Olympic Swimmers Praise ONE Championship for Elevating Sports Landscape in Asia

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In partnership with Nielsen Sports, the leading source of sports measurement, analytics and insights around the world, ONE Championship held the inaugural “What’s Next in Global Sports” conference from May 17 to 18 May at the Marina Bay Sands Expo & Convention Centre in Singapore.

Tackling the driving factors behind Asia’s rise on the global sports stage, the event featured an esteemed list of notable guests, including two of the most prominent Olympians in history.

Olympic swimmers Michael Phelps and Joseph Schooling attended the “What’s Next in Global Sports” conference, which brought together thought leaders that participated in dynamic discussions on the key technology, media and marketing trends shaping the future of the sports industry.

Phelps is the most decorated swimmer in history, capturing a total of 28 medals including a record-setting 23 gold medals, over the course of his illustrious career

“It’s an honor to grace this event with the who’s who of the industry. We are now living in the digital age. The sporting world is now going into that direction  as well. In order to grow, we have to adapt to it. We have to innovate and be available on all these digital platforms,” he said.

“Every single technological innovation in delivery of content advances sports to its potential. It benefits the athletes and the organizers. More opportunities are upon the sporting world. This is all good news for all of us,” Phelps added.

Meanwhile, Schooling became an Olympic gold medalist, defeating Phelps and setting a world record for the 100-meter butterfly event at the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2016.

Currently a final year student at the University of Texas at Austin and a prominent member of the Texas Longhorns swimming team, Schooling was recently appointed as exclusive Ambassador of ONE Championship.

“Partnering with ONE Championship represents exciting times. I have always identified with the values of ONE Championship, and I think that is an important factor to any partnership,” Schooling stated.

Schooling commended ONE Championship’s fruitful effort to change the landscape of sports and entertainment in Asia through martial arts.

“I have always had a great time at ONE Championship’s live events. Through careful and strategic developments, ONE Championship has grown immensely in just short span of time. They are offering their unique brand of authentic martial arts action to fans all across the globe,” Schooling shared.

The Asian region has come under the rule of ONE Championship in the span of nearly seven years and over 60 blockbuster events.

When Chairman and CEO Chatri Sityodtong came up with the idea for ONE Championship, he envisioned the entire Asia comprised of over 4-billion people united under a single sport.

ONE Championship has achieved tremendous success since its inception in 2011, establishing itself as the world’s largest martial arts organization by hosting bouts across all styles of martial arts such as Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Karate, Kung Fu, Mixed Martial Arts, Silat, Sanda, Lethwei, Tae Kwon Do, Submission Grappling, and more.

Although ONE Championship has completely revolutionized the martial arts landscape internationally, Sityodtong attributes the promotion’s success by adhering to the values that made the continent of 4.4 billion people the home of some of the best known martial arts stars like Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Jet Li.

“The lessons of martial arts, the gifts of martial arts are so precious that I really believe it's the greatest platform to unleash human potential,” he said. “The DNA of ONE Championship is martial arts, the home of martial arts in Asia with Asian values run by a martial artist. “

“And the reality is since day one, ONE Championship has always been about that. We've always been about celebrating and uniting the continent with what we are best at - martial arts and their values,” Sityodtong explained further.

Sityodtong often refers to the values of integrity, humility, honor, respect, courage, and discipline as the foundation of martial arts in Asia.

Whereas its Western counterparts mostly focus on the competition aspect, highlighting showmanship and bravado above the core values that Sityodtong lives by, ONE Championship has chosen to focus on what resonates with its fan base.

“Sports superstars have a unique impact on society. They ignite hope, inspiring fans to be all that they can be through hard work and dedication. Much like the effect Michael Jordan has had on basketball, martial arts has its own superheroes,” he stated.

“ONE Championship focuses particularly on building local martial arts stars -- individuals who came from the same backyard, who experienced the same hardships and trials in everyday life as the very fans who idolize them. By concentrating on building these superheroes, ONE Championship has positioned a product that resonates with the Asian people,” Sityodtong expounded.

As the setting of sports media is experiencing a rapid shift towards online and streaming services, ONE Championship has adopted a digital-first strategy to keep with the trend.

Consumers continue to gravitate towards online mediums of entertainment, and ONE Championship is following suit, exploring a multitude of digital channels on which to offer its unique content.

ONE Championship recently launched its mobile app as it aims to provide millions of martial arts fans around the world with access to every ONE Championship live event, as well as the complete library of digital content -- all free.

All of the 11 bouts at its upcoming event in Singapore on Friday, May 18 will be streamed live and for free.

“This historic event will be seen around the globe as it will be aired by the biggest television networks across Asia and the world. It will also be available for free through the ONE Super App. Witnessing a great display of martial arts action is now at your fingertips,” Sityodtong stressed.

ONE: UNSTOPPABLE DREAMS is set to feature three world title clashes, including the headlining bout between reigning ONE Women’s Atomweight Champion Angela Lee and Mei Yamaguchi.

The co-main event will see Muay Thai legend Sam-A Gaiyanghadao going up  against Sergio Wielzen for the inaugural ONE Super Series Flyweight Muay Thai World Championship title.

Meanwhile, Australia’s Martin Nguyen will be making a bid to successfully defend his featherweight crown for the very first time against Christian Lee, the younger brother of Angela Lee.

Phelps, who called it a career almost two years ago and is now focusing on charity works, expressed his exuberance of being at cageside on Friday to witness the action firsthand.

“I am super excited. It’s going to be a treat. I am already looking forward to it, and good luck to all athletes competing on the card this Friday,” he 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.

The Squaddies’ Shrew: Ian Maclennan’s Adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Taming Of The Shrew Makes its Philippine Premiere on May 27 – 28

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Tanghalang Ateneo, the longest-running theater company of the Loyola Schools of the Ateneo de Manila University, presents The Squaddies’ Shrew, its 39th Season intersession production and entry to the third biennial conference of the Asian Shakespeare Association: “Shakespeare, Traffic, Tropics”. The play is Ian Maclennan’s adaptation and direction of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

Ian Maclennan is Professor and current Chair of the Department of Theater and Motion Picture Arts of Thorneloe University in Laurentian, Canada where he teaches Theater History, Shakespeare in Performance, Acting, and Directing. He has written extensively on Shakespearean performance, several of them presented in various conferences across the world. Also an active theater practitioner, Ian has acted and directed in countless productions for the university and the professional stage, and has facilitated workshops on various aspects of performance, Shakespearean or otherwise, in various institutions in North America and the Asia-Pacific. The Squaddies’ Shrew, his adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew was first shown in Tasmania, Australia in 2006 and will have its Philippine debut during the 2018 ASA Conference.

In Shakespeare’s play, Signor Baptista won’t let his younger daughter, Bianca, get married until he has married off his elder daughter, Katherine. Problem is, Katherine has a reputation as a shrew, defined in the American Heritage Dictionary as a “woman with a violent, scolding, or nagging temperament” and no one wants to marry her. Along comes Petruccio who is looking for a wife, particularly one with some money behind her. He decides that Katherine will make a great wife and that he will work on her until he has “tamed” her. He challenges her, he embarrasses her, he scolds her, but she still doesn’t give in. In Shakespeare’s play, Petruccio finally wears her down until she lets him have his way and she becomes the obedient wife. In The Squaddies’ Shrew, Katherine never totally gives in. She recognizes what he is doing and decides to play his game to make him think he has her under his thumb. So, in the long run, Katherine beats Petruccio at his own game by making him think he has won and she is tamed.

In this adaptation, the squaddies (young soldier recruits) put on the play as part of a trick being played on one of their own, Sly, who is a drunken lout. They get him to believe that he is a general and that Bartholomew, one of the squaddies, is his wife. They then put up this play to entertain the general and get him to play Petruccio. Sly falls for it, hook, line, and sinker. These squaddies are not great actors but what they lack in talent, they make up in enthusiasm.

Tanghalang Ateneo’s Ervin Ocrisma plays the roles of Sly, a squaddie who is tricked by his comrades into believing he is a general, and Petruccio, a suitor to Katherine who is the only one who could tame her.

Serge Davide plays the role of Katherine, the shrew. No one dares court her except for Petruccio. He also plays the role of Bartholomew, a soldier who fakes being the wife of Sly.

Eldrick Yuji Los Baños plays the role of RSM, the leader of the squaddies who conceived the plan to trick Sly. His other roles are Baptista, father of Katherine and Bianca, and Vincentio, the father of Lucentio.

Maco Guibone plays the roles of Lucentio, Squaddie 1, and Grumio. Squaddie 1 is part of the crew that plays a trick on Sly. Lucentio is a suitor of Bianca while Grumio is a servant to Petruccio.

Tristan Ahorro plays the roles of Tranio, Gremio, Nathaniel, Squaddie 2, and Tailor. Tranio and Nathaniel play similar roles as servants, with Tranio serving Lucentio and Nathaniel serving Petruccio. Squaddie 2 is part of the crew that plays a trick on Sly. Gremio is a suitor to Bianca while the tailor is a character that makes clothes for Petruccio.

Francis Roy Genelsa plays Squaddie 3, Hortensio, Biondello, and Curtis. Squaddie 3 is part of the crew that plays a trick on Sly. Hortensio is a suitor to Bianca and a friend to Petruccio. He would later disguise himself as Licio, a schoolmaster to Bianca, in order to court her. Curtis is a servant under Petruccio.

The artistic team of The Squaddies’ Shrew is composed of Tanghalang Ateneo Artistic Director and Moderator Glenn Sevilla Mas, Ian Maclennan (Direction and Adaptation), Guelan Varela-Luarca and Nicolo Ricardo Magno (Assistant Directors), Tata Tuviera (Production Design), D Cortezano (Lighting Design), and Lucas Abaya (Graphics Design).

The playdates of The Squaddies’ Shrew are May 27-28. Performances start at 6:30PM at The Doreen Black Box Theater, Arete Arts Wing, Ateneo de Manila University. This intersession staging of the play also serves as a preview run of the season opener of Tanghalang Ateneo’s 40th Season. Regular shows are targeted to run from August 14-18, August 21-25, August 28-September 1 later this year.

For questions and additional details about the show, please contact Frances Catipon at 09175285650.

Connect with Tanghalang Ateneo online through the following social media networks:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/TanghalangAteneo
Twitter: www.twitter.com/TAOfficial_
Instagram: www.instagram.com/tanghalangateneo

#TA39 #SquaddiesTA #PerformingChange

PH Rise Sidelines - Cusi Pushes AURELCO, NGCP Sub-Transmission Connection

Wazzup Pilipinas!

As President Rodrigo Duterte asserted the Philippine sovereignty here, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi fits in Aurora’s energization last Tuesday during the commemoration of the First Anniversary of the renaming of Benham Rise to Philippine Rise.

Cusi used the occasion to meet with Aurora Electric Cooperative, Inc. (AURELCO) General Manager Noel DV. Vedad to discuss the island- and micro-grid designs, as well as the planned sub-transmission facilities in their franchise area for the possible connection expansion with the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in the Municipality of San Luis, which is located south of Aurora’s capital, Baler.

Cusi and Vedad discussed about these plans to increase the reliability of electricity services in AURELCO’s franchise area, as part of the electric coop’s “redundancy” measures.

“Aurora is a thriving province and we have to further equip them with effective energy systems to increase not just the stability of their power supply, but also their capability to be energy resilient, especially that it’s vulnerable to natural disasters brought by typhoons,” Cusi explained.

AURELCO is closely coordinating with the DOE’s Electric Power Industry Management Bureau, the National Electrification Administration (NEA) and the Energy Regulatory Commission to put up a 69kV sub-transmission facility traversing Maria Aurora and Casiguran. This also includes a 5 megavolt ampere substation as endorsed by DOE to NEA, which forms part of the electric cooperative’s Distribution Development Plan.

When completed, these projects will provide stable and reliable services to the towns of Dinalungan, Casiguran, Dilasag in Aurora Province and Dinapigue in Isabela or the so-called “DICADIDI areas”.

The DICADIDI areas are currently being served by the National Power Corporation’s Small Power Utilities Group, which is isolated from the Luzon Grid.

The DOE noted that sub-transmission projects are badly needed to improve electricity services in the AURELCO franchise area including also the facilitation of the graduation of AURELCO from its missionary electrification (or subsidy) status.

The DOE Chief concluded, “We are seeing stronger grid connectivity and functioning island- and micro-grids as a way forward to improve Aurora’s current power situation.”

Cover photo caption:

Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi (second from left) are AURELCO General Manager Noel DV. Vedad, DOE Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos and Energy Resource Development Assistant Director Ismael U. Ocampo. The meeting happened last Tuesday (15 May) as a sideline to the Presidential Ceremonial Send-off for the All-Filipino Marine Scientific Research (MSR) and Laying of an Ocean Buoy and Symbolic Marker at the Philippine Rise held in Casiguran, Aurora.

Benilde Prof Bags Best Editing Award in France for Bhoy Intsik

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Benilde Film faculty John Anthony Wong won Best Editing for "Bhoy Intsik" in the Foreign Language Film category of the 2018 NICE International Film Festival of World Cinema held in France from May 5 to 12.

Wong bested fellow nominees Chang-Gyun Kim ("A Trip With Friends"), Aziz Imamoglu ("Dad Where Are You I Am Lost"), Yuji Kakizaki and Yasutake Torii ("Dai 2 Keibitai – The Second Security Unit"), Yuan Fang ("Destiny Among the Mountains"), Jose David ("Flea"), Giancarlo Escamillas and Carlo Ortega Cuevas ("Guerrero"), Takeshi Iwamoto ("Lemon & Letter"), Alex Vargas ("Rice"), Shinpei Masui ("Spit & Honey"), Maxime Aubert ("The Blogger"), Abdulla Alneyadi ("The Tragedy of the Monster") and Sreekar Prasad ("To Let").

"Bhoy Intsik," a film about two small-time felons who crossed paths and forged an uncanny friendship, stars Raymond "RS" Francisco in the title role and Ronwaldo Martin as Marlon. Directed by Joel Lamangan, it previously won the Special Jury Prize in the Orient Express section of the 38th Oporto International Film Festival and two acting trophies for RS Francisco at Sinag Maynila Film Festival 2017, in a tie with Kristoffer King ("Kristo"), and Star Awards for Movies 2018. It also competed at the London East Asia Film Festival 2017. 

Wong, who has been editing movies since 2000, considers the film a very interesting project to edit. "The challenge was to create a world where these interwoven lives would interact and counteract with each other without losing the audience in the story's narrative. My team had to work with material that was both visually compelling and dialogue-driven."

The managing director of EDGE Manila Creatives Corporation (EMC2) added that it helped that he was also the film's Visual Effects supervisor. "During editing, when I felt that a sequence needed a little VFX assistance to enhance the mood and tone of a scene, I just ask EDGE Manila's VFX team to add details here and there like 'stormy/gloomy' clouds during a break up scene or digital prosthetics to make a pivotal scene more realistic," he explained. 

Apart from Lamangan, Wong has also worked with the late Gil Portes, Mel Chionglo, Jun Lana, Quark Henares, Albert Martinez and Gino Santos, among others. His work on the 2010 Metro Manila Film Festival entry "Rosario" gave him a Best Festival Editor prize and a similar award from Gawad PASADO (Pampelikulang Samahan ng mga Dalubguro). He has also received a Best Editing trophy from the 2012 Cinemalaya entry "The Animals" and was nominated several times for his editing work by FAMAS, Golden Screen and Star Awards.

Wong dedicated the win to his family, to all the hard-working Filipino film editors and to the Philippine movie industry. "I'm thankful to have once again been able to work with Direk Joel on one of his most important projects. It was also a pleasure to have been able to work with screenwriter Ronald Carballo, cinematographer Rain Yamson II, musical scorer Emerzon Texon and actor-producer Raymond Francisco. All of them were very hands on in the creative process. The success of the film is truly a collaborative process," he stressed.

Aside from his professional work as a movie editor, he also shares his vast post-production knowledge by teaching at the film department of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) School of Design and Arts. He also shoots and directs short films, music videos and corporate videos. He is a graduate of Ricky Lee's 14th scriptwriting workshop.

New OPM Musical GeeGee at Waterina Sets Audition on May 26

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Artist Playground will hold auditions for its forthcoming original Pinoy musical “Geegee at Waterina ” on May 26 – 7 pm onwards at 112 Arts Above, West Avenue QC ( beside McDonald’s ).

The production is looking for Males – 20-35 years old. Can sing and dance. Preferably with ‘ hunk ’ physique. Bring photos and music material.

With book and lyrics by J. Dennis C. Teodosio, “Geegee At Waterina” was first presented at the CCP Virgin Labfest in 2005. A short film version was produced for Cinemalaya in 2006.

The roles of GEEGEE AT WATERINA will be portrayed by Norman Penaflorida and Roeder Camanag respectively.

GEEGEE is an entertainment actor, radio host and a counselor of Pasay City. More than 60 years old.

WATERINA is a ‘comfort gay’ during Japanese Occupation in the Philippines. More than 70 years old. She is one of Gee-gee’s Golden Gays.

With original music composed by Jesse Lucas, and choreography by Leslie Dailisan, GEEGEE AT WATERINA will be directed by Andrew de Real.

The performance schedules of GEEGEE AT WATERINA are as follows:

August 18 (3pm & 7pm)
August 19 (3pm & 7pm)
August 25 (3pm & 7pm)
August 26 (3pm & 7pm)
September 1 (3pm & 7pm)
September 2 (3pm & 7pm)


For further inquiries, please call or send SMS to Ms. Kimberly Somoza at 0975-9193179.

Eight Advocacy Groups Come Together for a Nationwide HIV Testing Day on 26 May

Wazzup Pilipinas!

​LoveYourself, Inc. and its seven partner organizations come together to provide the first-ever multi-site community-led free and confidential HIV test on 26 May 2018 (Saturday) from 11:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. entailing ten sites in Metro Manila, Luzon and even as far as Mindanao.

Dubbed as “This Is Me: Brave and Free,” LoveYourself invites individuals of various shapes and sizes to avail of the free and confidential HIV test by signing up at www.bitly.com/ThisIsMe2018, and to live their lives free from fear – fear of rejection, getting tested and stigma.

In Metro Manila, LoveYourself will hold testing in LoveYourself Anglo clinic along Shaw Blvd., in Mandaluyong City, and LoveYourself Uni near Gil Puyat LRT and Victoria by LoveYourself at 2/F Torres Bldg., 2442 Park Avenue, both in Pasay City; the Decent Image of South Signal Association (DIOSSA) at the 10^th floor of SM Aura in Taguig City; and the HIV & AIDS Support House (HASH) at the National Council of Churches in the Philippines building along EDSA in Quezon City.

For Luzon sites, the Cavite Positive Action Group (CPAG)-JCH Advocacy, Inc. will provide free and confidential testing at 804 Gonzales St., Barangay 11 Sta. Cruz in Cavite City; the Juan Posi+ive Movement at 104-B Roxas Street, Brgy. Lakandula in Mabalacat City, Pampanga; the GAYON at #32 Galang Compound, Sampaguita Street, Old Albay Legazpi City, Albay; and the Project H4 (Health, Help, Hope, Happiness) at Amos Tara Community Center, #41 Abad Santos St., Brgy. Masipag, Puerto Princesa City.

On its Mindanao-leg, the Kagay-an PLUS (Preserving Life, Uniting Society) will set up at Pearlmont Hotel, Limketkai Drive, Cagayan de Oro City; and the Olympus Society of Davao at #36 Loyola St., Bo. Obrero, Poblacion District, Davao City.

Department of Health (DOH) records showed that 912 persons tested positive for HIV in March alone. About 94% of which are males and 32% of the total came from the National Capital Region (NCR) followed by the rising cases in CALABARZON at 17% and Central Visayas at 7%. The DOH records also showed that 99 percent of the newly-diagnosed individuals got the virus through sexual contact, in which 86 percent were among men who have sex with men (MSMs). The 1% of the cases was contracted through needle sharing among injecting drug users.

“With the increasing number of people acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), LoveYourself endeavors to gather fellow warriors in the advocacy for a stronger and resounding voice to promote self-empowerment in taking care of one’s sexual health, as a prelude to curbing the HIV epidemic in the country,” said LoveYourself Executive Director Ronivin G. Pagtakhan.

Apart from its primary goal of instilling awareness and action towards ending HIV, “This Is Me: Brave and Free” empowers one’s self-worth that inspires unity in diversity, and brings the message of love, acceptance and finding strength and courage to overcome fear, which are often associated with HIV and AIDS.

The first-ever multi-site community-led HIV testing day is also supported by the DOH through the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine and its NCR-Office, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, Inc., Save the Children, AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) Philippines, Philippine NGO Council on Population Health and Welfare, Inc. (PNGOC), AusAID Australian Aid Program and HIVOS Humanist Institute for Development Cooperation. For more details on the “This Is Me: Brave and Free,” one may visit thewww.bitly.com/ThisIsMeInfo.

LoveYourself is a non-government organization and widely volunteer-led organization that advocates for HIV awareness, testing and treatment. It also the impetus for the first-ever Love Gala, a charity and awards event for HIV-AIDS awareness in Asia by gathering private and public institutions and youth-oriented organizations into the advocacy, and the creator of pioneer Ripple Awards that honors individuals who have had a significant impact in the HIV-AIDS landscape in Asia and the Philippines.

Why Don't We Invites You to The Invitation Tour in Manila

Wazzup Pilipinas!

  

You are cordially invited to “The Invitation Tour”. Atlantic recording group – WHY DON’T WE, are excited to be coming to MANILA for the first time and will be bringing their headline tour on August 26, 2018 at the Samsung Hall.

 

“The Invitation Tour” celebrates Why Don’t We’s latest EP, “INVITATION” – available now on all digital music retailers and streaming devices. The group has also unveiled the much anticipated companion video for their latest hit single, “Trust Fund Baby”. The video – shot by MTV VMA winning director Jason Koenig (Ed Sheeran, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis) – is streaming now on the band’s massively popular YouTube channel, which now boasts over 1.5 million subscribers. Written by multiple GRAMMY® Award-winning superstar Ed Sheeran and produced by British hitmaker Steve Mac (Ed Sheeran, Liam Payne, Clean Bandit), “Trust Fund Baby” immediately shot into the Top 3 on the iTunes Overall Songs Chart upon its release earlier this month, ahead of superstar artists like Drake, Bruno Mars, and Camila Cabello, and has press raving with BuzzFeed already calling it “a smash” and Rolling Stone gushing about “the song’s catchy, booming beat.”

 

Why Don’t We closed out 2017 on a remarkably high note. In addition to national television appearances on NBC’s “TODAY” and the syndicated daytime show “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” the young group performed on the entire iHeartRadio Jingle Ball tour, sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in pop music, including Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, and Camila Cabello at NYC’s Madison Square Garden. The group was named MTV PUSH: Artist To Watch for the month of November, while simultaneously serving as Radio Disney’s “NBT” (Next Big Thing) featured artist, joining an impressive roster of “NBT” alumni including Camila Cabello, Shawn Mendes, Alessia Cara, Fifth Harmony and more.  Likewise, a raft of noteworthy press has been rolling in as of late, including features in Rolling Stone, People, and TIMEwho enthused that the band’s “…star should only continue to rise in 2018.” 

 

Amassing more than 120 million global audio streams, 2.4 million Instagram followers, and total YouTube views exceeding 145 million with over 1.5 million subscribers in just over a year, Why Don’t We is one of pop music’s biggest breakout stories. Taking an innovative and unconventional approach towards releasing new music and actively engaging their rapidly growing fanbase, the prolific young group – the quintet ranges in age from 16-19 years old - put out four EPs in under 12 months. Following their debut EP “ONLY THE BEGINNING” and followup “SOMETHING DIFFERENT” EP, it was last summer’s “WHY DON’T WE JUST” EP that first exploded, hitting #1 on iTunes’ “Pop Albums” chart, overtaking artists like Bruno Mars, Harry Styles, and Ed Sheeran. After selling out their first-ever headlining summer tour, the band put out their “INVITATION” EP – released in September to commemorate the band’s one year anniversary – which proved an even greater success, topping iTunes’ “Overall Albums” chart in six countries including the United States.  The band’s most recent single “These Girls” made a top 10 debut on the iTunes Store’s “Top Pop Songs” chart late last summer, and now boasts over 13 million worldwide streams while its colorful companion visual has logged over 40 million views at YouTube alone. The band also garnered early press attention from Entertainment Weekly, Us Weekly, and Billboard who named the band in their annual “21 Under 21” ranking, as well as  profile pieces on “Entertainment Tonight,” “Extra,” and “Access Hollywood.”

 

Catch WHY DON’T WE – Daniel Seavey, Zach Herron, Corbyn Besson, Jonah Marais, and Jack Avery – up close and person in Manila at the Samsung Hall. Tickets on-sale on Friday, May 25 via SMTickets.com or Call 470-2222.

 

Ticket Prices:

VIP Standing – P2,700

Balcony – P1,700

(Plus Ticketing Charges)

 

Why Don’t We – Popular Hits:

“Trust Fund Baby”

“Something Different”

“These Girls”

“Nobody Gotta Know”

“Invitation” and More!!

 

For more information, follow Wilbros Live on social media.

Facebook.com/WilbrosLive

Twitter/Instagram @WilbrosLive

Award-Winning FEU Short Film Goes to US, China After Local Victories

Wazzup Pilipinas! 

A short film from Far Eastern University will be screened as part of the Diwa Filipino Film Showcase at Seattle Center Armory Loft 1 in the United States on June 2 and will compete at the ShanghaiPRIDE Film Festival in China from June 9 to 17.

"Pua Iyam" (Coming Out), a film about a Filipino-Chinese student (Rowi Du) who discovers his true identity and feelings for his childhood friend (Raphael Cruz), further spreads its cinematic reach to other countries. This comes after it bagged the Best Screenplay and Best Actor in a Lead Role awards at the 9th Largabista Film Festival in Tacloban City, Leyte and a special citation on gender sensitivity from the first Palawan International Film Festival.

Written and directed by Juan Pablo Pineda III, the film previously won several awards from different student film competitions starting from its home turf in FEU then moving on to De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, University of the Philippines-Diliman and Mapua University.

"Pua Iyam" kicked off its victorious run last year by winning Best Film, Best Director, Best Performance and Best Poster in the Black Reel category of FEU's Sinepiyu 2017. It won for Pineda the Outstanding Direction trophy and for the production team of IndieGo Pictures the Gold Award for Best Picture and the Design Excellence and Technical Excellence awards in the Sibol Category of DLS-CSB's CineSB 7: The Main Installment. 

This year, the film took home the Best Cinematography award and another special citation from UP Cinema's Piling Obrang Vidyo XIV "for being able to incorporate identity and culture in one film that meshed together tastefully." It bagged the Cardinal Bronze Film Award, Best Film Editing and Best Cinematography in the intercollegiate category of CineMapúa 2018.

The film was also selected as part of CineMakulay Film Festival 2017, 29th Gawad CCP for Alternative Film and Video at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and the Indie Un-Film Festival at De La Salle University-Manila. It was also shown as part of Eksena 2017 organized by Dalubhasaan ng mga Umuusbong na Mag-aaral ng Araling Pilipino (DANUM) DLSU. 

"Pua Iyam is a film that is close to my heart. There are reasons why I should not give up -- my goals and my brother, who's in a comatose condition. As soon as he wakes up I would like to give these awards to him," the writer-filmmaker said.

Pineda got ample support from Du, who also line produced, edited and designed the sound for the film, and their classmates -- associate producer Maria Alanna Cargullo, production manager Lyka Valerie Dela Cruz, camera team members Karla Relis, Jose Miguel Ramirez and Amiel Ona, production designers Reina Rizz Esguerra and Kyla Lodriga, wardrobe and make-up artist Mickey Ponce, assistant director Zahara Depaling and script continuity supervisor Krystel Saguit. Mentor Seymour Sanchez served as creative consultant.

The film will be shown as part of Diwa Filipino Film Showcase's "Queer Stories" along with "Orlie" by Avelino Mark Balmes, "Queer Transnational Love in the time of Social Media and Globalization" by Adrian Alarilla, "Act Like A Woman" and "In This Family" by Drama Del Rosario, and "Akalingwan Nang Rosa (Rosa Forgets)" by Max Canlas. The film festival is made in cooperation with the annual Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival, celebrating the Filipino spirit wherever it resides by sharing Filipino and Filipino-American stories to the Seattle community.

"Pua Iyam" will then vie for international recognition at the ShanghaiPRIDE Film Festival, which supports emerging Chinese filmmakers and also brings cutting-edge international queer cinema to Shanghai. The ShPFF earlier worked with the Beijing Queer Filmfest to host film screenings and discussions before offering a wide array of events, as well as opportunities for filmmakers.