BREAKING

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Jumpstart 2017: Tips on how NOT to break you New Year's resolution!


Wazzup Pilipinas!

"I don’t really believe in resolutions. (Because why wait a year for it, right?)

Let’s be honest. How many of us diligently pen down our resolutions in the last few days of the year and successfully spend the next 365 days sticking to them?

But Bing is onto something -- Bing tracked a 48 percent increase in users searching for “calendars and planners” in January* – clearly indicating how planning for the rest of the year is on most people’s minds.

In fact, Bing tracked a 48 percent increase in users searching for “calendars and planners” in January* – clearly indicating how planning for the rest of the year is on most people’s minds.

But perhaps 2017 is the year for you to finally make a resolution and keep it. We asked Bing what searches saw a surge at the start of the year in Asia and rounded up actionable tips on how to NOT break your resolutions.

With that, we have 10 tips on how NOT to break your New Year’s resolutions!"

Mine will be #10 and #2.

But #8 is also interesting. I'm going to get a new friend from Space and Skype with him to say (from Translator), "ylqm 'lHqu'! (because Skype Translator also has Klingon!)

What is yours?

Five Areas for Cybersecurity Innovation in 2017


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The world never stands still. In the technology space, this means that constant innovation and discovery is the key to a solution provider’s survival and growth.

In the cybersecurity arena, this creed is even more vital. Many hackers are brilliant people. There’s only one way to get the better of them – be even more brilliant. And faster and more creative.

Which is why R&D is crucial in the security technology business. Cybersecurity solution providers must deliver open, integrated security and networking technologies that enable enterprises to see and react rapidly to changing attack techniques, increase proactivity, and scale and provision their security along with business growth. To cope with this breadth of demands – sometimes in very short time spans − technology providers need to be able to cross traditional boundaries, allowing them to innovate across the entire ecosystem.

Fortinet is at the forefront of such innovation. In 2016 alone we were granted close to 80 patents in such diverse areas as CASB, malware detection techniques, data leak protection, virus detection, hardware acceleration, DDoS and cloud services.

However, the cyber threat landscape is continuing to become more challenging in 2017. Here are a few areas that Fortinet has identified for intensive R&D during the coming year:

Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Burn Soriano Targets Another Big Win in Upcoming Bout


Wazzup Pilipinas!

After scoring a highlight-reel finish in his last bout, Filipino homegrown talent Burn “The Hitman” Soriano looks for another scintillating performance as he is set to have his first scheduled match under the ONE Championship banner in 2017.

Soriano will be squaring off with Malaysian standout Saiful “The Vampire” Merican on the undercard of ONE: THRONE OF TIGERS, which takes place at the 12,000-seater Stadium Negara in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 10 February.

The 30-year-old native of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur eyes a follow-up to his 15-second knockout win over Mario Satya Wirawan last August.

Soriano delivered a well-executed spinning backfist that instantly turned the lights out on Wirawan. His knockout victory was ranked as one of the jaw-dropping wins in 2016 by ONE Championship.

“I am a fighter who always looks for the finish. As much as possible, I want to give the fans what they want to see. They didn’t buy a ticket to see a boring fight. They came for an action-packed fight with an amazing conclusion,” Soriano said.

“In my upcoming fight, my fans should expect that I will have the same mentality. I will look for that finish,” he added.

League of Vice Governors Team Up with Globe Telecom to Develop Telco Infra


Wazzup Pilipinas!

Globe Telecom signed a ground-breaking agreement with the League of Vice-Governors of the Philippines (LVGP) to collaborate in facilitating the deployment of vital ICT infrastructure, particularly in unserved and underserved communities in the country.

“ICT is rapidly changing the way that companies conduct business and the government delivers services. This agreement shows that we are one with League of Vice Governors in our desire to develop the ICT capacities of communities and businesses. We are confident this initiative would unlock more economic opportunities in the countryside and provide vital services to more Filipinos, benefitting the country as a whole,” Globe President & CEO Ernest Cu said.

Under the memorandum of agreement, which was signed by Globe Senior Vice President for Broadband Business Martha Sazon and LVGP National President Antonio Albano, vice-governors committed to provide support in relation to the deployment of telecommunication facilities in their capacity as presiding officers of Sangguniang Panlalawigan in their respective provinces.

The agreement follows repeated calls by Globe for a rationalization of permitting process for cell sites and other telecommunication infrastructure, pointing out it takes at least 8 months, involving 25 permits, to put up one cell site. This has led to considerable delay in the deployment of telecommunication facilities. In the case of Globe, the telecommunications provider has a backlog of around 3000 sites amid difficulties in securing permits from various local government units, homeowners’ associations and other government agencies.

Specifically, members of LVGP committed to ensure that only reasonable fees equivalent to the cost of regulation of ICT infrastructure in relation to the process of reviewing ordinances passed by municipalities and cities in their respective provinces. The LVP also committed to advise and encourage cities and municipalities to have a turn-around time for the issuance of permits and licenses of not more than 10 days from the submission of all requirements; exempt ICT infrastructure installed in agricultural, residential, commercial and industrial areas from zoning clearances; and to enact a uniform ordinance prescribing the barest minimum documentary requirements and that no more than 3 signatures shall be required for such permits.

The LGVP also committed to identify areas owned and controlled by the government as possible sites where ICT infrastructure may be installed, co-located or leased by Globe and to encourage cities and municipalities to do likewise. In addition, the group committed to encourage cities and municipalities to deploy at their cost and expense their respective ICT infrastructure such as fiber optic networks and communication towers to be leased by Globe and to provide the necessary assistance to facilitate acquisition of permits and licenses from cities and municipalities under the LVGP’s jurisdiction which are identified by Globe as priority areas for ICT infrastructure deployment.

Globe, on the other hand, committed to provide free Wi-Fi service in cities and municipalities compliant with the provisions of the agreement as well CCTV cameras or computer software or hardware and free internet service in select schools and public institutions or other high traffic areas such as city halls, terminals and other LGU-owned areas where there will be potentially have high Wi-Fi usage.

Under the agreement, Globe will be in charge in identifying priority areas for deployment of ICT infrastructure and to provide technical assistance to provinces, cities and municipalities in the deployment of their respective ICT infrastructure to be leased by Globe.


PHOTO CAPTION: Globe Senior Vice President for Broadband Business Martha Sazon (4th from right) shakes hands with Isabela Vice Governor Antonio Albano, LGVP National President (4th from left) following the signing of a MOA to facilitate deployment of ICT infrastructure in the country. Witnessing the signing are from left Globe Director for Sector Relations Robert Aquino; Masbate Vice Governor Jo Kristine Revil, LGVP PRO; Leyte Vice-Governor Carlo Loreto, LGVP Secretary General; Oriental Mindoro Vice-Governor Humerlito Dolor, LGVP Chair; Globe Director for Business Development Michelle Ora; and Laguna Vice-Governor Karen Agapay, LGVP Treasurer.

Amid Steady Uptake of Customers Globe Broadband Sees 88% Price Reduction Within 4 Years


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Globe broadband prices have declined substantially over the last four years, with price reduction ranging between 68%-88%, amid steady uptake of the telecommunication operator’s wired broadband services.

Currently, a broadband connection with a speed of 10 Mbps is offered at P1,299 per month, the plan comes with a data allocation of 100GB with six-month free subscription to NBA League Pass, Netflix and Hooq. This represents a 68% decline from a price offer of P3999/month for the package in 2013. Also, a broadband service with speed of 50 Mbps is currently offered at P1899 /month, a price reduction of 78% from P8499/month in 2013 while a broadband connection with speed of 100 Mbps is currently offered at P2,499/month, representing an 88% price dip from P19,999/month offered for the same package in 2013.

Globe President & CEO Ernest Cu said the company is now putting more emphasis on its home broadband and fixed internet operations as years of focus on its mobile services has successfully propelled the company to become the country’s leading mobile brand. This is alongside the company’s thrust to provide first world internet to more Filipino families, by allowing them access to high speed internet plans.

“As more customers are getting into home entertainment and video streaming services, it has become more imperative for us to expand the reach of our broadband network to provide our customers with a more reliable and robust high-speed internet connection,” said Cu.

In line with its strategy of bringing focus on its broadband services, Globe plans to roll out 400,000 ultra-fast broadband lines within the year, to bring a minimum internet speed of at least 10 Mbps, said Cu. Such plan supports the company’s initiative of improving fixed internet in the country and redefining the home broadband experience of Filipinos. With the target deployment of 400,000 lines by the end of 2017, the company plans progressive deployment within the next three years until 2020 to serve at least 2 million homes.

Globe Telecom’s focus on its broadband operations has started to bear fruit, as the company’s broadband revenues at the end of third quarter last year reached P10.7 billion, a 38% rise from a year earlier revenue of P7.8 billion, attributed mainly to continued customer base expansion. At the end of September last year, the company had total broadband subscribers of 1.15 million, a 12% increase from 1.03 million a year earlier.

Burgoo and Gumbo Gives Away Free 2017 Pocket Calendar with Freebies


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Get your free pocket calendar for 2017 at Burgoo and Gumbo restaurants to get freebies! With this pocket calendar you welcome to a buy one take one on any main entrée at the two restaurants. Other freebies include free upsize of appetizers or salad every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday with an order of any large main entrée and any drink.

Enjoy big savings at Burgoo located at T. Morato in Quezon City; Powerplant Mall in Rockwell Makati; The Podium in Ortigas; Gateway Mall in Araneta Center Cubao; Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas; SM City The Block in North EDSA; Mall of Asia in Pasay; SM City Marikina; SM Southmall in Alabang, The District in Cavite; 3rd level Terraces Mall in Fairview; Starmall in Taguig; and newly-opened Burgoo in Solenad, Nuvali.

For Burgoo reservations and inquiries, please call 9277424, 8381815, 6875254, 7263578, 9136112, 5560091 or 6336256.

Hackzilla in Manila 2: Challenging University Students to Build Artificial Intelligence Technology


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In continuous support of young Filipino talent and positive change with the use of technology, Freelancer.com is running its second intercollegiate hackathon, “Hackzilla in Manila 2”. University students from all across the country are challenged to use artificial intelligence (AI) in building tools that can improve people’s lives and shake up industries. The event will take place from March 31 to April 1, 2017, at Freelancer’s office in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

The theme for this year’s hackathon is: EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES WITH ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE. To join the hackathon, university students must be currently enrolled in a CHED-accredited school, and form teams with a maximum of five members. Each team must submit a 2-minute video outlining their hackathon pitch. A maximum of 10 teams will be selected by the organizing committee, consisting of Freelancer.com senior engineers and staff, to compete in the event.

Deadline for submission of entries will be on February 28, 2017. Selected teams will be notified via email by March 15, 2017. Teams can win a total of P100,000 in prizes.

Judges will include representatives from DOST-DICT, DevCon and Freelancer.com.

To know more, visit: www.hackzilla.io

DOE Strengthens Sector-Wide Disaster-Response System


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To manifest that the various components of the country's energy sector are all up to speed, the Department of Energy (DOE) continued its series of Disaster Response Protocol Workshops on January 23 held at the Fiesta Hall of the National Power Corporation (NPC) headquarters in this City.

Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi yesterday asserted that “all industry participants must be attuned to the existing nationwide disaster-response system of the energy sector.”

During the series of workshops and international dialogues about energy resiliency, Sec. Cusi emphasized that “the energy sector has long been implementing protocols to address and respond to calamities and disasters that take their toll on vital energy infrastructures.”

"The DOE continues to update its system of protocols, advance notifications and quick-response strategies to fit the country’s current requirements," Sec. Cusi asserted.

At the Protocol Workshop, DOE Undersecretary Felix William B. Fuentebella highlighted that “the primary objective is for the energy sector to periodically review the implemented and established system of rules to effect the correct and appropriate conduct and procedures to be followed by the industry stakeholders.”

During the workshop, the DOE, NPC, National Electrification Administration (NEA), the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), Aboitiz Power Corporation, and Manila Electric Company (MERALCO) presented their respective standard operational procedures (SOPs) for disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM).

The presentations of the agencies specifically outlined the strategies and methods they are observing during and after calamities including the recommendations on how to improve the efficiency of all distribution utilities.

Among those who also attended and participated in the workshop were DOE Usec. Raul B. Aguilos, Usec. Petronilo L. Ilagan, Engr. Arwin L. Ardon aside from energy family officials and representatives from the DOE, NPC, NEA, NGCP, Aboitiz Power and MERALCO.

Sec. Cusi has consistently emphasized that the DOE will and is proactively advocating energy resiliency in the face of the frequent and disastrous occurrences of natural and human-induced calamities in the country.

The Secretary has been reiterating the need for the sector to be vigilant in upgrading its best practices in DRRM, so as to make them more responsive and adaptable to the highly evolving realities on the ground.

“The DOE has been regularly convening the industry partners to mainstream climate change adaptation in connection with DRRM strategies in the sector. This is to reduce the vulnerability of vital energy systems to the destructive effects of calamities.”

The Secretary revealed his plan to include climate change resilience in the agenda of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue, which will be sponsored by the Philippines in August of this year.

"The DOE will make sure that the Philippines is prepared to showcase its own workable and effective energy model before the Asian community," Sec. Cusi concluded.

Milo #NutriUpYourGame Challenge with Erwan and Solenn Heussaff


Wazzup Pilipinas!

The first ever Milo #NutriUpYourGame Challenge was held on January 21, 2017 at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati city. The event featured siblings Erwan and Solenn Heussaff in an exciting showdown of fitness and endurance as they team up also with other celebrities in a challenge witnessed by a huge crowd of spectators.

#TeamErwan and #TeamSolenn became additional hashtags for the day as as the likes of Wil Dasovich, Daniel Matsunaga, Jeron Teng, Dennise Lazaro, Ellen Adarna and Chie Filomeno, joined their equally fitness-enthusiastic celebrity friends in the Milo #NutriUpYourGame Challenge.

Solenn Heussaff is undoubtedly physically fit and she even wrote a fitness book entitled "Hot Sos" released last August 2016. Even now that she's married, we still see her flaunt her amazing body amidst her everyday activities.

Erwan Heussaff's fitness journey is also seen from his Fat Kid Inside blog and his culinary creations on and off TV and at his restaurants also highlights healthy dishes that complement his active lifestyle. Now that she's already engaged with Anne Curtis Smith, we see them still advocating health and wellness since Anne is also a fitness buff.

The siblings are truly the ideal brother and sister team that live, speak and breathe "healthy lifestyle." They are great individually, but absolutely awesome together. Milo has chosen well.

Senators Find Holes in Probe on Alleged Bribery by Jack Lam


Wazzup Pilipinas!

Wig: Jack Lam offered to bribe me. 
Q: Is it not a CRIME not to report this offer to the authorities? 

The wig is caught with his pants down!
When Wally Sombrero asked Aguirre to be "ninong" to Jack Lam, that should have been reported immediately. The Senators are in a squabble on the Senate inquiry of the Jack Lam extortion issue. They are trying their best way to be apolitical - but there's no such way!

"Where is justice in the Jack Lam case? "The Justice Secretary’s “forgive-and-forget” attitude in the Lam affair should’ve set alarm bells at the President’s inner circle. "Allowing a suspected criminal to return to the Philippines without prosecuting him certainly does not jive with President Duterte’s fierce anti-corruption and anti-oligarch stance. "And in light of the escalating “media war” being waged against the President, Aguirre should have realized that his actions might have inadvertently placed Duterte on the war zone once again. "He ought to know that as the President’s alter ego, his actions whether good or bad are deemed to be his boss’s positions – and would certainly affect the people’s perception on the President."

The Senate Blue Ribbon Committee hearing on alleged bribery in Bureau of Immigration involving Jack Lam is highly interesting. When Senator Richard Gordon said Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II is not yet off the hook in the Jack Lam bribery scandal, I thought that's something everyone could easily deduct yet with these personalities currently in equally higher power, it would be easy for them to manipulate, delay and escape the system. Gordon said there are circumstances that put a cloud of doubt over the justice secretary’s integrity. Duhh!?

Aguirre said that gambling tycoon Jack Lam has a protector in the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). That is expected. Every corrupt businessman has people in government under their payroll. No one can get away with similar crimes if they do not have a scoundrel protecting him. There are government people under his payroll indeed.

Even the Ex- Bureau of Immigration (BI) Al Argosino should be held accountable for meeting with Jack Lam's aide and accepting money bags. The two former immigration officials-- Al Argosino and Michael Robles-- allegedly received P50M bribe from Jack Lam. Argosino says he split the Php 50 million with Robles for security reasons.

Wally Sombrero says that the Chinese companies approved the P100M goodwill money and Jack Lam advanced the P50M. These people do have so much money that they are almost giving them away. But how come Jack Lam owes the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) an accumulated Php13.9 billion over the years, according to Arnel Ignacio, PAGCOR Assistant Vice President. My thoughts - these businessmen really do know how to deploy their money and get away with it? Also, how did a comedian cum host became a PAGCOR official? Lol!.


Highlights (from CNN):
- Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre recalls meeting with gambling tycoon Jack Lam
- Aguirre: I rejected bribe offer from Jack Lam
- Aguirre: Operations of casino ongoing for 10 years
- Aguirre: Many workers escaped despite over 200 police security
- Aguirre recalls Wally Sombero's words to him: "Pwede ba si Justice Secretary ang mag-ninong kay Jack Lam?"
- Aguirre: I was asked to protect illegal online gambling
- Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente: Many of the workers entered as tourists
- Former Immigration Deputy Commissioner Al Argosino: Jack Lam associate called me for a meeting
- Argosino: Sombero called me often before City of Dreams meeting
- Argosino: Sombero brought two shopping bags to the meeting
- Argosino: Sombero requested help for Jack Lam
- Sen. Joel Villanueva: Labor committee investigating illegal Chinese workers
- Villanueva: Former Immigration Bureau commissioner confirms work without permits
- Villanueva: Former Immigration Bureau commissioner withheld information
- Villanueva: Former Immigration Bureau commissioners lied before committee
- Villanueva: Entrapment operation was not disclosed
- Villanueva: Considering contempt charges vs. former Associate Commissioner Al Argosino
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