Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Get More Out of Life with Hyundai

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In today’s fast-paced world, people are pressured to excel in order to stand out. Sadly, many end up relegating what their hearts truly desire. Worse, some settle despite knowing they deserve more.

It’s time for a change. Hyundai Asia Resources Inc. (HARI), the Philippines’ official distributor of Hyundai passenger and commercial vehicles, is advocating this mindset shift with the “Gusto Ko, Kaya Ko, Sama Tayo.” campaign.

A follow-up to last year’s “Gusto Ko Hyundai!” nationwide brand bid, this campaign focuses on customer-driven innovations that will make Filipino consumers aspire and brave their respective life journeys toward the achievement of their dreams. And HARI, as it turns a new leaf on its 16th year, would like to play an active role in this journey becoming Filipinos’ kasama sa biyahe ng buhay or lifetime partner.

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Dusit International, one of Thailand’s foremost hotel and property development companies, has signed a management consultancy agreement with Sanguantas Development Company Limited to operate dusitD2 Chaengwattana, an upscale business hotel in the north of Bangkok near Don Mueang Airport (DMK) and a range of key business, leisure and MICE destinations.

Designed to meet the needs of today’s tech-savvy, hyper-connected travellers, the hotel will comprise 200 guest rooms and suites set over 23 floors, and will feature amongst its facilities a rooftop international restaurant and bar, a rooftop infinity swimming pool, fitness centre, and a large banqueting facility offering panoramic views of Thailand’s capital city.

Strategically located on Chaengwattana Road between Sois 23 and 25, with easy access to the expressway, the property will boast a striking cantilevered design featuring tiered gardens. The proposed interior will provide contemporary comfort and convenience enhanced by the latest technology, and all touchpoints will be driven by Dusit’s signature gracious service.

CentralPlaza Chaengwattana, a hub of dining, shopping and entertainment, is only 300 metres away, while other local landmarks include ISB International School, World Medical Center Hospital, and the Government Complex, which houses the Immigration Department and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. DMK is only 30 minutes away by car, and Impact Arena, Exhibition and Convention Center (IMPACT) can be reached within 15 minutes.

The Pink Line Mass Transit Monorail System is slated to open in the same year as the hotel with a station located nearby. This will link with the city’s BTS Skytrain system to offer convenient access to all of Bangkok’s key attractions.

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Eight boys and thirteen girls will represent Metro Manila during the Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 presented by Alaska National Training Camp on May 12-14 at the Don Bosco Technical Institute and SM Mall of Asia. Over 1,300 young players ages 10-14 years old participated in the fourth and final Regional Selection Camp of the Jr. NBA program held this weekend at Don Bosco Makati. The 1,333 campers --1,208 boys and 125 girls -- came from schools in Antipolo, Mandaluyong, Manila, Makati, Batangas, Palawan, Mindoro and Iloilo.

John Dhel Austria, 14, of Escuela de Sophia of Caloocan; Joachin Echo, 14 of University of Santo Tomas High School; Ian Dominic Espinosa, 13, and John Michael Vicencio, 13, of Ateneo de Iloilo; Ronald Corj Trinidad, 13, of Pedro Guevara Memorial National High School; Ren Cobie Tolentino, 13, of Grace Christian College; Dietherd Torres, 13, of La Salle Green Hills and Clarence Andrei Ramos, 14 of Adamson University are the Jr. NBA representatives from the NCR at the National Training Camp.

Bonie Marylene Solis, 13, Jeehan Nikale Ahmed, 13 and Edel Jane Araza, 13 of Chiang Kai Shek College; Princess Bj Marie Villarin, 11 of De La Salle Zobel; Dianne Camille Nolasco, 14, of Miriam College; Lindsey Nacional, 13, of La Salle College Antipolo; Eriel Raven Lacanlale, 13 and Jazmine-ann Maniquis, 12, of St. Paul College Pasig; Yza Camila Shalea Alarcon, 12, of New Era High School; Abby Rose Ruiz, 13, of Palawan National School; Gabbie Angeline Wong, 14, of Fairhope Academy; Franzelle Angela Chelzea Besa, 12, of Divine Word College of Calapan Crizan Phiel Pangilinan,13, of the School of the Holy Spirit, Quezon City are the WNBA representatives to the next phase of the Jr. NBA program.

The first day of the Jr. NBA Regional Selection Camp featured fundamental skills challenges with the top performing athletes progressing to Day 2 that featured advanced basketball drills and scrimmages. The Jr. NBA evaluation committee led by Jr. NBA Coach Jeffrey Cariaso of the Alaska Aces searched for players that showcased all-around basketball skills and embodied the Jr. NBA S.T.A.R. values of Sportmanship, Teamwork, a positive Attitide, and Respect.

Jr. NBA All-Star alumni Edrian Custodio, Rhic Gatuz, Ernest Felicilda, Daniel Coo, Josh Garing, Jearico Nuñez and Jr. WNBA All-Stars Akemi Marteja, Pankie David, Mika Pentecostes, Carly Monreal, Nicky Quelenderino and Kreecie Binaohan attended the camp to extend their support to the participants and share their Jr. NBA experiences with them. “We can see ourselves in these young players and are excited to see the best boys and girls in the Philippines emerge as Jr. NBA All-Stars,” said Edrian Custodio, a varsity member of De La Salle-Zobel high school basketball team. “We encourage them to continue to work hard, be humble and believe in themselves as they pursue their basketball careers, bringing with them values and lessons from the Jr. NBA program.”

An NBA and WNBA player will come to Manila to help coach the finalists at the National Training Camp. In previous years, NBA legends BJ Armstrong, Al Green, Luc Longley, and Muggsy Bogues, NBA players Gordon Hayward, Nerlens Noel, and Norris Cole, and WNBA legends Tina Thompson, Ruth Riley, and Taj McWilliams-Franklin have joined the Jr. NBA National Training Camp to coach the athletes and participate in NBA Cares initiatives.

The top eight boys and eight girls will comprise the Jr. NBA Philippines 2017 All-Stars selected among the regional finalists at the National Training Camp. They will embark on an overseas trip to watch an NBA preseason game and experience playing with fellow Jr. NBA All-Stars from Southeast Asia.

For more information, fans can follow Jr. NBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/jrnbaphilippines. For all things NBA, fans can visit www.nba.com, like the NBA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/philsnba and follow www.twitter.com/nba_philippines on Twitter.

To learn more about Alaska Milk Corporation, visit www.alaskamilk.com and www.playph.com.

National Privacy Commission Holds First General Assembly of Data Protection Officers

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About a year after the Comeleak data breach, which exposed the personal data of over 55 million Filipino voters, the National Privacy Commission (NPC) is rallying Data Protection Officers (DPOs) from government agencies to adopt a proactive approach in the fight for data protection of citizens in a series of conferences, which invoke the famous 70’s slogan “Kung ‘di tayo kikilos, sino ang kikilos? Kung hindi ngayon, kailan pa?”

Privacy Commissioner and Chairman Raymund Enriquez Liboro said the slogan is very appropriate as a DPO battle cry, which is attributed to student journalist Abraham “Ditto” Sarmiento Jr.

“The biggest lesson we have learned from the Comeleak breach is that, at the end of the day, we have no better recourse really than prevention and vigilance, which are essentially roles of DPOs. They are the people’s first line of defense against privacy violations inside an organization, and the NPC is here to help them help their organizations in fully complying with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 to reduce the likelihood of breach incidents like the Comeleak from happening,” Liboro said.

Dubbed as “DPO1: The 1st Data Protection Officers’ Assembly,” the first conference in the series focuses on government DPOs. It is a half-day event set on April 05, 2017, 8:00 AM, at the Diosdado Macapagal Hall, 10th Floor, Land Bank Plaza, 1598 M.H. Del Pilar, corner Dr. J. Quintos St., Malate, Manila.

In a meeting with palace reporters last week, Commissioner Liboro said the DPO1 is meant to enable government DPOs to quickly master their new responsibilities and assert their crucial role within their respective organizations.

“The DPO functions as an advocate and watchdog for data privacy inside an organization. Although the DPO works as an employee of the organization, it is his or her job to champion the privacy rights of individuals, and advocate for it above the immediate business interests of his employer,” Liboro said.

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Previously, considering the possibility of Gina “Conviction” Iniong squaring off with ONE Women’s Atomweight World Champion Angel “Unstoppable” Lee inside the ONE Championship cage seemed to be a far-fetched dream.

However, tides have overturned after Asia’s largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization acquired Iniong from the free agent market earlier this year.

Iniong, who has been on the promotion’s radar for several years, inked an exclusive multi-bout contract with ONE Championship, which bolstered its burgeoning roster of world-class female MMA athletes.

The 27-year-old Baguio City native is a member of the renowned Team Lakay and has a professional MMA record of 4-2. Three of her four career victories have come by thrilling finish, which includes two impressive submissions.

Team Lakay’s 5-foot-2 atomweight standout also owns notable victories over the likes of French fighter Nathalie Heidel and Japanese veteran Mei Yamaguchi.

In her last bout under a regional MMA promotion in January 2016, Iniong astonishingly submitted Spanish combatant Vanessa Rico Fernandez with a heel lock in the first round.

Iniong will make her much-awaited promotional debut at ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY in Manila, Philippines on 21 April as she is booked to face with Filipino-English stalwart Natalie Gonzales Hills in a three-round atomweight contest.

Although she is scheduled to compete against a talented combatant like Hills at ONE: KINGS OF DESTINY, Iniong admitted that one of the aspirations that she has in mind is to contend with Lee for the gold-plated strap

“It has been considered for more than two years as a dream match-up. Now, it’s possible to happen because I am now part of the ONE Championship roster,” she said. “Of course, I want to face Angela Lee for the belt. It’s one of my main goals in this organization.”

Iniong knows that if she plays her cards right against Hills, a date with Lee may well be on the horizon for her.

“This fight might be the door to a world title fight. You will never know if your next fight will be a title fight. I will just give my 100 percent for this bout,” she stated.

But according to Iniong, her focus remains on Hills because if she wants to secure a match with Lee, she must address the task in front of her.

“I don’t want to put the cart before the horse. Nathalie Gonzales Hills is my main priority right now. I must win this first before anything else,” she stressed.

Now competing on a bigger international MMA stage like ONE Championship, Iniong seeks to leave a lasting impression in her debut.

“I am grateful for the opportunity that has been given to me by ONE Championship. With my promotional debut being held in the Philippines, I will be able to show fans who I am as a fighter. Filipino fans are very passionate about MMA. I promise to give them a night to remember,” she ended.

For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONEChampionship.

Game On for Basketballers in Southeast Asia

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Sign up for Under Armour 3x3 Southeast Asia 2017 Tournament, and stand a chance to join the national contingent to compete in the FIBA 3x3 U18 Asia Cup presented by Under Armour

High performance sportswear label, Under Armour announces its partnership with the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) to empower the next generation of basketballers through the FIBA 3x3 U18 Asia Cup presented by Under Armour.

Organised by Under Armour in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines, the tournament is open to all U-18 male and female basketballers. Registration locations are avaialbe online at www.ua3x3.com and can be made at all Under Armour Brand Houses and partner stores from now until 9 April 2017.

3x3 basketball, or streetball is the largest urban team sport of the world. With 12-second shot clock, and 10-minute or first team to 21-point format, the games are usually fast, accessible, and entertaining for the players and audience alike. The format made its global competitive debut at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics in Singapore and the World Championships have been regularly organised by FIBA since then.

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It is a back to back victory for Team Suzuki Pilipinas as the Suzuki Asian Challenge (SAC) 2017 season begins at Johor International Circuit in Malaysia. Both Race 1 and 2 saw Team Suzuki Pilipinas riders Mario Borbon Jr. and April King Mascardo grabbing the top place making history once more by having the Philippine national anthem played for the first time at the said racetrack as well as achieving a grand slam win for the country at SAC Round 1.

April King Mascardo, Eane Jay Sobretodo and Mario Borbon Jr. returned at the SAC tracks to show how much they have improved over the years. A Suzuki developmental program, SAC is a one make race competition among nations aiming to hone young riders to be MotoGP racers. The 2017 SAC season sees 16 riders from 9 countries – Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

Showing optimism from the very beginning, Team Suzuki Pilipinas already gave promising performances by clinching the pole position at the qualifying race. Mindanao rider April King Mascardo got the pole with the fastest lap time of 1'57.66 breaking last year’s record by less than 2s. Following him on third spot was Luzon rider Eane Jay Sobretodo. Later on Race 1, Visayas rider Mario Borbon, Jr. managed to stay on the lead on the last laps despite the slippery and wet track condition, hence grabbing the 1st top podium win of the season.

During Race 2, Mascardo and Sobretodo were alternately leading on the first laps of the race. However, Sobretodo collided with the other riders during the middle part giving chance to leading Mascardo to isolate himself and continuously led the race. Mascardo’s win gave Team Suzuki PIlipinas their first back-to-back victory at the SAC history!

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Everybody’s favorite general practitioner leaves more chaos and craziness in his wake in the new season of the medical sitcom Dr. Ken, which premieres this April on Sony Channel.

Real-life doctor turned stand-up comedian Ken Jeong plays the irreverent Dr. Ken Park, an accomplished physician who tries to balance his career, marriage, and family with his therapist wife and two kids.

At the HMO clinic where he works, Dr. Ken continues to manage his sanity with all the whining and complaining, sometimes becoming too honest for comfort while treating his patients in more hilarious ways than one.

Helping people daily seems to get the better of Dr. Ken, as he has nothing for his patients but his unique sense of humor and a prescription for the only medicine he knows – laughter.

Dr. Ken Season 2 premieres on April 9, every Sunday at 7pm, part of ROFLing Sundays First & Exclusive on Sony Channel.

Sony Channel is available on SKYCable Channel 35, Destiny Cable Channel 62, Cignal Channel 120, and Cablelink Channel 39.

Monday, April 3, 2017

Hyundai Unleashes “The Next Level Of Luxury”

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A true person of substance has a sharp eye for the best things in life. He has the wisdom to know when to work hard and play hard, when to flaunt and when to go low key. In a world full of clutter, he can make an underrated beauty stand out and become a force to reckon with.

Get ready for a game-changer in the Philippines’ luxury vehicle segment – a car born with raw talent, bred to be graceful and poised under any circumstance, and trained to perform with smoothness and silence that can only be defined as “athletic elegance.”

Hyundai Asia Resources Inc., the Philippines’ official distributor of Hyundai passenger and commercial vehicles, captivates the 2017 MIAS with a show-stopper, the Genesis G90.

The Genesis G90 is the flagship model of Genesis Motors, the luxury vehicle division of the Hyundai Motor Company of South Korea.

When Genesis designers set out to make the G90, they diligently studied that moment when an archer draws back the bow and prepares to unleash the perfectly balanced tension that propels an arrow to its target - a perfect fusion of power and poise.

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The new R nineT: refined roadster with boutique manufacturing character. When BMW Motorrad launched the R nineT in 2013, it was clearly more than just a roadster based on a classic role model. From the outset, the R nineT combined classic motorcycle design and modern technology with sophisticated craftsmanship, as demonstrated by the aluminium fuel tank with brushed side surfaces, for example. In numerous components, the model also reflected the R nineT team's fond attention to detail. The new R nineT likewise radiates this boutique manufacturing character, supported by a range of optimised features.

The new BMW Heritage model features the potent, air/oil-cooled boxer engine with a capacity of 1170 cc and an output of 81 kW (110 hp) combined with a 6-speed gearbox. It is designed to meet the requirements of the EU4 pollutant class. Its exhaust system in stainless steel with the tailpipe positioned on the left reflects classic styling.

Modular frame concepts with individual scope for customising. Modular frame concepts provide great scope for altering the appearance and character of the BMW boxer model according to individual preference, for example by adding different seats from the range of BMW Motorrad accessories. The frame comprises four components as before: a front main frame, a rear main frame, a removable end piece and a detachable passenger frame.