Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Monday, November 7, 2016

Rock Your World with the Ekonic Justice League Headphones!

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We’re so excited to share a brand new set from our collaboration with DC Comics. Gear up and tune in with the Ekonic JUSTICE LEAGUE Headphones.

Functional design meets comic book artistry as these are set to unleash your inner geek. With this line, you will never get enough of the Justice League.

Emerge from the shadows and fight bad vibes with the city’s dramatic sounds while you tune in with your Ekonic JUSTICE LEAGUE Headphones! With great sound quality and a sleek design, you’ll harness the power of a good soundtrack all throughout the day. Create your ultimate DC universe playlist and unleash the superhero you were born to be.

Available now in Metropolis and Gotham City

Coming soon in Themyscira and Central City.

SPECS:
Speaker size 40MM 
Sensitivity: 105dB±3dB(1KHz,10mW) 
Frequency response: 20Hz 20KHz 
Impedance: 32 Ohm 
Cord length: 1.5M 
Mic Sensitivity: -54db ±3db 
Plug: ø3.5mm 4P stereo 
Rated input power: 25mW 
Maximum input power: 50mW

SRP: 1165

Wazzup Pilipinas!

POINTS AND DIMES: Only once has a player led the NBA in scoring and assists in the same season: Nate “Tiny” Archibald in 1972-73. It’s incredibly early, of course, but it’s realistic to think that former teammates James Harden of Houston and Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City could accomplish the feat. Both are known first as scorers, but Harden and Westbrook deserve credit for their continued improvement as playmakers. Harden has shifted to point guard for the Rockets as he looks to raise his assist average for the seventh straight season. Westbrook is a triple-double threat every time he takes the court.

AGAINST THE GRAIN: At a time when NBA teams are launching three-pointers at a record rate, Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan is doing things his way. DeRozan opened the season with four 30-point games that included a total of one three-pointer. That’s in keeping with his career pattern, which is unusual for a two-guard. DeRozan has emerged as one of the game’s top scorers by attacking the rim relentlessly and thriving in the mid-range. The savvy DeRozan knows how to get to his spots and draw fouls. He’s also the face of the Raptors, who drafted him in 2009, re-signed him last summer and have seen him become an active presence in the community.

DENNIS DAZZLES: This is shaping up to be a breakout season for Atlanta’s Dennis Schröder. The first German guard to make a big impact in the NBA, the four-year veteran is starting for the first time in his career after the Hawks traded Jeff Teague. Schröder is a late bloomer who didn’t fully commit to basketball until he was 16, when his father died and he viewed the game as a way to provide for his family. (Skateboarding was his first love.) One of the NBA’s quickest players, Schröder has watched a lot of film on Tony Parker for pointers on how to use his speed and finish around the basket against bigger players.

WELCOME BACK: Sergio Rodriguez’s first NBA stint didn’t quite go as planned, with the 2006 first-round pick heading home to Spain after four seasons with the Trail Blazers, Kings and Knicks. Rodriguez spent the next six years honing his craft with Real Madrid and the Spanish National Team. He signed with the 76ers over the summer and is off to a solid start as an immediate starter and veteran presence for the NBA’s youngest team, averaging 12 points and nearly 8 assists. Given his age (30) and comfort level overseas, it’s unusual that Rodriguez decided to give the NBA another shot.

STUDENT OF THE GAME: Quin Snyder’s basketball résumé speaks for itself. He played at Duke before joining Coach K’s staff. He served as an assistant in the NBA and with CSKA Moscow (under current Spurs assistant Ettore Messina) and a head coach in college and the NBA D-League before becoming coach of the Jazz, a potential breakout team in 2016-17. Snyder has another version of his résumé, one that shows him graduating with degrees in philosophy and political science. He also earned a law degree and an MBA from Duke. With many career options, both after college and during a mid-2000s coaching break, Snyder kept picking hoops. It’s interesting to consider what lessons from academia shaped him and his coaching.

PASCAL’S PRINCIPLE: Pascal Siakam’s journey from Cameroon to a spot in Toronto’s starting lineup as a rookie has taken a few twists and turns. None bigger than the first turn, when at the behest of his family, which included three older brothers with NBA aspirations, he reluctantly agreed to give basketball a try. A positive experience at a Basketball without Borders Camp in South Africa in 2012 led to his relocating to the U.S. and becoming a standout at New Mexico State. After thriving at the NBA Combine, Siakam was selected by Toronto with the 27th pick in 2016, fulfilling the dream his late father had of having one of his sons reach the NBA. The forward, 22, has made an immediate impact with his energy and athleticism.

Upcoming Games

· Nov. 8: Pelicans @ Kings, 10:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV: Anthony Davis vs. DeMarcus Cousins

· Nov. 9: Nets @ Knicks, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN: Jeremy Lin leads his new team into MSG.

· Nov. 10: Bulls @ Heat, 8 p.m. ET, TNT: Dwyane Wade returns to Miami for the first time.

Body Shots 2016 Candidates in Swimsuit

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Body Shots is a premiere modelling competition in the Philippines brought to you by the Fashion Designers Association of the Philippines (FDAP) and produced by Creative Saints. They will hold the grand coronation on November 30, 2016 in Manila, Philippines. Online voting started on November 5, 2016.

Ms. Digna Rosales, FDAP President, and Actor-producer-director Carlo Maceda, sealed an agreement to be partners in mounting this year’s search: Body Shots @ 30

Body Shots 2016's advocacy this year is: Earth Matters!

"While there are almost 900 confirmed exoplanets in the universe (exoplanets are planets outside of our solar system that share similarities to Earth), scientists believe the nearest one is at least 6.4 light years away from Earth. That’s 37,623,203,463,989 miles away! It would take the Helios 2 probe (which is the fastest man-made spacecraft travelling at 150,000 mph) 250,821,356.5 years to go that far. This means that if we don’t care about our environment here on Earth and continue to destroy it, we have nowhere else to go."

Below are photos of the lady candidates in their swimsuit taken during the media launch held at Eurotel North EDSA Quezon City a few days ago. Let us know who your bets are.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Men should admit that most of us come to motoring events not only because of the vehicles and their accessories, but also because of the lovely lady models that makes the rides a lot more attractive to look at.

Yeah, who wouldn't want to have cars as alluring as the models posing beside them? And of course, who wouldn't want to have the ladies ride with them as a big bonus?

Who wouldn't be enticed with those vibrant smiles and giggles complemented by those skimpy outfits? Lol!

Sadly, most of us would have to settle with a photo ops with the gorgeous gals of motoring, unless perhaps if you would purchase and drive one of the cool cars, babes blessed with bountiful bosoms and behinds - plus angelically innocent or seductively naughty (depending on your taste) faces, would take a second gander at you. Seriously, most car show models are Class A or top of the line. You're definitely an impotent alien if you won't admit to have lusted for them.

Attending car shows like the Manila Auto Salon, is probably an onanistic way of spending time, but we do love it because no only do we get updated with the latest information about our favorite car or motorcycle brands, we get to be up close and personal also with these stunning babes as if they're our BFFs or close acquaintances. Actually, the often we visit these car shows, the models would literally become our friends, at least on Facebook or any other social media accounts where we post their photos in an album containing their different poses.

I also love the thought of contributing to their popularity and giving them exposure to get discovered into mainstream TV or even movies. True enough, most of them are the creme of the crop when it comes to beauty, and they would surely go a long way if they have the brains and talent to go with those adorable looks.

Below are some of my favorite models, in no particular order since I do not want to rate them since this is not a beauty pageant, from the Manila Auto Salon 2016 held on November 3 to 6 at the SMX Convention Center:

Wazzup Pilipinas!

I was fortunate enough to attend the annual National Achievers Congress (NAC) organized by Laurus Enterprises last November 4, 2016 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City (VIP seats, baby!).

Hundreds of participants filled the venue, all excited to learn from world-renowned speakers – Andrew Matthews, illustrator and author of “Being Happy” and “How Life Works;” Kevin Green, real estate mogul from the UK; Peng Joon, young millionaire and authority in online wealth creation; and Sean Seah, master in value investing. The highlight of the conference is keynote speaker Chris Gardner – entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker. Gardner published his autobiography in 2006 called “The Pursuit of Happyness,” which became popular when it hit the big screen, starring Hollywood celebrity Will Smith.

The movie showed 1 year of Gardner’s life as a homeless, broke single parent. He lost his home, his wife, his money, but gained custody of his young son. He slept on the streets, in train stations and in public toilets, while making ends meet selling bone density scanners and training to become a stock broker. In the end, his courage, persistence and positivity enabled him to rise above his circumstances, and succeeded to become the man of inspiration that he is today.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

On its way to dethrone HIV, LoveYourself, Inc. has sought a partnership with Mister Gay World Philippines Organization (MGWPO) to eradicate the social stigma on the disease and its relevant interventions.

Advocating for timely testing and treatment, the LoveYourself-MGWPO partnership entails the promotion of the LoveYourself Incognito 2.0, which is the country’s largest community-based HIV screening that is free, anonymous and fast, set to happen on 27 November at Victoria Court Malate in Manila.

With the aim to continuously implement HIV and AIDS early detection programs, both organizations together with the Department of Health-Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (DOH-RITM) and Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc. are calling individuals to have themselves tested for HIV by signing up on go.loveyourself.ph/incognito.

LoveYourself Executive Director Ronivin G. Pagtakhan said “We are trying to build as many allies as possible towards the HIV cause to make our call to action within the community more resounding and sustainable.”

Pagtakhan emphasized that “the partnership with MGWPO would greatly help the advocacy in spreading the awareness and reach the unchartered waters that only pageant organizers have an expertise on.”

Exclusive Interview with Buddy Valastro aka Cake Boss of TLC

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Social media noisily buzzed lately with the presence of the Cake Boss in the Philippines. He's in the country for the 2016 TLC Festival held on November 5, 2016 at the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) High Street in Taguig City, and from what I heard, he also conducted masterclasses for some special group of people.

Though the TLC Festival is open to the public that can experience several booths offering various activities and freebies, we were lucky to have been invited to meet him for an exclusive video interview. The time allotted for the interview was just a few minutes so we were quite nervous with the rushed opportunity.

Fortunately, my new-found friend and fellow blogger Wowie was there to help me out with the questions. He is an avid admirer of the Cake Boss so he could totally relate to what Buddy was saying and he was able to ask away easily. However, he did tell me his palms went cold from the excitement of meeting the TLC star face-to-face.

It is not everyday you get to meet a famous TV personality so even though it was totally impromptu, we ignored all our nervousness and proceeded with the interview with very little hesitation.

The TLC Festival was definitely bigger this year, but unlike last year when we had a media event at the Village Tavern restaurant featuring the TLC talents, this time there was none but arranged interviews with them at the hotel where they were staying.

For Buddy, we interviewed him at the lounge of the newly constructed Shangri-La BGC Hotel.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Congratulations to the winners of Short + Sweet Theatre Festival Manila 2016 who were all recognized during the gala and awards night held on November 5, 2016 at the Power Mac Center Spotlight theater located at Circuit Makati.

Since the performers for that night were all top finalists from the two weeks and wildcards groups of this wonderful festival of 10-minute plays, all of them are winners already. Thus, everyone who went on stage that night should already be proud by just being among the finalists.

Topping the list of winners is the group that did Objectum Sexuality - an unusual psychological phenomenon in which an individual feels powerful affection toward a particular inanimate object – for all intents and purposes falling 'in love' with the object which in this case was a rocking chair.

A psychiatrist tries his best to understand a patient with a strange affection for a 'rocking chair' he calls "Rocky." It seems this group has caught the attention and interest of the audience especially with its end scene where the psychiatrist falls prey to the tempting allure of "Rocky."

Their ultimate edge among the other finalists was obviously the rocking chair which also shares the stage with them, including during the awarding portion. The rocking chair is an intriguing component of the story, but I would say it was also the actors' effective and convincing facial expressions, body gestures, and perfect timings in delivering their punch lines. The humor was apparently hitting their target as intended. The audience were fully focused on the scenes and all were anticipating what would happen next.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Congratulations to the Joseph brothers of Philippine Wine Merchants for the Grand Wine Experience for another success on their sweet 16th run held on November 4, 2016 at the fabulous and equally grand Marriott Hotel Manila in Pasay city.

At a bigger space, you can't imagine that the ballroom would be filled with so much people that were all excited to taste the more than 500 wines, beers and other spirits, plus the amazing buffet spread of tasty dishes lavishly displayed all over the grand ballroom. Sumptuous culinary treats were at everyone's easy reach courtesy of the chefs and crew of Marriott Hotel Manila led by Executive Chef Meik Brammer.

The event started with the attendees having chill time with white wines at the red carpeted halls leading to the main ballroom while everyone waited for the grand ballroom event venue to open its doors. Live music was also playing on stage to complete the mood, and then host of the night greeted everyone to officially start the event. Finally he led everyone in to the grand ballroom where everyone was amazed with the spectacular wine choices and buffet spreads.

The program continued after a few minutes of the attendees already engaged with eh wines and food offerings. The Joseph brothers held a welcome toasts for all on stage as many were already busy with their wine tasting and buffet dinner. Robert Lim Joseph, Chairman of Philippine Wine Merchants said a few messages including the announcement about the partnership with the Department of Tourism making the Grand Wine Experience another tourism attraction that will include visits at the different destination of the country. He also announced the very first issue of the Grand Wine magazine which featured Ralph Lim Joseph on the cover.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The very first Whisky Live Manila was an outstanding success! Even during the first hours of the event, hundreds of attendees, both enthusiasts and newcomers to the world of the dram, sampled the many available whiskies within the ballrooms of no less than the newly opened Shangri-la Hotel, Bonifaco Global City in Taguig, Metro Manila, Philippines on October 28 and 29, 2016.

Whisky Live Manila opened its doors to a huge number of whisky enthusiasts for two days. Manila is the world's premier whisky tasting show's 5th venue in Asia, and we are fortunate to be among the lucky media attendees invited to taste the whiskies and witness the other happenings including learning a little more from industry experts, and took it a step further by attending some of the organised master classes conducted by whisky experts like Jim Murray, author of the bestselling Whisky Bible, the world's leading whisky guide containing over 4,600 whiskies tasted, evaluated and rated.

I am amazed at how the event was promoted as there were a lot of foreigners, celebrities and other VIPs who attended the event. Some of the personalities that were at the event were Philippine Volcanoes team captain Jake Letts, veteran character actor Joel Torre, fashion designer, columnist and socialite-philanthropist Tessa Prieto-Valdez, Uno Magazine editor-in-chief and Mercator Centrale owner RJ Ledesma, Model and son of governor Imee Marcos-Manotoc Birgy Manotoc, actor and Persia Grill restaurant owner Kian Kazemi, and a lot more.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Under the helm of Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, DOE Undersecretary Jesus P. Posadas presented the DOE Strategic Directions and Energy Outlook during the Regional Public Consultation on the Philippine Energy Plan Public 2016-2030 today (04 November) at the F1 Hotel in BGC, Taguig City.

The public consultation was attended by various stakeholders – local government units, electric cooperatives, non-government organizations, civil society organizations (CSOs), academe, RE developers, oil industry players, generation companies, chamber of commerce and industries, financial institutions and development partners.

The Department of Energy- Energy Policy and Planning Bureau (DOE-EPPB) is conducting a series of sectoral campaigns in line with the agency’s mandate to formulate a comprehensive energy plan.

The DOE-EPPB is finalizing the Philippine Energy Plan 2016 to 2030 as the energy sector’s contribution to the Ambisyon Natin 2040 (Executive Order 5), which lays down the foundation for inclusive growth and a high-trust society.

According to Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi, the DOE is currently formulating a 15-year energy plan and even a plan until 2040 that entails a series of studies factoring in gross domestic product (GDP) and population growth, among others.

According to DOE-EPPB, these sectoral roadmaps are a result of the review exercises done by the Department on the effectiveness of the current agenda and the identification of implementation gaps in the program. Each of the roadmaps is complemented by programs of action which are broken down into short, medium, and long-term targets guided by its overall objectives by 2030.

Cusi said, “The PEP formulation paved the way for the development of sectoral energy roadmaps that are critical to ensure energy security and increased energy access. We have conducted a series of consultations with various stakeholders – local government units, electric cooperatives, non-government organizations, civil society organizations (CSOs), academe, RE developers, oil industry players, generation companies, chamber of commerce and industries, financial institutions and development partners – to present the Plan and generate inputs for its enhancement."

The DOE brought the Plan to the following cities:

1) Cagayan de Oro (11 October)

2) Legaspi (13 October)

3) Iloilo (18 October))

4) Davao City (25 October)

5) Cebu City (28 October)

6) Bonifacio Global City (04 November).

The DOE-EPPB collated issues raised in the plenary discussion during the consultations held in the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Legaspi, Iloilo and Davao, which are initiatives on low carbon future (lowering of greenhouse gas emissions), oil deregulation, electricity pricing, rural electrification, renewable energy development and its policy mechanisms, measures on energy efficiency and conservation, Energy Regulations 1-94 and other local energy concerns.

“Planning our country’s energy roadmap safeguards our Filipino consumers and our industry participants from any undesirable energy scenarios in the future. It is our job to protect them,” Cusi explained.

"Once the plan is finished, it will greatly contribute to the expansion of the country’s economic prospects through the provision of employment opportunities and generation of investments that will subsequently provide all Filipinos a life envisioned to be Matatag, Maginhawa at Panatag,” Cusi concluded.

RICOH Continues to Innovate Philippine Print Industry

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Global imaging and technology leader RICOH opens the doors to new applications and revenue streams for local printing businesses with the launch of a new series of digital production devices, unveiled for the first time in the country at the recent Print Philippines 2016 industry expo in Pasay City.

The RICOH Pro C7100X series is the only machine in the market that boasts of a revolutionary fifth-color station for either clear gloss or white toner, which enables users to print additional colors than the traditional CMYK. This function allows more added-value applications such as spot gloss, flood, and watermark images along with regular printing, on both colored and clear media. Very soon, Ricoh will also be launching their fluorescent line of toners such as neon green and neon pink.

The RICOH Pro C7100X is ideal for high-end work on a wide range of print jobs, such as annual reports, catalogs, postcards, direct mail, business and invitation cards, posters, packaging, and a whole lot more. With digital technology, cutting-edge design and varnish effects that have previously been possible only with traditional offset printing is now made accessible for lower volume, on-demand print jobs.

“There are a lot of small and mid-sized printing businesses here in the Philippines, and all of them are always looking to expand their application portfolio to enter new markets and expand their business,” says Irene G. Santos, general manager and sales & marketing division head of RICOH Philippines. “This is definitely what we had in mind when we created the RICOH Pro C7100X series, especially when we added the fifth-station solution to the devices.”

“What’s happening with the market right now is that a lot of printing is moving from high volume analog to lower volume, short run digital printing,” affirms Eric Sulit, RICOH Philippines president and CEO. “That’s where a lot of features come in—variable data printing, capability to do very short runs and still have the quality of an offset machine. So jobs that previously a large printer would have turned down can now be accepted because of our machine.”

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Don’t be limited by your budget. Take advantage of foreclosure investments at the Lamudi Housing Fair this November

As the Philippine real estate industry continues to flourish, more and more properties are being developed especially in all vibrant and emerging cities of the country. Although this progress means success to the sector and to the economy, it affects the purchasing power of common Filipinos toward home ownership, as it means more expensive homes.

To address this problem, other viable means to own a property are being explored. One option that continues to gain popularity is the acquisition of foreclosed properties. Lamudi Philippines and partner My Saving Grace Realty & Development Corporation (MSGRDC) will showcase some of the 15,000 foreclosed properties that they manage and will offer it for auction to the public at the Lamudi Housing Fair on November 18–20 at the SM Megamall.

MSGRDC is a brokerage owned by Ramil Alquileta that specializes in foreclosed properties. In the process, the real estate firm also educates Filipinos about the advantages of foreclosures. The foreclosed properties handled by MSGRDC are owned by different banks and Special Purpose Asset Vehicles Companies (SPAV).

Alquileta believes that with proper education, foreclosures can indeed be a smart way to put a real estate asset under your name. To further help people who are eyeing their first investment, Alquileta also enumerated some of the advantages of buying foreclosed properties: (a) Buyers can use regular mortgage financing; (b) Properties are clean and named under reputable owners such as banks; (c) and most especially, property is sold for outstanding mortgage balance, which means it is priced way lower than the market standard.

Know more about foreclosed properties acquisition and take advantage of the property auction only at the biggest housing event in the country this 2016. Apart from the auction, the Lamudi fair will also feature the widest selection of properties and offer exclusive discounts to home buyers and property investors. Investment and homebuying seminars and virtual reality application in real estate can also be learned and enjoyed at the fair.

For more information visit www.lamudi.com.ph/housing_fair/

Espinosa Killing: Awfully Unsettling, Height of Impunity

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The killing of Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr. inside his cell is awfully unsettling. That Espinosa was brazenly shot dead behind bars is the height of impunity.

Independent, inter-agency task force

I call on the Duterte government to immediately form an independent inter-agency task force to conduct a swift and thorough investigation of this disturbing incident. The government must get to the bottom of this issue and answer the following questions: Was there foul play behind the mayor's death? Why was a warrant served at 4:00 am to someone who is already behind bars and without proper coordination with jail guards? Why was the hard drive of the jail's CCTV cameras removed? Was there poor jail management?

I believe the majority of the police force is honest and trustworthy. Yet, the PNP, as an institution, cannot possibly earn the public's trust and ease their fears if incidents like this happen in its very backyard. It also cannot realize security sector reforms under such a climate. The Duterte government cannot convince the public that the country is safer now if the police force's image is continuously tarnished by cases of human rights violations and other abuses.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Inter-Agency Council on Traffic (i-ACT) is stopping at nothing when it comes to clearing major and secondary roads of illegally-parked vehicles and sidewalk vendors.

From July 6 to November 2, 2016, a total of 5,728 illegally-parked vehicles have been towed and 2,479 illegal sidewalk and footbridge vendors have been cleared. Intensified clearing operations are being conducted daily, even on holidays, to ensure that there will be no obstructions in primary and secondary roads. The i-ACT is encouraging motorists to take secondary roads, such as Mabuhay Lanes, to decongest EDSA and C5.

To rid highways of traffic violators, a total of 26, 016 citation tickets have been issued and 247 colorum vehicles have been impounded.

These efforts are on top of stricter enforcement and suspension of window hours for coded vehicles in almost all of Metro Manila.

The i-ACT, the single traffic authority in Metro Manila, is also tapping force multipliers and volunteers to help in traffic management. It is also asking shopping mall operators to provide enforcers who will help manage traffic flow going in and out of their establishments especially this Christmas season.