Pearl of the Orient” says Michelle Pe (EMBOA – President).

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San Miguel Corporation (SMC) is selling its telco assets (including the 700 MHz spectrum) to both Globe and PLDT/Smart for $1B as it finally bids farewell to being a third telco player in the highly competitive telecommunications industry.

SMC owns almost all of the 700 MHz spectrum (694 MHz to 790 MHz), previously assigned for analog television broadcasting before it was shifted for telecommunications use as TV migrated to digital. SMC would have used this to carpet the country with a “better and cheaper” mobile Internet service.

Negotiations between buyers Globe and PLDT and the seller SMC began shortly after the latter’s foreign telecommunications partner Telstra Corp. Ltd. of Australia backed out of a proposed partnership amid fierce opposition from local rivals as well as skeptics in Australia. Without a foreign partner, SMC would be hard pressed to raise the debt component of the estimated $2-billion investment necessary for a startup telecommunications venture. This was due to the fact that banks that were part of the lending syndicate required the conglomerate to have a foreign technical partner as a precondition for the loan.

SMC’s telco investments were made years ago and are mainly held under unlisted Vega Telecom Inc., its annual report showed. Vega is the holding company for publicly traded Liberty Telecoms Holdings Inc., which holds most of the 700MHz along with High Frequency Telecommunications Inc., as well as Bell Telecommunication Philippines Inc. and Eastern Telecommunications Philippines Inc.

With the impending transaction, PLDT and Globe, respectively backed by Japan’s NTT DoCoMo and Singapore Telecommunications, now have the necessary assets to improve and lower the cost of Internet in the Philippines and will no longer have an excuse for their poor service, which has been subject of congressional inquiries.

The factors that led to this event, however, underscored how difficult it was for new players to enter the country’s telco sector. The Fitch Group’s BMI Research said in a report last month that weak regulation in the country was a powerful disincentive for big foreign player seeking to compete here. Specifically, BMI said both PLDT and Globe “used their market dominance and the ineffective regulatory regime to comprehensively block all avenues for the proposed joint venture (between SMC and Telstra of Australia), highlighting the risk of doing business in the Philippines’ telecoms market.”

I am so disappointed because change isn't coming at all. The PLDT-Globe duopoly has been around for so long already. We needed Telstra and otehr telcos like Telenor, Vimpelcom, and Axiata to come in the Philippines to set things right for all of us. I am just hoping that the newly minted Department of ICT or DICT will keep these two in check. In the absence of competition, government regulation would be the only solution to keep them playing fair towards the subscribers.

We just do not know what will happen. Will there be more monopolistic power or will they improve? The way I see it is that it is going to be more of a struggle, cashing into us little-by-little until the promised speeds that we should have years ago is still not upon us.

We would like to shout out to the new administration to stop this duopoly as the more players in the telco industry would mean better services and rates for the customers. It is about time we end the greed of these two telco giants and let others enter the playing field.

References: Inquirer.net

Telco to Expand Corporate Data Network for Enterprises

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Globe Telecom is investing close to $500 million over a five-year period beginning 2016 to expand its corporate data network to meet the ever-increasing bandwidth requirements of corporate and enterprise clients. This initiative is expected to attract more foreign investments and spur the growth of the Philippine economy.

“A growing number of enterprises today use software applications delivered via cloud which require significant bandwidth. Deploying fiber in key areas will enhance productivity, efficiency and competitiveness of businesses that will sustain the growth momentum of the Philippine economy,” said Rizza Maniego-Eala, Globe Acting Chief Finance Officer.

The corporate data expansion is intended to support the growth of our business clients, capitalizing on the changing business landscape with the strategic use of digital technologies, Eala said. Expansion of the company’s corporate data network will address client needs for additional bandwidth as they embrace new network technologies such as Software Defined Network/ Network Function Virtualization, Cloud, Big Data, among others. This initiative supports the ICT requirements of finance, services, retail, IT-BPO and manufacturing enterprises as they expand their operations to Visayas, Calabarzon and Davao.

The infrastructure build for enterprises runs parallel with the company’s initiative of creating an internet superhighway by deploying fiber in 20,000 barangays all over the country by 2020 to provide ultra-fast internet access to around 2 million homes nationwide. The massive infrastructure build also involves a capacity expansion program for both mobile and wireline using the different technologies that include 3G, LTE and Wi-Fi.

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New comedy series Playing House revolves around the lives of two women who try to live their daily lives with one significant thing in common: a baby!

Emma Crawford and Maggie Caruso have been best friends since they were young. When Maggie finds out that her husband is cheating on her with another woman over the internet, she looks for Emma’s emotional support. Emma leaves her budding career in China to be with her best friend. Together, they take care of Maggie’s newborn baby, Charlotte, while they deal with their own personal lives. Things get more interesting when Emma’s ex boyfriend, a cop, enters her life once more.

Emma and Maggie are played by real-life best friends Jessica St. Clair and Lennon Parham respectively. They also serve as creator and executive producers of the series. Playing House is originally aired by USA Network and showed its first episode in August 2014.

Playing House is joining Sony Channel’s roster of hilarious comedies, Superstore, Dr. Ken and Crowded in ROFLing Sundays, and will premiere on June 5, Sundays at 7:00pm on Sony Channel.

Sony Channel is seen on SKYCable Channel 35, Cignal Digital TV Channel 60, Destiny Cable Channel 62, Cable Link Channel 39.

10 House-Hunting Tips for Newlyweds

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Just got married? Buying a home is the next big step for newlywed couples

Planning to get hitched this June? Buying a home together is the next big step for newlywed couples. While this is a major commitment and requires careful considerations, it is still an exciting experience knowing that you are looking for place to start your family.

Whether it is a house in the suburbs, a townhouse midtown, or a condo close to the business district, nothing beats a buying strategy and a good dose of fun when buying your first home together. Global real estate website Lamudi Philippines has put together a list of 10 tips to keep in mind for this major life milestone.

1. Assess Your Financial Situation

Before even stepping out of the door, it makes sense to look at your overall money situation. Sit down with your spouse and make an honest assessment of your individual and joint financial pictures and create a budget to know all your expenses. The plan will allow you to build your budget immediately and determine the type of house you can afford.

2. Set a Realistic Goal

Manage your expectations and set realistic goals. Understand what you want individually and as a couple. Determine how much money you have put aside for down-payment to know how much more you need to save up. As a rule of thumb, have enough cash equivalent to 20 percent of a property’s selling price for deposit. If you have less than this, some banks may not be willing to give you a housing loan.

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The Philippine Fashion Week Holiday 2016 presented the Cherry Samuya Veric collection on May 29, 2016 at Discovery Primea.

Cherry is from Ibajay, Aklan and is a formal wear designer who used to work in Saudi Arabia and China. The designer's works are truly stunning and deserves a very loud applause. I love how patterns are played to produce something really elegant yet modern and edging into a more futuristic look. You'll imagine seeing yurself wearing the designs a few years from now. But wait, tehy are here already for us to cherish so kudos to the designer for being so innovative!

Venus Raj, Shamcey Supsup, and Maja Salvador are just some of the big names that have worn Cherry Veric's globally popular designs. Cherry VEric is just one of the hundreds of local and foreign artists coming together for the love of Filipino artistry. That's two decades of relentlessly celebrating Filipino fashion talent.

Each year, Philippine Fashion Week continues to provide a global platform for Filipino designers and brands to bring their stories to life. Stories of life, love, heritage, dreams, change, and the future–all expertly crafted and animated on the runways of Philippine Fashion Week.

Below are some of the remarkable designs of the talented fashion designer.