Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Monday, February 27, 2017

Rabin Catalan Draws Inspiration from Teammates to Continue MMA Career

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It was a bitter pill to swallow for Filipino fighter Rabin “The Rock” Catalan when his maiden appearance on an international mixed martial arts (MMA) stage ten months ago did not go into his favor.

The 30-year-old native of Iloilo City lost his ONE Championship debut via second-round technical knockout at the hands of Team Lakay’s Joshua Pacio in April 2016.

Catalan had difficulties in dealing with the stoppage setback to Pacio, prompting him to shy away from the spotlight and assess his future in the sport

With the help of his brothers-in-arms at Mindanao Ultimate Mixed Martial Arts (MUMMA), Catalan reignited his desire to compete in MMA.

Headquartered in Cagayan De Oro City, Misamis Oriental, MUMMA houses the best and the brightest MMA talents in the Philippine’s southernmost major island of Mindanao, including Catalan and fellow ONE Championship athlete Rocky Batolbatol.

Catalan revealed that he draws his inspiration to continue his professional MMA career from his MUMMA teammates.

“They are always there for me. My teammates uplifted me when I was down and out. I’ve found a family in my comrades,” he said. “Now, I am inspired to go back inside the cage and put on a great performance.”

Catalan is slated to return to action as he squares off with Thai standout Pongsiri “Punhod” Mitsatit on the undercard of ONE: WARRIOR KINGDOM, which takes place at the 12,000-capacity Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand on 11 March.

An undefeated prospect from Chiang Mai, Thailand, Mitsatit holds a stellar win-loss standing of 7-0, with five knockout triumphs and one submission victory.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

You heard it right! Marriott Hotel Manila joins the International Women’s Day celebration on March 8, 2017 by treating all women to a 50% off on their buffet. This discount applies on both lunch (12nn to 2:30pm) and dinner (6pm to 10:30pm) buffet at Marriott Café.

A very special day made for women should overflow with everything they love. Marriott Café has an array of international cuisines and create-your-own stations perfect for empowered ladies. Ladies can indulge on sustainable seafoods cooked hundred ways for the sultry ones; certified angus beef on the carving station for the lady bosses; organic and crisp greens are for the health junkie; authentic Asian delights from China and Japan for the free-spirited; delectable confections for the daring and adventurous. Other delightful surprises are Halal-certified food, Filipino dishes that taste like home, stir-fried goodness, and grilled meats. So dear ladies, these are all yours to enjoy at only Php 975 for lunch and Php 1,050 for dinner.

After a filling dinner, the Greatroom extends 50% off on their sophisticated cocktails such as Cosmopolitan, Margarita, Mojito, Daiquiri, Apple Martini and Mimosa. It’s “Girls Night Out” from 6pm to 1am at the lobby lounge. It is an amazing gift to equally amazing women in your lives. So to the men, make reservations now to show your appreciation and affection. Or to the ladies, set this day to reunite with you fab girlfriends. Womanhood is a marvelous hat to wear and is worthy of a indulgent celebration at Marriott Manila, where every woman is made to be a queen.

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Over 600 boys and girls from South Luzon came out to showcase their basketball skills as Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 presented by Alaska staged its second Regional Selection Camp February 25-26 at Manuel S. Enverga University in Lucena City.

After two days of intense training and scrimmages, eight boys – Jeryk Dwight Bait, 14, of Batangas Eastern College; Marc Harold de Guzman, 13, of St. Francis National High School; Nygel Gonzales, 13, of De La Salle Lipa; Raphael Hutamares, 13, of Maryhill College; Carlos Noel Panganiban, 14 and Troy Gerard Umayao, 13, of International School for Better Beginnings, Lucena; Wrench Mason Roquid, 13, of University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna, and Raphael Tolentino, 12, of Metro Lucena Integrated Learning School – topped the boys division. Five girls – Fatima Irish Alpay, 13, of Luis Palad National High School; Kristin Aira Carmona, 12, of Manuel S. Enverga University Foundation; Gracey Aine de Mesa, 13, of Lucena City National High School; Jezza Oabel, 13, of University of Perpetual Help System-Laguna, and Nicole Rosaldo, 12, of Tayabas West Central School – were selected to progress to the next stage of the Jr. NBA program.

The 13 young athletes produced strong performances during the skills stations and scrimmages as well as embodied the Jr. NBA core S.T.A.R. values of Sportsmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitude and Respect throughout the camp. The young players will represent South Luzon in the Jr. NBA Philippines National Training Camp where they will go up against top players from other Regional Selection Camps on May 11-14, 2017. The best players in the NTC – eight boys and eight girls – will be named the Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 All-Stars who will participate in an overseas NBA experience later this year.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Rio Olympics Silver Medalist for Weightlifting Hidilyn Diaz was recently announced as the latest Under Armour Ambassador, at the recent UA Circuit Challenge held at Robinson’s Magnolia last weekend.

The UA Circuit Challenge, is a two-part event, with the next one taking place at Greenbelt 3 on Saturday, March 4 at 1pm; aims to be a preliminary event to help prepare the participants of the regional fitness challenge UA ‘Test of Will’, which is set to take place on March 25 & 26 at the Glorietta Activity Center in Makati City.

UA ‘Test of Will’ is on its second year and will be held in 6 countries, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei and the Philippines.

Participants in ‘Test of Will’, will compete in a four-minute circuit consisting of Burpees, One Arm Thruster, TRX Rows and Sandbag Throw. Each competitor will be scored based on the maximum number of repetitions they can achieve within 60 seconds. The highest scoring man and woman of the national heats from each respective country will win an all-expense paid trip to compete in the regional finals, happening in Kuala Lumpur on 6 May 2017.

This year’s overall champion of the regional finals will walk away with S$2,500 cash prize, or around Php 88,000.00.

For more information on how to register for ‘Test of Will’, please visit: www.testofwill.com.

Photo Caption: MMA fighter Aj Matthews, who is currently with Bellator, and Rio Olympics Silver Medalist for Weightlifting Hidilyn Diaz, gamely pose for photographers at the Under Armour Circuit Challenge at Robinson’s Magnolia; where Diaz (right), was announced as the latest Under Armour Ambassador.

Fortinet Promotes Cybersecurity Education by Providing Universal Access to Its Network Security Expert Courses

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Fortinet Invests in Aspiring IT Security Professionals to Help Address the Cybersecurity Skills Gap

“Facing an increasingly hostile threat landscape, businesses are expanding investments in infrastructure security but struggling to source the increasingly rare talent needed to implement and operate their solutions. As an industry-leader, Fortinet believes it is our responsibility to foster the development and continuing education of cybersecurity talent and close the cybersecurity skills gap. Opening Fortinet’s Network Security Expert program to the public increases access to educational resources and creates new opportunities for current and future IT security professionals whose skills will be critical to ensure the continued growth of the digital economy.” - Ken Xie, founder, chairman of the board and chief executive officer at Fortinet

News Summary

Fortinet, the global leader in high-performance cybersecurity solutions, today announced that they are providing universal access to their Network Security Expert (NSE) training and certification program making it broadly available and free of charge. With the public availability of the NSE program, Fortinet is taking a massive step to engage a new generation of aspiring cybersecurity professionals by providing a gateway to attain the highly desirable and lucrative skills in the growing field of IT security. Starting today, Fortinet will offer NSE program level 1 courses to the public. Fortinet will follow with NSE program levels 2 and 3 in the second quarter of 2017.

Closing the Cybersecurity Skills Gap

Recent reports highlight a massive shortage of professionals with the cybersecurity skills needed to combat the expanding volume and complexity of today’s threat landscape. This cybersecurity skills gap poses challenges for enterprises who are unable to fill roles needed to defend their employees, data, investments, and bottom-line against increasing risks from cyber-attacks.

Fortinet has long championed the cause to increase awareness, understanding, and knowledge within the global cybersecurity landscape. Launched in 2015, Fortinet’s NSE program has quickly become an industry-standard in cybersecurity training and certification that fosters the continuing education of IT security professionals worldwide and helps close the cybersecurity skills gap.

Proven Curriculum for Aspiring Cybersecurity Professionals

As the primary program used to develop and maintain the skillsets of Fortinet employees, partners, and end users, Fortinet’s NSE program utilizes a multi-level curriculum that progresses from cybersecurity fundamentals and overall context, up to advanced security implementation strategies and technical concepts. This program design has resulted in Fortinet issuing over 50,000 NSE certifications globally.

Public demand for Fortinet’s NSE program also drove the creation of Fortinet’s Network Security Academy for public, primary, and post-secondary education institutions. These institutions partner with Fortinet and leverage the NSE curriculum to develop cybersecurity courses currently offered at schools in 46 unique countries.

NSE 1 covers network security fundamentals and provides a historical context of the cybersecurity market. NSE 2 details the core security solutions used to address the challenges outlined in NSE 1. NSE 3 provides a deeper dive into advanced security products and capabilities used to defend against specific threats and vectors of attack.

Supporting Quotes

Professor Kris Rosenberg, Program Director, Information Technology and Cybersecurity at Oregon Institute of Technology

“Oregon Tech’s IT and Cybersecurity degree programs are proud to partner with Fortinet as members of the Fortinet Network Security Academy. Working together, we are able to offer our students courses that combine cybersecurity theory and concepts with hands-on lab experience and advanced security solutions that prepare them to enter the workforce as skilled IT and cybersecurity professionals.”

Following Incredible Showing at Qualifier B, Neymar Jr’s Five Prepares for Finals

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On Saturday, February 25th 2017, Neymar Jr’s Five returned to Sparta Philippines for another round of exciting matches. Over a dozen teams squared off with just four making it to next week’s finals: Manila Tala, Strafford FC, Baggie FC, and Naxional.

Neymar Jr’s Five is the Brazilian forward’s signature football tournament which pits five-a-side teams in head-to-head in 10-minute matches with a twist. Every time one team scores, the opposition loses a player. It’s fast, technical, and tactical.

On hand for the festivities was Daniel Matsunaga, who represented popular Brazilian-bistro, Naxional South American Diner, as Team Captain. “It’s football, I have loved it since I was a kid and I always find time to play. It’s exciting to have these kinds of tournament in the Philippines.”

Also on hand, was former team captain of the Azkals, Chieffey Caligdong. “It’s challenging and I really enjoyed the game. It was my first time playing street soccer.”

Eight teams now advance to the March 4th Finals, including Naxional, Baggie FC, Strafford FC, Manila Tala – from Qualifier B, and Underground, El Retiro, Kidzania, and Laro, featuring football star, Anton Del Rosario – from Qualifier A last February 18th.

The Finals will happen this coming Saturday, March 4th at SPARTA Philippines, in Mandaluyong. It’s going to be another action-packed afternoon to witness who will be playing on Neymar Jr’s home turf.

Dare to dream, and outplay them all!

FB Event Page: win.gs/neymarjrsfiveph
Registration: www.neymarjrsfive.com

Color Manila All Set for Its Next Clark Event - CM Challenge Run on March 19

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Color Manila, currently the most aggressive ‘concept fun-run’ organizer in the country today, is setting its sights on its next big event at Clark, Pampanga on March 19, 2017. The last event of Color Manila at Clark, Pampanga saw a sold-out event with 6,000 participants. The upcoming CM Challenge Run, which will be held at the Clark Parade Grounds, will have the runners this time go through obstacles, color stations and mazes.

Justine Cordero, VP for Color Manila says, “We would like to invite runners and non-runners alike to join this exciting event, the CM Challenge Run. We have customised a unique race route just for this run, with obstacles and challenges to make it more exciting, apart from being very colorful. Of course, participants can also look forward to the after-party; we have invited DJ Franco Zarate to spin for us.”

Cordero continues, “We are targeting thousands of participants again for this fun-run. We are also developing Clark as one of our bigger event sites outside of Manila. Our recent event in Manila, which celebrated our 5th anniversary, saw 12,000 participants and we would like to eventually have a fun-run as big as this at Clark, Pampanga.”

“The last time we were at Clark, we saw participants from nearby provinces such as La Union, Baguio, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac. We also had some foreigners from other Asian countries and the United States who flew in just for that run. We would like to consistently do this, along with our local partners, such as Clark Development Corporation, so we can help in our own way, in terms of growing the sports tourism agenda of Clark, Pampanga”, says Cordero.

Participants can choose between the Deluxe Kit and the Trooper Kit. The Deluxe, which is at Php 650 includes the singlet, sunglasses and color packet. While the Trooper Kit, which is priced at Php 1,050, comes with an added drawstring bag and headwear. Runners can also choose between the 3K, 5K or 10K routes.

Sponsors for the CM Challenge Run include Clark Freeport Philippines, Toby’s Sports, Runner, Anytime Fitness Angeles, Pascual, 100 Plus, Starbucks Coffee, SM Tickets and Runnr. Registration is still ongoing at www.colormanilarun.com.

Lazada Philippines Sends Top Five Sellers to Alibaba’s Campus

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Lazada Philippines sent five of its top performing sellers to Alibaba’s campus in Hangzhou, China, last February 23 to 25, 2017. They joined a delegation of 34 other sellers coming from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand.

Highlights from the 3-day visit to Hangzhou included a rare opportunity to hear from Jing Jie, Vice President of Strategic Partnership Development, Alibaba Group and Aimone Ripa di Meana, Chief Marketplace Officer, Lazada Group to gain insights on the e-commerce landscape development and best-practices of online selling. The delegates also had the chance to visit and network with other successful sellers such as Semir1 from Alibaba’s Tmall platform as well as attend two training sessions on “Operations and Assortment Planning for Singles Day” and “Online Customer Management” conducted by Taobao University2.

These sellers have worked closely with Lazada throughout their Online Revolution sale event last year, and have emerged to be the top in their respective product categories, such as fashion, electronics, and other fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) categories.

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People from various walks of life donated an overwhelming support at the LoveYourself’s launch of TestMNL Campaign at the Cherry Poppin’- The 3rd Party on Saturday night (25 February) at One Canvas Events Place in Makati City, proving the people’s power in helping reduce, if not eliminate, the stigma on and spread of HIV-AIDS in the Philippines.

Tacking in at the annual Cherry Poppin’ –an annual fundraising through a man-date auction, LoveYourself unveiled its newest HIV campaign dubbed as TestMNL, just visit its website: testmnl.org for activities and other information.

“LoveYourself is reinforcing the HIV advocacy with TestMNL which is an adaptation of the TestBKK conducted in Bangkok, Thailand,” LoveYourself Executive Director Ronivin Pagtakhan informed.

Pagtakhan added “With TestMNL, we are aiding the information gap through this intervention among the vulnerable populations like the youth and the males-who-have-sex-with males or what we call MSMs.”

Cherry Poppin’ Auctionee BJ Pascual

Cherry Poppin’ Auctionee Jeremy Favia

TestMNL x Cherry Poppin’ Performer Lady Gagita

TestMNL x Cherry Poppin’ Performer Venus of O-Bar

HIV Testing Ambassadors

Fresh from coming out from a known reality TV show and as a gay man on national TV, TestMNL ambassador Jerome Alacre wanted to share his knowledge about HIV-AIDS to raise awareness and to ultimately stop the stigma attached to the LGBT community and the disease.

Primarily advocating for quality education being an educator himself, Alacre said his main purpose in supporting the HIV advocacy is to utilize his social media influence to impart necessary information to the people in becoming more responsible especially when engaging in sexual activities.

“There is a big difference on how people in the U.S. manage the HIV-AIDS issue compared in the Philippines, as they have very easy access to treatment and tests. We want something similar to happen in the Philippines, especially on testing because that’s the most important part,” relayed Alacre, who was an OFW in California for five years.

Other ambassadors of TestMNL are Mr. Gay World Philippines (MGWP) 2016 winners John Raspado (title), Bench Ortiz (1st runner-up) and Khalil Vera Cruz (2nd runner up).

TestMNL is a campaign funded by the Elton John AIDS Foundation through the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM), a regional organization that promotes HIV issues that affect the lives of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people, including rights, health and well-being.

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The Department of Energy (DOE) expressed full support for the Brunei Darussalam-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) Power and Energy Cluster whose thrusts run parallel to the country’s own agenda of ensuring energy security, promoting a low carbon future, achieving total electrification, improving energy efficiency and conservation.

Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi at the 2017 BIMP-EAGA Strategic Planning Meeting was represented by DOE-Assistant Secretary Leonido J. Pulido III.

As Head of the Philippine energy sector delegates, Pulido also Chaired the discussions of the Power and Energy Infrastructure (PEI) Cluster during the two-day breakout sessions.

According to Pulido, the key output of the cluster meeting is the formulation of the nine-year ‎‎‎(2017-2025) Power and Energy Infrastructure Cluster (PEIC) Roadmap for the different sub-sectors such as for Power Interconnection, Renewable Energy (RE), Rural Electrification and Sub-Regional Energy Efficiency and Conservation (EE&C) rolling pipeline project as input to the final BIMP-EAGA Vision ‎‎‎2017-2025 (BEV2025).

On the power infrastructure connectivity of the Philippines to the sub-region, the BIMP-EAGA Business Council (BEBC) presented to the Philippine delegates the proposed Sabah to Palawan Interconnection project.

The BEBC, a private sector group, initiated the partnership with the Provincial Government of Palawan aiming to deliver electric power from Sabah to Palawan.

During the meeting, the BEBC informed the participants that the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding may take place by April 2017 and when this will be realized, "it will provide the needed capacity addition to the country,” Pulido said.

In support of the Philippine Energy Sector 8-point Agenda, Pulido also underscored the need to strengthen the resiliency of energy infrastructures in the sub-region.

BEBC Brunei proposed a renewable energy resource assessment for each country intending to identify feedstock as fuel for a proposed biomass generating facility project.

Pulido reported that “The Philippines will pursue coordination meetings between the private sector, National Government Agencies (NGAs) and the provincial Government of Palawan to be able to review existing policies and regulation on cross-border trading and to facilitate the timely execution of the proposed interconnection.”

The BIMP Senior Officials welcomed the outputs of the Power and Energy Infrastructure Cluster and look forward to the efficient implementation of the different plans and activities until 2025 in partnership with the private sector and other key stakeholders.