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Saturday, July 1, 2017

Karma Works and We Have Real Life Experiences to Prove It


Wazzup Pilipinas!

Do you remember the lady who ranted against me for accusations she couldn't even prove with any evidence? While I posted several e-mail and SMS screenshots showing my conversations with those involved to prove my innocence, the only thing she could do was to further rant and call for other online misfits to join the bully bandwagon.

She now bids goodbye to the agency she worked for, as seen from a screenshot of her Facebook post that a PR and fellow blogger sent me. This is most probably the result of her squabble with another member of the media connected with a reputable print publication.

The lifestyle editor from Philippine Star was not afraid to expose this PR on social media which also led to the revelation of this PR's moonlighting activities that were obviously a conflict of interest to her current job. Who knows who else was a victim of her terrible PR - something she does not know the true meaning of.

During this highly emotional social media rant, none of the bloggers who allies with the PR Director posted anything on her defense. How could anyone defend her when they all know she really deserves some spanking. All we saw was a plea for both of them to reconcile. They may have sent PMs or private messages to the PhilStar editor, but that is in contrary to their usual public display of aggression. Now that a member of the media complained, none of them had the courage to speak out in public.

As they say, karma eventually hits hard those who unfairly judge or treat others without getting the other side of the story. We should all be getting our unbiased facts from even the accused. We should consider this as a learning opportunity for all of us who are too trigger-happy. We should always look out for the guy whom we're pointing a gun to. He may not deserve to have a bullet in his head.

Pia Wurtzbach as a Revenger? A Disastrous Face-Palm Career Move?


Wazzup Pilipinas!

"Star Cinema's "The Revengers" starring Box Office King Daniel Padilla, Phenomenal Box Office Star Vice Ganda and Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach make it to the list!"

The headline may be a bit distracting especially for those who appreciate quality films. Now that the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) has announced a partial list of the participating movies that made it to the initial cut, many netizens can't help but frown with the revelation.

When everyone thought change has come to the MMFF when it introduced us to quality indie films last year, now it seems the "Reel Revolution" is gone as the likes of Vice Ganda and Vic Sottor are back among the list of actors featured in the movie.

What was most disappointing for us was the inclusion of our confidently beautiful with a heart Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach as among the celebrities included in a movie called The Revengers - an obvious comical spoof of The Avengers superhero movie from Marvel.

Many are saying that it is a wrong move for the beauty queen as it will surely degrade her status from an international icon to a low-class "pang-masa" title-holder. Just as how Manny "Pacman" has lost his credibility as a boxer when he joined politics, Pia may also become a laughing stock, not because the movie she joined is a comedy, but because he settled for poor quality appearances starting with the Vice Ganda and Daniel Padilla movie. 

Everyone knows the two mentioned actors are not really outstanding both in singing and acting. They are merely capitalizing on the stupidity of the masses who patronize below standard commercial and mainstream category shows with less intellectually challenging content.

But who knows, maybe Pia does really wants to stoop down to the level of the majority who do not know the difference between quality and money-making craps.

It is sad to say that many of us will never get to see the movie The Revengers because knowing the antics of the celebrities from their past movies, we know it will be nothing more but a joke. There has never been any good Vice Ganda movie where you'll consider it internationally competitive. They may have be great in the box office, but that is only because not too many of our fellow Filipinos know better as to which movie, or even TV show, will benefit them. Being a country plagued by entertainment features as top demands for content is not helping anybody in reality.

They may argue that these type of movies were meant for the kids during the Christmas season, but they keep forgetting that their continuous dumbing down of the masses will never lead to a progressive Philippines. The children are our future and if we continue to feed them with junk, their outputs will most probably turn into junk as well.

It is about time we appeal to the movie industry to stop allowing films, or songs, made by these sorry excuses for artists, to proliferate in the country. We should not replace our high standard requirements with blockbusters that do not contribute to real art.

Comedy Clips Highlight New Reality Series “Rude(ish) Tube” on AXN this July


Wazzup Pilipinas!
 
Family-friendly clip show premieres July 11, Mondays-Thursdays at 8:50pm


Viral videos are the entire craze in the new reality series Rude(ish) Tube, which entertains your weeknights starting this July on AXN.
The half-hour show features a compilation of the funniest, wildest, and most unbelievable clips that have ever been uploaded online.
With a theme in each episode, every subject matter imaginable that started trending on the World Wide Web is presented in a smorgasbord of amusing internet videos that will surely whet the appetite of viewers.
From epic fails to utter pranks, from extreme rides to badass stunts – not to mention lots of animals and cute kids – there’s everything weird and wonderful for everybody. And don’t forget plenty of action!

Rude(ish) Tube premieres on July 11 and airs from Monday to Thursday at 8:50pm with 2 episodes back to back first and exclusive on AXN.


AXN is available on SKYCable Channel 49, Destiny Cable Channel 61, Cignal Channel 121, Dream Satellite TV Channel 20, G Sat Channel 51, and Cablelink Channel 38. AXN HD is available on SKYCable Channel 247.

Sister Act the Musical: Reminiscing the Movie with a Very Glittery Broadway Version


Wazzup Pilipinas!

Sister Act the Musical is a "hilarious, feel-good musical straight from Broadway, New York playing right now since June 27 up to July 9, 2017 at the Theatre at Solaire.

The limited two-week run of the musical based from the hit movie of the 1990s featuring Whoopi Goldberg as the lead star promises the audience to groove to the original score with music by 8-time Oscar Academy, Grammy and Golden Globe Award-winning composer Alan Menken (Disney’s Alladin, Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, The Little Mermaid, Enchanted, Little Shop of Horrors), with its vast inspiration of musical styles from Motown, soul and funk to great big disco anthems.

Though we won't be hearing the iconic songs like "I will Follow Him" from the actual movie, the new somngs from Alan Menken would equally delight teh audience because of their very meaningful lyrics and outstanding beats that could offer Last Song Syndrome (LSS) effect that would make you go sing some of the memorable songs again even after the show.

As media, we were given the opportunity to watch three (3) musical numbers including the festive and glittery finale song when even the giant statue of Mother Mary was all shiny and splendid to the eyes. Aside from the backstage tour, the interview with the lead cast was the ultimate highlight of the media event. You would notice that I may be a bit shaky or nervous in my video selfie interviews, and honestly my lips were all drying up from the nerve-wracking experience to be up close and personal with Broadway stars.

Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino Announces List of Movies for August 16 to 22


Wazzup Pilipinas!

Narito na ang sandosenang piling-piling Pelikula na gawa ng Pilipino para sa Pilipino para sa Pista Ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2017! Mapapanuod na ngayong Agosto 16-22, 2017 sa lahat ng sinehan sa buong bansa!

Translated in English (for our international audience), Here's the 12 selected movies made by Filipinos for the Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino 2017! They can be watched on August 16 to 22, 2017 at (60) cinemas or movie houses all over the country!

The week-long event, organized by the Film Development Council of the Philippines (FDCP) is aligned with the celebration of Buwan ng Wika happening every August.

We would like to commend the efforts given by the people behind Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino? Thank you for promoting indie films.

The above photo from @FDCPH shows the cast, directors and producers of the films that made it to the list of Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino. This was taken during the press conference or media launch held recently.

But even before this movie line-up there are other movie festival events to happen earlier

The Tofarm Film Festival is scheduled on July 12 to 18 while Cinemalaya is on August 5 to 13.

Also, the now controversial Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) has also revelaed a partial list of their movies line-up, and many are already sending out their frustration. You can read more about it on our separate article.

Integrity: Learning About Ethical Standards in Journalism (and Blogging)


Wazzup Pilipinas!

"....Philippine journalism is being challenged by many Filipinos to be true to its vow of being truthful, balanced and fair in our reportage and commentaries....it has become even more difficult to ferret truth from lies, spins and fakery" - National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP)

Media persons and outfits have a far greater responsibility than ordinary citizens to ensure proper standards. Is the level of profanity in media, blogs and social media included, ruining free wheeling dialogue that is necessary to a democracy?

Some of us would never include profanity, curses, and our own special rants and bashing on our published literary works, but our social media pages are filled with fuming and rage towards the people, companies or organizations we hate. If not, we bad-mouth others to our friends and acquaintances.

"....newsmen, and even radio commentators, are not supposed to use foul language no matter how much they disagree with opinions. (Then again, this has been happening for some time) This much is clear in the KBP (Kapisanan ng mga Broadcasters ng Pilipinas) code of ethics." - Ed Lingao in reaction to "a long radio and FB live rampage against a senator that involved quite a lot of colorful cussing and swearing (he begins warming up at around 32:30, continuing with his cussing on FB live while the radio program went into a commercial gap). The rampage involved a lot of putang ina, sonafabitch, punyeta, lintik, what the fuck, etc."

"According to the Philippine Broadcast Code of 2011, we should observe the following:

1. To broadcast (and publish) commentaries only by persons who have thorough knowledge of and practice of broadcast (and journalism) ethics, present opposing or contrasting views fairly, and not allow our personal bias or prejudice to distort the facts (Article 2. ANALYSIS AND COMMENTARIES);

2. To prohibit personal attacks and unfair criticism (Article 4. PERSONAL ATTACKS)

3. To acknowledge and rectify mistakes as soon as possible (Article 5. CORRECTING MISTAKES);

4. To prohibit offensive, obscene, profane and vulgar words and phrases as well as name-calling and personal insult (Article 25. SEX, OBSCENITY AND PORNOGRAPHY and Article 27. ON-AIR LANGUAGE);

5. To adhere to the basic principles, as well as code of conduct for broadcast media (Article 29. QUALIFICATION OF ON-AIR/PROGRAM PERSONS and Article 33. UNIVERSAL ETHICAL STANDARDS).

Admittedly, some colleagues have forgotten these ethical standards that should govern our work as broadcasters and journalists." - NUJP

Just because the top media outfits ad personalities have a large base of listeners and supporters, it should not mean their statements are considered authentic and credible. There are many cases when news were blocked or modified to suit the preference of others that will be greatly affected, and it was only on online media (especially the bloggers) that offered the real news. This was mainly because some media outfits would not dare hurt their sponsors or advertisers, so they opted to ignore the damaging news in favor of their clients.

To this we form another headline asking a question "Who Are the Real Peddlers of Fake News?" 

We consider news that were intentionally withholding complete information as fake news too. Real news should report everything that could be significant and substantial. News should not be modified to deliberately keep other parties safe from possible downfall or humiliation - whether its a business, personality, the government or the entire country itself.

On the other hand, there are also media outfits that sensationalize their news to gain more audience. Some news are being hyped or exaggerated to gain more interest from the gullible public. They even connive with some individuals, groups or entities to satisfy whims, sponsors' requests, or politically motivated and vested interests. When you start seeing envelopes getting passed among members of the media, you start to question if integrity still exist among us. 

Whether we would admit it or not, when we accept and bring home all of those complimentary gifts, perks and freebies given during press conferences and media coverage affects our reporting of the news. Unless you were given a product or service to review, media outfits should not be receiving "tokens" of any form. Now some would say, bloggers are excused since unlike media, they do not have regular salaries from their mother media outfits. Still, we believe media and bloggers should only receive ex-deals or freebies if they were pre-arranged deals agreed by both parties, or when they are to review certain products (new dishes, equipment, etc), services (spa, clinic, travel, etc) or establishments (hotels, restaurants, resorts, etc). 

Whether on television, radio, print or online, our journalists, commentators, news anchors, or bloggers, should abide by high standards of ethics and strive to adhere to stringent standards of journalistic integrity. We expect our reporters, producers and writers to be fair and honest and to confirm the facts before print or online articles, TV or radio segments,  are released for public consumption.

Let us all do our part to cleanse our print, online and broadcast of gross made even grosser by biased partisanship. Let us protect the journalism or blogging profession from further "erosion of the people’s trust and respect."

"It will only be a matter of time before one of us prosecuted, judged and persecuted an innocent person"...or has it happened already?


"..... restate our firm promise to a high sense of responsibility and honesty in the practice of our chosen profession.....

Pipo Short Film Wins Viewer's Choice Award in Jamaica


Wazzup Pilipinas!


A short film about a boy who wants to have his family picture taken by an old and grumpy photographer for his school assignment won the viewer's choice award during the Asian and Middle Eastern Film Night of the fifth Gatffest Film Festival in Kingston, Jamaica last June 24.

"Pipo," which stars Maliksi Morales in the title role, bested films from Afghanistan, Iran, Israel, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan, in the said category of the festival. Chanel Latorre, Ramon Palencia, and Katherine Carel provide support as members of Pipo's family while award-winning actor Lou Veloso plays the role of the photographer.

Director Richard Legaspi was among the filmmakers from 28 countries who showcased their works during the festival and also vied for awards in 14 other categories including best directing, most original screenplay and best international film. Other films which competed in the 10-day event came from Canada, Columbia, Germany, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Tanzania, United States and United Kingdom, among others.

Gatffest, initially introduced in 2013 as the Greater August Town Film Festival and hailed as "the Carribean's premier film festival," was organized by the University of the West Indies (UWI) Centre for Tourism and Policy Research.

444th Araw ng Pasig: Writing for the Mayor of Pasig City


Wazzup Pilipinas!


In celebration of the 444th Araw ng Pasig, the City Government of Pasig has arranged for several activities to commemorate the festive event.

Among those events is the Search for Dangal ng Pasig - an annual undertaking of the City Government which seeks to give recognition to men and women whose achievements in their chosen profession or vocation have contributed invaluably to the development of Pasig. The awardees would serve as inspiration to the future generations of Pasigueños.

I line with this, my daughter, Hannah Krystelle Del Rosario, was commissioned to write the Inspirational Message of the honorable Mayor Robert "Bobby" Eusebio for the  3rd Dangal Ng Pasig Gawad Parangal 2017 event. She was also asked to write the message of the Mayor for the Araw ng Pasig souvenir program.

We are not sure if there would be some changes after submission to the office of the Mayor, but I am proud of her for having this opportunity. She may not be formally credited for its creation, but knowing she did write it is already a recognition. After all, it is not everyday that you get to be trusted to write a speech for the highest government official of the city.

Hannah Krystelle is also the Editor-in-Chief of their college publication, the Lundayan of the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Pasig (PLP). She is graduating this year with a course of Education. Apparently, she favors the career of her mother who was a teacher but now works for the Department of Education (DepEd) specifically at the Pasig City Division Office. However, she took on the interest of her father (yours truly) who is also the Editor-in-Chief of WazzupPilipinas.com, and also a radio show host for DZRJ 810 AM and 8Trimedia Network. 

Congratulations to our daughter for her so many achievements. We are truly proud of her excellent academic records, including her extra-curricular activities. We know this is just the start of a promising future for her. I would say to keep up the good work, but she's the kind of girl that already knows which to prioritize and excel in. You'll definitely learn a lot from her too.


Below are Hannah Krystelle's works:

3rd Dangal Ng Pasig Gawad Parangal 2017

Inspirational Message 

"Truly, we Pasigueños are delighted to see that the denizens of our abode, each being passionate aspirants with their sights beyond the distance, had accomplished such notable milestones in their own respective fields. It is ever so easy to admire and put those in front of us in the spotlight, for it is evident that they are blessed with their own abilities and have reached exemplary heights.

What we may not notice, however, is a fact that is easily overlooked Рthe fact that whatever profession they may hold, they are being recognized at this very moment not only because they are flourishing with innate skills but because they have proven themselves worthy due to their serious commitment and genuine love for what they do. Before we give them praise for their talents, let us not forget to account the gargantuan amount of time and effort they have dedicated to their craft and their fortitude in the midst of failure and adversity. Let us be proud of the fact that despite the changes brought about by nature and the impact of technology, which paved the way towards modernization Рwe Pasigue̱os do not forget to retain our culture and spirituality. We may acknowledge the company but what really matters or what constitutes the heart of them all is the amazing people.

Let us not be afraid to be ambitious and believe that we, too, can excel and be the best versions of ourselves. Before we convince ourselves that we can only do so much and such capacity is out of our league, let us note that we are capable of leading ourselves to something magnificent, for it was neither the earthly desire for fame nor fortune but rather the unwavering passion for what they do which had made us grace them with the spotlight.

Let us hope for our fellow Pasigueños to consider this acknowledgement not as a finale but an inspiration to further their achievements and to continue aspiring for the best, for as Arthur Ashe had said, “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” “God gifted us with talents. What we do with those talents is our gift back to God.”



444th Araw ng Pasig, 3rd Dangal ng Pasig Gawad Parangal 2017

Souvenir Message

"People should not be afraid to be passionate for what they do, for it is passion which ignites the flame of commitment and nurtures one’s fortitude amidst challenges as they aim for their dreams and aspirations.

Let it be known that a person’s power to believe that he is capable of the extraordinary can make a great difference. This power to believe is the main catalyst towards determination and the willingness to exert effort into what they do.

It is with a proud spirit that we congratulate the awardees of this jovial occasion. On this 444th celebration of our city, let us once again celebrate in favor of one of its greatest features which is its people. We are surrounded by people who continue to accomplish marvelous things, evoke the inspiration of their fellowmen and continue to reinvent the name of the Pasigueno. We are also surrounded with people who embrace the challenge which is to improve themselves in their respective fields. They have been courageous and steadfast in their own paths in life. They have granted themselves the power to create the life that they have in front of them at this very moment.

To everyone who continues to work towards their goals and towards a reality which they can be proud of, we thank you and salute you. Congratulations!"

Friday, June 30, 2017

Instituto Cervantes commemorates 80th year of Picasso’s Guernica


Wazzup Pilipinas!
Instituto Cervantes, the cultural center of the Embassy of Spain, in collaboration with the Film Development Council of the Philippines and Ayala Museum, has programmed a film series and an art lecture associated with Picasso‘s famous painting Guernica and the historical period when it was created. This is to celebrate the 80th year the masterpiece was first unveiled to the public July 12, 1937 to be exact. On April 26, 1937, the German aviation bombarded the Basque town of Guernica. Moved by the tragic event that caused many civilian casualties, Picasso, who had been commissioned by the government of the Republic to produce a painting for the Spanish Pavilion at the 1937 Paris International Exposition, decided to name his work after the Basque town. The film series Spain in the times of Picasso’s Guernica aims to offer a cinematic vision of the turbulent history of that decade. The cycle will be held every Saturday of July at 6 p.m. at FDCP’s Cinematheque Centre Manila. The cycle will kick off on July 1 with the feature film El viaje de Carol (Carol’s Journey). Carol is a twelve-year-old Spanish-American girl from New York who travels to Spain with her mother in the spring of 1938. Carol arrives in her mother’s home village and transforms the secretive family environment. Her innocence and rebellious nature make her reject a war-stricken world that is new to her. The film series will continue on July 8, 6 p.m., with the screening of La lengua de las mariposas (Butterfly’s Tongue), directed by José Luis Cuerda in 1999. The film, based on several short stories written by the Galician author Manuel Rivas, is set in Spain in 1936. It explores the relationship between a young boy and his incredibly compassionate teacher, who teaches the kid to find his way in a world that is increasingly frightening. La lengua de las mariposas bagged more than 20 international awards and nominations – among them, the Goya Award to the Best Screenplay.

Butterfly's Tongue

Carol's Journey

Land Without Bread

Las Maestras de la Republica
The following Saturday, July 15, 6 p.m., the documentary Raza, el espíritu de Franco (Race, the Spirit of Franco) will be featured. Directed by Gonzalo Herralde in 1977, this documentary produced after the dictator Francisco Franco‘s death, includes interviews with the dictator’s sister and the actor who played the leading role in the Franco-inspired film Raza. On July 22, 6 p.m., the audience will have the opportunity to see a short documentary that has become a classic – Luis Buñuel’s Tierra sin pan (Land Without Bread). Produced in 1933, the film recounts Buñuel’s journey to Las Hurdes, a remote region in Extremadura, which was connected to the outside world only in 1922 with the completion of a road. The residents of the area – spread across several villages – had to endure miserable lives in poverty and isolation from the outside world. The program for the day will be completed by the feature film Alsasua 1936, directed by Helena Taberna in 1994. Directed by Pilar Pérez in 2013, the documentary Las maestras de la República will conclude the movie series on July 29 at 6 p.m. This film, awarded with the Goya for Best Documentary in 2014, reflects the role of several female teachers, their effort to establish democracy in the country, and how they were key in the years between 1931 and 1936.


All films will be shown in their original versions in Spanish with subtitles in English. The screenings will take place at the FDCP’s Cinematheque Centre Manila, 855 T.M. Kalaw, Ermita, Manila. Entrance is free on a first-come, first-served basis. Meanwhile, on July 8, 3 p.m., Instituto Cervantes in collaboration with the Ayala Museum, will be presenting an Art Appreciation lecture on Pablo Ruiz Picasso entitled Cubism and the Long Path to Picasso’s Guernica. In this lecture, art-historian Juan Ignacio Pita will discuss some details of the historical and artistic journey that led to one of the 20th century’s masterpieces. For reservations or further inquiries about this lecture, please call Ayala Museum at 759-8288, local 8272 / 8267, or email education@ayalamuseum.org. For further information on the film series and the lecture please log on to: Instituto Cervantes’ website http://www.manila.cervantes.es or http://www.facebook.com/InstitutoCervantesManila, or call 526-1482.

Experience the Taste of Japanese Food with Buddha-Bar Manila's Corporate Chef Shigeki Iimura


Wazzup Pilipinas!

Buddha-Bar Manila, a world-class resto-bar-lounge that offers fine dining and entertainment experience, is bringing the best of contemporary Japanese cuisine as Chef Shigeki IimuraBuddha-Bar’s Japanese Corporate Chef, visits Manila this July 7 for a meet-and-greet with lovers of good food and entertainment.

A night of gastronomical delight will follow on July 8 as the renowned executive chef showcases his culinary skills as he prepares choice Japanese dishes through a live kitchen demo.

The said event on July 8, dubbed as “Japanese Serenade,” features Chef Shigeki’s signature Japanese dishes that will be prepared right before a live crowd while a violinist plays a beautiful ensemble.

“We are glad to invite everyone who loves Japanese food for this once-in-a-year event. I know that they will get to enjoy and learn a lot from this spectacular night as Buddha-Bar Japanese Head Chef Shigeki Iimura  comes over to showcase his one-of-a-kind dishes,” said Bernadette Castillo, Sales and Marketing head of Buddha-Bar Manila.

For almost 35 years, Chef Shigeki was able to learn the different styles of Authentic Japanese cuisine from Kyoto-style to Kaga and Robata-style. With this, he achieved a reputation in the culinary world in Japan as he established a career in a top restaurant in Tokyo. After traveling and working in different parts of the world, he developed a passion for Western cuisine and its flavours.

“Beyond the passion for Continental and Japanese cuisine, Chef Shigeki is admired most because he is an artist whose talent gives people emotions displayed from the fusion of his different cooking styles,” added Castillo.
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