DOE to Energize Off-grid Areas

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EMPOWERING REMOTE AREAS: Feasibility studies conducted in Mindanao and Bohol using small renewable energy-based productive applications were presented by the DOE and EU-ASEP. The studies entail sustainable power access and local economic development in the chosen areas. In photo together with DOE Undersecretary Jesus Cristino Posadas (2nd from right) are (L-R) ASEP Expert Ces Rodriguez, Municipality of Malita Barangay Little Baguio Chair Ferdinand San, International Cooperation and Development EU Director General Stefano Manservisi, NEDA Director General Ernesto M. Pernia, Municipality of Don Marcelino Barangay Baluntaya Chair Amado Cano and Municipality of Getafe Barangay Banacon Chair Rodrigo Ismael.

Three off-grid areas in Mindanao and Bohol were chosen as the pilot sites for the collaboration involving the Department of Energy (DOE), National Electrification Administration and the European Union-Access to Sustainable Energy Program (EU-ASEP).

The DOE and NEA on Friday (2 March) presented the program intended to put in place small renewable energy-based applications to spur economic development in host areas and the environs.

The DOE tapped the technical assistance of experts, through EU-ASEP, to expand the country’s sustainable and renewable energy sources and utilization.

Representing Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, DOE Undersecretary Jesus Cristino Posadas said “there is a close correlation between energy, particularly electricity and social and economic development as being energy-poor is poverty-bound.”

“Most of the poorest of the poor are located in remote and far-flung areas which are not connected to the main grids of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao –the so-called off-grid areas.”

“Energizing these power-poor areas will enable economic and social activities to be started and be sustained there,” added Posadas.

Off-grid areas being powered using diesel generators, the costliest power source, Posadas said decentralized mini-grids and solar home systems could revolutionize the energization in these areas.

EU-ASEP feasibility studies identified the common agricultural activities (i.e., corn shelling, flour grounding, rice hulling, winnowing, cassava and coconut grating, abaca stripping and fishing) in the areas where small-RE based productive applications can be utilized to improve production for economic growth.

The three pilot sites include Sitio New Mabuhay in Malita and Sitio Mahayag in Don Marcelino both located in Davao Occidental with proposed projects on modernized abaca and corn processing, respectively; while Barangay Banacon in Getafe, Bohol was proposed with an ice plant (with household micro-grinding) project.

The studies revealed that agricultural production in the above industries is way higher when using small RE-based productive applications, thus contributing more to the economic growth of the area.

EU-ASEP also identified the challenges in providing sustainable livelihood opportunities for households in remote off-grid communities, such as low income, micro scale, distance from markets, lack of local entrepreneurial capacity and sustainability problems, including technical and financial.

The feasibility studies were presented in the Experts Symposium on Renewable Energy-Based Productive Applications in Off-Grid Areas held at the Marquis Events Place in BGC, Taguig City.

The event was attended by partner national government agencies including NEDA, DOF and NEA,  international partners including EU-ASEP officials and partners, energy stakeholders including the Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Bohol II Electric Cooperative, various energy companies, members of the media, and the community leaders and representatives from the pilot areas, Davao Occidental and Bohol.

More Extreme Sports Action Revs Up All-New Season of “Nitro Circus Live: World Tour” on AXN this March

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Reality series returns March 5, Monday-Wednesday at 7:25pm

Global sensation Travis Pastrana and his fearless Nitro Circus crew perform in their first ever North American tour in the latest season of Nitro Circus Live: World Tour, which premieres March 5 on AXN.

After sellout shows around the world, 17-time X Games gold medalist Pastrana leads his crew of daredevil bike riders and the world’s greatest action sports stars across the United States of America for the first time as they take on the most spectacular and dangerous stunts ever attempted with behind-the-scenes drama and nonstop action.

The show features the stars of the original series together with well-known superstars in freestyle motocross, BMX and skate, plus outrageous stunts off the 50-foot-high Nitro Gigant-A-Ramp.

Don’t miss the series of heart-stopping choreographed riding, base jumping and a whole bunch of jaw-dropping, mind-blowing stunts and tricks in the greatest action sports spectacle ever produced.

Nitro Circus Live 4: World Tour premieres on March 5, and airs from Monday to Wednesday at 7:25pm, first and exclusive on AXN.

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

Contemporary Issues with Hilarious Twists Return in Latest Season of “The Carmichael Show” This March on Sony Channel

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Season 3 begins March 4, Sunday at 8:30 pm

Standup comedian Jerrod Carmichael is back for more spirited conversations with his family in the new season of the comedy series The Carmichael Show whichpremieres on Sony Channel on March 4.

What starts out as heated discussions on contemporary issues end up in humorous arguments as Carmichael discovers the ties that bind his relationships with this wife Maxine (Amber West), and his opinionated family - his admirable brother Bobby (Lil Rey Howery) and his old-fashioned parents, the outspoken Joe (David Alan Grier) and the deeply religious Cynthia (Loretta Devine).

In the season opener, the family gets into a debate about consent that sends Bobby into a spiral when a friend of Maxine and Jerrod's posts about her sexual assault on social media.

The Carmichael Show Season 3 premieres on March 4 and airs every Sunday at 8:30pm.

Sony Channel is available on Cablelink Channel 39, Cignal Channel 120, Destiny Cable Channel 35, G Sat Channel 48, and SKYCable Channel 35.

Exclusive Networks Expands Operations in the Philippines

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Growing Demand in Cybersecurity Drives Partnerships with Imperva and LogRhythm 

IN PHOTO (FROM L-R): Andrew Draper – AVP for Asia, Imperva; Renato Garcia – Country Manager – Philippines, Exclusive Networks; Ang Chye Hin – Director of Sales (Asia Pacific and Japan), LogRhythm

                                                            

Exclusive Networks, the value-added security and technology (VAST) company, has announced new partnerships with Imperva and LogRhythm that have been forged in response to the growing cybersecurity maturity of Asian markets.

The company also recently acquired Transition Systems Asia, a value-added distributor, as part of its expansion into Asia, including the Philippines.

In the Philippines, the importance of securing citizens against cyber threats is strongly emphasized in the “National Cybersecurity Plan 2022”. This five-year strategy from the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) seeks to raise the country’s cybersecurity awareness and capabilities to global standards.

In crafting the plan, DICT recognizes the importance of protecting every single internet user as well as the Philippines' critical information infrastructure (CII), government networks, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and big businesses and corporations.

Disruptive Distribution

By expanding its operations in Asia and the Philippines, in particular, Exclusive Networks is using its unique capabilities to enhance the region’s cybersecurity posture and foster its own transformative strategy through traditional distribution channels.

Exclusive Networks accelerates market entry and growth for innovative cybersecurity, networking and infrastructure technologies. It works with thousands of reseller companies around the world to boost their business opportunities in cybersecurity and achieve new revenue streams within the changing technology landscape.

Renowned as the ‘go-to’ VAD partner for

disruptive cybersecurity technologies,

Exclusive Networks continually challenges traditional VAD models, redefining value and creating differentiation.  It promotes ‘Disruptive Distribution’, responding to new demands and prospects driven by more than entrepreneurial spirit.  

Exclusive Networks thoroughly screens and analyses hot new vendors before taking the best on-board. Its extensive knowledge of the market allows it to understand emerging trends and opportunities which its partners can then convert into profit-making businesses.

One prominent advantage of this unique disruption of the supply chain is that each national and regional Exclusive Networks business unit is free to react to its own instincts, applying its market experience and cultural awareness, without beingconstrained by bureaucratic hierarchies. These units are easier to do business with and act faster than other resellers.

New Partners

Imperva is a leading provider of data and application security solutions that protect business-critical information on-premises, in the cloud, and across hybrid environments using best-in-class solutions. Imperva’s SecureSphere, Incapsula, and CounterBreach provides granular visibility into how users access data and applications, and uses sophisticated user tracking and classification to detect and block cyberattacks, botnets, unauthorized users and malicious insiders while ensuring compliance.

Imperva is the leader for four consecutive years in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Web Application Firewalls. Imperva’s application security protects your websites, infrastructure and name servers from low-and-slow and volumetric DDoS attacks 24/7 with web application security testing. It blocks SQL injection, cross-site scripting, and remote file inclusion so your web applications stay secure. Imperva uses multiple security methods like dynamic profiling, rate limiting, and access controls to safeguard vulnerable APIs and mobile applications. 

LogRhythm pioneered Threat Lifecycle Management (TLM) technology, empowering organizations to rapidly detect, respond to and neutralize damaging cyber threats. The TLM platform unifies leading-edge data lake technology, artificial intelligence, security analytics and security automation and orchestration in a single end-to-end solution. It combines people, process, and technology, empowering the cyber team by sorting through the noise to highlight and investigate high-priority threats.

LogRhythm serves as the foundation for the AI-enabled security operations center, helping customers secure their cloud, physical and virtual infrastructures for both IT and OT environments. Its data security and management functionalities allow visibility on all devices and monitor the logs of each device on possible threats using its unique security intelligence analytics SIEM platform.

The LogRhythm Platform uniquely delivers effective end-to-end TLM—from forensic data collection and analysis, through neutralization, to full recovery. It can be easily tailored to help companies meet specific security needs and scale alongside as the organization matures.

LogRhythm’s core Products are LogRhythm Enterprise, a unified, scalable solution for large organizations and LogRhythm XM, an efficient, affordable packaged solution tailored to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises.

For enterprises looking for a solution to detect known and unknown user-based threats, LogRhythm’s User and Entity Behavior Analytics(UEBA) detects anomalous user behavior via machine learning(ML). The solution augments the team’s current security environment, accelerating detection and response so organizations stay ahead as cyberthreats rapidly evolve.

QUOTES

Exclusive Networks

“Our expansion into Asia and the Philippines, is part of our overall VAST strategy to be a global leader for various areas of information technology, including cybersecurity. We believe this presents an excellent opportunity for us to promote and establish our disruptive distribution strategy in new markets.

“We are confident that our new partners Imperva and LogRhythm will add significant value to our current mix of innovative solutions and technologies. At the same time, their contributions will strengthen our corporate direction; to be an end-to-end solutions provider that meets local needs and demand,” said Renato Garcia, country manager, Exclusive Networks Philippines.

Imperva

“With this partnership, Imperva will be able to recommend tailored cyber security solutions to the Philippines market. I believe that this partnership with Exclusive Networks will provide better local coverage and service to our clients,” said Andrew Draper, Area Vice President for Asia.

LogRhythm

With Exclusive Networks’ expertise and experience, we trust that our partnership will be able to better address needs of customers in the Philippines and across the region. The Philippines government’s cybersecurity plan underscores the immediate need to overcome the uncertainties and dangers of today’s evolving threat landscape. Organizations will soon need to recognize the need for artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) in order to become more effective in detecting true threats and minimizing false positives automatically. This is a critical priority especially if organizations want to stay ahead of sophisticated cybercriminals,” said Joanne Wong, Senior Regional Director for Asia Pacific & Japan at LogRhythm

DOTr Partners with JICA, Academe, for Establishment of First-Ever Philippine Railways Institute

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The Department of Transportation (DOTr) partnered with various academic institutions and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in establishing the first-ever Philippine Railways Institute (PRI).

During the first day of Transportation Summit (TransMit) 2018 in Intramuros, Manila yesterday, 1 March 2018, Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with various academic institutions to ensure that the country will be able to provide the human and knowledge resources needed to design, build, operate, and maintain the massive railways pipeline under the Duterte Administration’s Build, Build, Build program.

The academic institutions involved in the partnership are TransMit host Mapua University, National University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Technological Institute of the Philippines, and the University of Santo Tomas.

The DOTr and JICA also signed the Records of Discussion, which sets out the steps and timeline for the establishment of the PRI.

Currently, the Philippines only has 77-km. of operational railways. But under the Duterte Administration’s Build Build Build program, the DOTr targets to build 1,900-km. of rails by 2022.

“Delivering this massive railways pipeline will require not just the more than 1 trillion pesos that the government will be investing, it will also require talented and hardworking individuals, especially young and optimistic ones, who are committed to serving the nation,” Undersecretary for Railways TJ Batan said.

He added that while building new railways is important, it is equally important to ensure that the new trains and other components of these new railways are operated and maintained efficiently, reliably, and on a par with international best practices.

The Philippine Railways Institute (PRI) is envisioned to become a training institution and licensing body, which will ensure that all individuals who will operate and maintain the trains, as well as other personnel involved in operations, will have the necessary skills, qualifications, and service-oriented mindset.

"The PRI will ensure that the Philippines' Golden Age of Infrastructure will be sustained and will continue delivering the reliable service that our people deserve long after all of the Build Build Build projects are completed,” Batan said. 

The NEW Fujifilm X-A5 Launch and Ambassadors

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Summer is fast approaching and there is no better way to celebrate it than to capture all those remarkable moments! With the launch of the NEW Fujifilm X-A5, seven new brand ambassadors made sure you’re summer-ready -- Shy Carlos, Issa Pressman, Michelle Dy, Janeena Chan, Bea Benedicto, Chelsea Robato, Katarina Rodriguez and Andi Eigenmann.

Capture your fun adventures with the Fujifilm X-A5, the smallest and lightest mirrorless digital camera from the X Series range. Combining a new 24.2 megapixel sensor with the X Series signature color reproduction technology, the X-A5 levels up with a newly developed zoom lens, 4K movie recording, touch screen, and the latest Bluetooth pairing technology, perfect for all your social media updates!

Is vlogging part of your summer checklist? Just like beauty vlogger Michelle Dy and fitness enthusiast Bea Benedicto, you can document your passions by using the X-A5’s High-speed HD Video function. There is also a 2.5mm microphone jack, for better sound recording. The X-A5 allows you to record your favorite activities in HD video up to quad speed for slow motion slips. You can also have different bokeh-similar effects with its Multi Focus Mode. It automatically stacks 4K quality images while cleverly changing the depth of field required. Now you won’t miss a snap with X-A5’s 4K Burst function -- shooting 15 frames per second in 4K image quality.

Summer sunshine makes anyone feel bright and vibrant. Capture your good side by having perfect selfies and groufies with the X-A5’s touch screen 180-degree tilting rear LCD Screen. The 180-degree rotation also activates the Eye AF function. This helps our beauty mavens, blogger and host Janeena Chan and Miss Intercontinental 2017 First Runner-up Katarina Rodriguez take high-quality self-portraits by focusing on their eyes. It also has the three-level Portrait Enhancer Mode, which improves skin tone. It really is the perfect gadget to level-up those summer selfies!

For our resident island girls, actress Andi Eigenmann and model Chelsea Robato, harsh sunlight is no longer a problem. Take in summer’s vivid lighting with X-A5’s increased range of ISO Sensitivity extended to ISO 128000, and feel free to be artistic with its Film Simulation Modes. Aside from its standard 11 film simulation modes, the X-A5 also has 2 new advanced features -- Fog Remove and HDR Art.  The new intuitive touch-panel GUI LCD facilitates a live view of film simulations, which allows you to choose the filter you want to use.


For singer Issa Presmann and actress Shy Carlos, summer in the city wont be boring at all as you can still capture those sun-kissed skylines with the Fujifilm X-A5! With its newly developed 24.2 megapixel APS-C sensor partnered with Fujinon lenses, the X-A5 levels up your run-of-the-mill photos with better image resolution, thus ensuring finer details of photo’s texture, form, and even the atmosphere of your chosen landscape. It outperforms previous models in terms of SR+AUTO mode, color reproduction performance and “skin tone” reproduction capability.

The new Fujifilm X-A5 comes in three colors -- pink, brown, and silver. This compact camera comes with a new kit lens, XC15-45mmF3.5-5.6 OIS PZ, currently the smallest and lightest zoom lens. It is the first electric power zoom in the Fujinon Lens Family and has a minimum shooting distance of 5cm from the lens surface for macro.

Apart from the new ambassadors, present during the Fujifilm X-A5 launch are photography enthusiasts Ramon Bautista, Roxanne Barcelo, Victor Basa, Jay Contreras, Sarah Abad, Kim Cruz, Kerwin King, Deegee Razon, Shaira Luna, Reese Lansangan, Erika Rabara, and Lharby Policarpio.

Join this summer’s stylish set of ambassadors by getting yourself the hottest accessory this season, the Fujifilm X-A5!

※1 X-Trans is a trademark or registered trademark of FUJIFILM Corporation.

FEU Short Film "Retrospektib" Competes at ASEANnale After Active Vista Win

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Fresh from its victory at the Active Vista Short Film Competition, a satirical film on Martial Law is representing Far Eastern University at the first Film and Multimedia Competition and Exhibition of the ASEAN Biennale. ASEANnale 2018 will culminate with an awarding ceremony on March 2 at the UP Asian Center in Diliman, Quezon City.

Retrospektib, which was made by FEU communication students as a project for their Cinema Production or CNM2 class, recently won third prize at Active Vista “for taking the audience into a brave harrowing yet comical journey through the nightmares of dictatorship.”

Written and directed by Daryll Jameson Apaga, the short film focuses on three male activists who try to escape the atrocities of the Narkos regime. Jay (Julio Garcia) persuades Boyong (David Paul Farma) and Ramon (Renz Silverio) to travel through time with the help of Mang Jun (Andres Balano), a local quack doctor. However, Boyong is hesitant about Jay’s plan on running away from it all. They will soon discover a life-changing scenario in the present time.

Apaga got ample support from Malayang Paskilan Productions led by  producer Ira Locnen, director of photography Nathan Olid, production designers Enna Sarmiento and Jaimie Del Rosario, costume designers Wency Bautizado, Pau Latoza and Dominique Fausto, soundmen Mark Ordiz and Davey Clemente, and production managers Clarinette Cariaga and Gesma Rebagay. Apaga and Locnen later teamed up with Elijah Gador in editing the film.

Dr. Grace J. Alfonso, ASEANnale Organizing Committee Chair, said that the three-day conference seeks to encourage cultural and academic dialogue grounded on the concept of students and faculty as co-creators of knowledge and works.

Apart from showcasing select creative and research works from the 10 ASEAN countries, ASEANnale seeks to promote a community of scholars through film and multimedia, poster exhibition, paper presentation, and international symposium on three sub-themes shared by numerous parties in the region: Diaspora, Disasters and Democracy. The event is envisioned to be a space for the sharing of voices, collaboration and networking of ASEAN higher education students and faculty.

Apaga believes that “art can be a space of dissent and resistance.” For him, freedom of expression is significant as it “gives the oppressed a voice in the public sphere.” The filmmaker, who hails from San Mateo, Isabela, warns Filipinos not to be complacent during this period in our history.

“Wag nating ‘takasan’ o kalimutan ang kasaysayan specifically ang mga nangyari noong panahon ng martial law. Sa panahong kalat na ang fake news at kabilaan ang mga apologists at revisionists, kailangan natin ng kamalayan tungkol sa pinakamadilim na bahagi ng ating kasaysayan. Pwedeng mangyari ulit to kung hindi tayo magiging kritikal sa nangyayari sa lipunan,” he reiterated.

Retrospektib previously won Best Screenplay, Best Production Design and 2nd Best Picture at the 2017 Sinepiyu and Outstanding Ensemble at CineSB7. It was also exhibited at Pineapple Lab in Barangay Poblacion, Makati City as part of FRINGEMNL 2018 and at UPLB REDREC Auditorium at the recent Pelikultura: The Calabarzon Film Festival.

DOE, Petron, Shell and Phoenix Agree to Provide Fuel Discounts on PUVs

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PUV DISCOUNTS: Energy Secretary G. Alfonso together with Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. President and CEO Cesar G. Romero signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the DOE and Shell on 1 March 2018 at the DOE Media Center giving fuel discounts to public utility vehicles as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs. The agreement, which is effective upon the date of MOA signing, includes PhP1.00 per liter discounts on liquid fuels in selected Shell stations across the country. This initiative aims to mitigate the impact of Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law on oil prices and to avert transport fare increases. Other participating oil companies are Petron Corp. and Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc. 

Good news for public utility vehicles and commuters.

The Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with Petron Corp., Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc., today signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) to provide fuel discounts to public utility vehicles (PUVs).

“These corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs of the oil companies are aimed to mitigate the impact of Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Law’s impact on transportation fares,” said Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi.  

The CSR programs will expand the oil companies’ existing discount programs for PUJs, which includes the increase in the number of participating retail stations, higher discounts and inclusion of other PUVs. 

The highlights of the agreements between DOE, Petron, Shell and Phoenix are the following:

a. At least PhP1.00 discounts per liter of liquid fuels to public utility vehicles (PUVs), which may include jeepneys and taxis

b. Oil companies to provide a designated lane for PUVs

c. Additional privileges and other promotional offers to be offered to the drivers of PUVs 

“With these fuel discount and other CSR programs, we are hopeful that operators of jeepneys and buses will also help lessen the impact of TRAIN to consumers by not increasing the transport fares,” Cusi underscored.

Sec. Cusi added that the wisdom of TRAIN Law is to raise funds to finance major infrastructure projects and relevant projects of the government to uplift the lives of the Filipino people and the next generations to come.

“Energy efficiency and these CSR schemes are being pursued by the DOE to maximize the benefit of having a higher take home pay for lower and middle class income taxpayers,” Cusi concluded.

The MOA signing between the DOE and oil companies for fuel discounts on PUVs as part of their CSR was opened by DOE-Assistant Secretary Leonido J. Pulido III. The event was attended by the DOE Oil Industry Management Bureau, stakeholders from the oil industry and the members of the media.

OTHER PHOTO CAPTIONS:

PUV DISCOUNT LANES: To reduce the impact of oil price increases due to the excise tax provision under the TRAIN Law, Energy Secretary G. Alfonso together with Petron Corp’s Chief Finance Officer Emmanuel E. Eraña signed on 1 March 2018 at the DOE Media Center the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the DOE and Petron giving fuel discounts to public utility vehicles. Based on the MOA, Petron’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program will take effect ten days after the signing of the MOA. It entails at least PhP1.00 per liter discounts on liquid fuels in selected Petron stations across the country. This initiative also aims to temper petitions for transport fare increases of PUVs with the implementation of the TRAIN Law. Other participating oil companies are Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc.

EXPANDING FUEL DISCOUNTS: About 150 gas stations will give discounts to PUVs after Energy Secretary G. Alfonso together with Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc. VP for External Affairs Atty. Raymund Zorilla signed on 1 March 2018 at the DOE-Media Center the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the DOE and Phoenix Petroleum giving fuel discounts to public utility vehicles. According to Zorilla, Phoenix Petroleum’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program provides at least PhP1.00 per liter discounts on liquid fuels in  selected stations across the country. Together with other participating oil companies, Petron Corp. and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Phoenix Petroleum wants to mitigate the impact of the TRAIN Law on PUVs and commuters.

LINK TO SPEECH OF Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1292518177516445&id=324295137672092

Celebrate the Graduates at Makati Diamond Residences

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Toast to being one step closer to fulfilling a dream! Dine and celebrate your graduate’s milestone at Alfred. Available from March 1 to 31, 2018, graduates enjoy a 25% discount on the total bill by presenting their school certificate or school ID.

Alfred at Makati Diamond Residences is open 24 hours, offering a curated selection of Asian and Continental dishes such as U.S. Prime Rib Eye with Porcini Sauce served with Grilled Vegetables and Truffle Fries, Grilled Duo of Chilean Seabass, Scallop & Vegetable Bayaldi Gratin with Tomato Saffron, and Linguine Manila Clams & Spicy Pork Chorizo.

Makati Diamond Residences is located at 118 Legazpi Street, Legazpi Village, Makati City 1229. For more information, contact +63 2 317 0999 or visit www.makatidiamond.com or email reservations@makatidiamond.com. Check facebook.com/MakatiDiamondResidences or follow @makatidiamondresidences on Instagram for more updates.

Make Her Happy on the International Women’s Day

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The International Women’s Day may not be a bank holiday but it celebrates a significant aspect of our lives – women. It’s a day when many health initiatives take place, and when we can show the women in our lives our appreciation. Stemming from women’s rights movement and celebrated from 1910, it’s a wonderful occasion to shower them with gifts and wishes.

How to buy a perfect gift for a woman you love may not be an easy question but with just a few steps, you are bound to get it right.

First of all, you need to ask yourself what kind of a woman she is. Your mother may have different preferences than your sister or wife, so think about her interests and what makes her happy. If she’s a fashionista, find something that will suit her at a fashion store, such as Zalora.
Even if she’s not into fashion, you can look for something in the beauty department.

Every woman likes to be pampered so get her something that will make her feel special. If she’s more into skincare, the Korean beauty treatment kit from Althea will quickly become her favourite.

On the other hand, if she likes to play with colours, visit Sephora and find gift ideas there. With the right approach, even the most exclusive cosmetics can be very affordable.

The woman you love may very well be into things other than fashion. For example, if she is a person with a more practical approach and likes gadgets that can make her life more comfortable, you will find plenty of such items in online shops like Lazada. With home delivery you don’t even need to leave the house. However, there is one other option. If the woman you want to gift prefers to collect memories instead of different types of products, you can buy her a trip.

While it’s true that holidays are most often planned well ahead, you can surprise her and take her away for a holiday. With trip-planner websites, such as Expedia, you can find something for singles, couples or groups and go as soon as the next weekend.

A gift like this requires a bit more preparation but it will be all worth it in the end. If she’s not a big fan of travelling, you can find things to do in your area and show her some interesting places here in the Philippines. Just do a little digging and surprise her!

It’s always nice to give a small gift to a person we care about and the International Women’s Day is just another example of a perfect occasion for it. With just a little effort and savvy approach to shopping, you can quickly become the gift master in the family.