Ex-kindergarten Teacher Laura Balin Gallantly Marches to World Title Opportunity

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Promotional debutante Laura “The Gladiadora” Balin, a well-rounded South American contender who has a phenomenal 90 percent finishing rate, is planning to shock the world as she squares off with a rising Chinese martial arts superstar in her maiden assignment under ONE Championship.

Balin is slated to challenge China’s Xiong Jing Nan for the ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship in the main event of ONE: PINNACLE OF POWER, which takes place at the Studio City Event Center in Macau, China on 23 June.

Both competitors are known for their striking prowess as well as their grappling savvy, guaranteeing a thrilling action-packed encounter between the two female strawweights.

“This will be a fight of two cobras taking very careful shots at each other,” Balin stated. “I am sure it will be a very intense and interesting fight. I am sure that I will surprise everyone in my debut.”

The 38-year-old Argentinian hopes to make a huge impact in her ONE Championship debut as she will enter enemy territory with a chance to capture world title gold in her first promotional appearance.

Balin, who has faced some stiff competition in South America, has emerged with one of the most impressive records in the Latin American region.

Known by the moniker “The Gladiadora” due to his never-say-die attitude, she will be bringing her skills across the globe to test herself against the first-ever Chinese mixed martial arts world champion.

Prior to becoming one of South America’s most successful female mixed martial artists, Balin was a kindergarten teacher at a local school in Argentina.

A good mother to her two sons, who are now aged 18 and 14, Balin adored a simple kind of life, but things changed when her husband, Guillermo, convinced her to give kickboxing a try and offered to be her trainer.

It did not take long for Balin to fall in love with the striking discipline, and she soon decided to leave her teaching career behind for a new adventure in combat sports.

“I started practicing kickboxing in 2008 or 2009. I made my debut when I was 30 years old in that discipline, and in 2011, I began competing in mixed martial arts,” she shared. “I did have to make some changes in my life because I was a teacher. I taught at a school, and I had to leave that job to commit to this as long as possible.”

Balin acknowledged that she got a late start in mixed martial arts, but her dedication to the craft eventually turned her into one of the most talented strawweights in South America.

“It is a feeling that few have, knowing what to do. Very few people get that feeling. But when I started this, I suddenly knew what I wanted to do all my life,” she bared. ”Martial arts is in my blood. I had learned so many techniques that I wanted to try it.”

“I enjoy every day of practice in the gym. I love the constant challenges that this sport brings to me, so when it came to pursuing mixed martial arts professionally, I simply wanted to see how far I could go. It is an amazing experience,” Balin added.

Balin has experienced a tremendous amount of success since making her professional mixed martial arts debut in October 2011, compiling an eye-catching 10-2 record.

Out of her 10 total victories, nine have come by spectacular finish, including five submissions and four knockouts.

Balin will now leave her home country and travel thousands of miles across the world to challenge Xiong for her ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship in Macau, China.

“Any goal that you want, you need to work towards it every day. Find that goal. Find that one thing that you are passionate about and hold on to it. You do not always need to get punched to follow your dream, but you do need to take a few blows with every goal that you really care about,” she said.

Even if she is setting foot on foreign soil for the first world title contest of her career, Balin assures that she is in no way intimidated with her opponent’s hometown advantage.

“It is not something I worry about really. It is more of an incentive. I do not really take into consideration if I am on the home side or the visitor side. I am going to give my best all the same,” she stressed.

Although Xiong may be riding a wave of momentum due to her impressive winning streak, Balin is not overly concerned about the opposition that is in front of her on 23 June.

“I see many ways that this fight could go,” she declared. “Fighters always need to be prepared for a variety of different outcomes. I have to get ready to beat her within five rounds. This will be a long fight, and I need to prepare for it.”

Balin may take a few blows from Xiong at ONE: PINNACLE OF POWER, but she cares about achieving victory and is willing to eat a few punches to get her arm raised with a gold-plated strap draped over her shoulder.

“Whenever I step inside the cage or ring, nobody knows what is going to happen, so I am focusing on getting the win, and not on the pressure of getting it. I am ready to fight for the title and bring it home to Argentina,” she concluded.

​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 Shoppes at The Infinity: Newest Commercial District to Boost Pampanga’s Business and Tourism

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Set to highlight the commerce potential of Central Luzon, The Shoppes at The Infinity will soon excite with its distinctive offerings and good finds

Touted as the first and largest central business district at the heart of Central Luzon; Pampanga homegrown developer AC Beautiful Island Realty Development Corporation (ACBI) is unveiling its pilot development. The newest retail and commercial hub dubbed as The Shoppes at The Infinity is expected to be the next-go-to leisure destination in the region.

“The Shoppes, a sprawling retail strip within the upcoming vibrant fully-integrated city will offer 15,600 square meters of palatable delights, local and global boutique brands and service establishments making it not only a shopper’s paradise but a top-of-mind recreation experience,” said Byron John T. Siy, General Manager of ACBI Realty Development Corporation.

“We envision The Shoppes to complement the trade and investment prowess of The Infinity. As business and leisure are industries that now work side by side, we want to make sure that we are offering a complete and one-stop-shop destination at par with central business districts here and abroad,” added Siy.

Inspired by renowned mixed-used developments in the country whose success was driven by its commercial components, The Shoppes is anticipated to fire up the transformation of the area. The retail landscape will highlight a relaxed and nature-inspired atmosphere while satisfying the shopping and dining needs of the region.

The recreation zone will start construction as soon as mid of this year and the first phase is projected to be fully operational by the second quarter of 2019. The shopping mecca will follow a modern contemporary design influence with the help of leading style firm LG+V Architects.
ACBI, the real estate arm of JENRA Group of Companies is the power behind The Infinity. They conceptualized the commerce district not only to open prospects for Pampanga but to serve as a commerce link of the region to the rest of Luzon. This can be owed to the strategic location of The Infinity at the gateway of Central Luzon and its direct connection to the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) via the Angeles Exit.
The Infinity traverses the cities of Angeles and Mabalacat in Pampanga. Masterplanned by Palafox Associates, The Infinity will be a 40-hectare development that will soon house business, commercial, residential and all other dynamic features that completes a community.

Utilities at The Infinity are carefully tucked underground making the road networks functional and aesthetic. Moreover, sustainable features are also in place as the company follows the green building code.
In addition, The Infinity offers freehold ownership and long-term lease investment options.

SAP Announces New Suite of Solutions to Modernize CRM and a New Data Management Suite

Wazzup Pilipinas!

SAP SE fulfilled its ambition to disrupt the marketplace for customer relationship management (CRM) with the formal introduction of a new suite of applications, SAP® C/4HANA, to help businesses serve and retain customers. SAP also announced the SAP HANA® Data Management Suite, the industry’s first comprehensive data management solution that enables companies to turn data sprawl into business value. The announcement was made by SAP CEO Bill McDermott at the company’s annual SAPPHIRE NOW® conference.

SAP C/4HANA is an integrated offering designed to modernize the sales-only focus of legacy CRM solutions. Following the completed acquisitions of market leaders Hybris, Gigya and CallidusCloud, SAP now ties together solutions to support all front-office functions, such as consumer data protection, marketing, commerce, sales and customer service.

“SAP was the last to accept the status quo of CRM and is now the first to change it,” McDermott said. “The legacy CRM systems are all about sales; SAP C/4HANA is all about the consumer. We recognize that every part of a business needs to be focused on a single view of the consumer. When you connect all SAP applications together in an intelligent cloud suite, the demand chain directly fuels the behaviors of the supply chain.”

Building on the company’s reputation as an end-to-end business solutions provider, the new SAP C/4HANA suite will offer full integration with SAP’s business applications portfolio, led by its market-leading ERP suite, SAP S/4HANA®. The combination of assets features new machine learning capabilities from SAP Leonardo, a set of intelligent technologies the company introduced last year, as well as the new SAP HANA Data Management Suite, which enables companies to gain visibility and control of their highly distributed data. The company’s overall strategy, focused on helping businesses run as intelligent enterprises, highlights the demand for a balanced approach to automation in the workplace.

Expanding its customer service solutions offerings, SAP also announced it has acquired Switzerland-based Coresystems AG to improve field-service customer experience, especially in the manufacturing, energy, high-tech and telecommunications industries. Coresystems’ platform service provides real-time scheduling for customer-service requests and uses artificial intelligence-powered crowd-service technology. This broadens the service technician pool to include company employees, freelancers and industry partners to assign the best-qualified technician to each call by taking into account expertise, location and availability of the individual service expert.

These announcements come on the heels of Europe’s new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which took effect on May 25. The massive regulatory change has caused businesses to take a critical look at their legacy CRM investments.

Managing Data to Reach Customers

All systems rely on data, yet the challenge facing companies today is distributed data — data that is not just in transactional systems but scattered across products, machines and people. It is about data that must be ingested, prepared and made enterprise relevant. SAP HANA Data Management Suite enables enterprises to turn massive amounts of data — both structured and unstructured — into valuable, usable knowledge, no matter where it resides. SAP HANA Data Management Suite allows customers to maximize the potential of their data safely, simply and efficiently.

More About SAP C/4HANA

The SAP C/4HANA portfolio includes SAP Marketing Cloud, SAP Commerce Cloud, SAP Service Cloud, SAP Customer Data Cloud (including the acquired Gigya solutions) and SAP Sales Cloud (including the acquired CallidusCloud solutions). Additionally, SAP Sales Cloud unites the SAP Hybris® Revenue Cloud solution and SAP Hybris Cloud for Customer (comprised of SAP Hybris Sales Cloud and SAP Hybris Service Cloud solutions).

These cloud solutions — formerly on the market under the SAP Hybris brand name — as well as SAP’s commerce and customer engagement organization are now consolidated under the SAP Customer Experience business unit to support a consistent brand experience.

Benilde Films Featured in Seattle

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Seven short films from the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Digital Filmmaking program (BenildeFilm) were officially selected and screened as part of the Diwa Filipino Film Showcase of Seattle held at the Armory Loft 1 Seattle Center, Washington last June 2 and 3.

John Craig de Guzman's Amy, Christian Rae Villanueva's Ang Mga Turo ng Gabi (The Lessons of the Night), Aleina Espineli's Ang Pagbabalik Tanaw ni Olympia Mercado (A Look into the Life of Olympia Mercado), Kim Timan's Caramel Child, Pamela Barrios' Cesar & Magda, Lino Balmes' Orlie and Dev Angeo's and Kristine Medenilla's Saglit (A While) were among the films about the Filipino diaspora featured in the Seattle event. 

Amy tells the story of Mark (Seaver Choy) who is reminded of Amy (Chloe Tabanda), a person who has just passed away in Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), as he sees her in his reverie. It earlier won Best Short Film and Best Editing at the 9th Largabista Film Festival in Tacloban, Leyte and tied for the Best Narrative Film award at the first ASEAN Biennale or ASEANnale Film and Multimedia Competition in UP Diliman this year. 

In Ang Mga Turo ng Gabi, Juanita (Sheenly Vee Gener), a teacher battling depression, teams up with her delinquent student (Dylan Ray Talon) to retrieve something important for her over the course of one night. The short film previously won Best Editing (Annie Chua) and Best Performance (Talon) at Pelikultura: The CALABARZON Film Festival 2018. 

Ang Pagbabalik Tanaw ni Olympia Mercado is about a middle-aged woman (Maddie Martinez) remembering memories of a treasured relationship triggered through her taste buds. 

In Caramel Child, which is set in the year 2003, Katherine Kaye Jones (Angelica Ulip), or Kakay, is a child of a call girl, Ellie Pilorin (Sue Prado), and an absent American man. A poster of the Regional Science Quiz Bee and her mother’s American client (Savino Bellini) will fuel Kakay’s curiosity and determination to finally be in contact with her father. It bagged the Best Film, Best Director (Timan), Best Screenplay (Timan and Balmes), Best Performer (Ulip) and Best Musical Score (Marcus Santos and Joseph Salcedo) at Pelikultura 2018. It also won Best Screenplay at De La Salle University’s Indie Un-film Festival 2017. It is a nominee for Best Short Film at the Cinema One Originals Festival 2017 and 41st Gawad Urian. 

Cesar & Magda is a film about a man who’s trying to survive his extinguished married life. Cesar (Francis Mata) tries to bring back the spark of their relationship by mimicking an ideal woman (Larissa Louise Alivio). He has yet to discover the uncertainty of how his wife, Magda (Bridge Martin), would absorb the transformation. It is one of the finalists in the short film category of Sinag Maynila Film Festival this year. 

In Orlie, after hearing about the Orlando Massacre, the lead character finds himself deeply affected. While seeking refuge in his bathroom, he comes to discover the extent of his wounds. After winning Best Supershort Film at the CineFilipino Film Festival 2018 and a jury commendation at the 12th Filminute, the one-minute film competes at Mister Vorky: 5th International Festival of One Minute Film in Serbia and the 18th Korea Queer Film Festival in South Korea. 

Finally, Saglit (A While) is about a former couple, Misha (Anna Luna) and Kai (JC Santos), who spends one last night together before the former gets married and the latter migrates.

Diwa, a small community film festival made in cooperation with the annual Pagdiriwang Philippine Festival, aims “to celebrate the Filipino Spirit wherever it resides by exhibiting films from the Philippine islands and beyond,” according to Festival Director Adrian Alarilla.

Pagdiriwang, which commemorates the anniversary of Philippine independence, is presented by the Filipino Cultural Heritage Society of Washington (FCHSW) to promote better understanding of the Filipino arts and culture. Held at the Seattle Center since 1987, it has grown into the largest festival of Filipino art, craft, song, dance, music, history, literature, and culture in the Pacific Northwest.

Informative Video Feature on Qatar Development

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In the coinciding of one year passed for the unjustified blockage on Qatar by some of its neighborhood countries, Qatar's ministry of foreign affairs have prepared a video showing the ways Qatar have used to overcome the siege and the recent development  in Doha.

This is to help building positive awareness on Qatar and the preparation of the world cup 2022. The video contains every details and reports from international agencies as well UNHRC.

https://youtu.be/rHYUCohLjCk

Xiong Jing Nan Sees Picture-perfect Father’s Day Moment by Retaining World Title

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Following an impressive win this past January, newly-crowned strawweight queen “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan has emerged as one of the biggest martial arts superstars in the world.

The 30-year-old Chinese martial arts prodigy had a fantastic performance as she dominated Singapore’s Tiffany “No Chill” Teo in the bout for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship five months ago.

Although the previously-unbeaten Teo showed tremendous heart and resilience, Xiong’s blistering offensive attack and striking superiority was simply too much for her to withstand.

Xiong defeated Teo via technical knockout, stopping her Singaporean foe at the 2:17 mark of the fourth round to claim the gold-plated strap.

With the stirring victory over Teo, Xiong also became the first China-born world champion in the constantly-evolving sport of mixed martial arts.

Despite her glowing repertoire as a global martial arts superstar, Xiong attributes much of her success to her father, who is not even involved with the sport.

“My dad taught me a lot, including his life experiences growing up,” she shared. “From when I was a little girl, my dad told me never to run away when facing difficulties and to always take responsibility. Most importantly, he taught me to be brave and confident.

Xiong credits her father for instilling strong moral values in her, like being brave, confident and disciplined.

Moreover, Xiong is grateful that he taught her some of life’s most important lessons such as never running away from difficulties and always taking responsibility for her actions.

“The biggest thing he gave me was courage. I really admired my dad’s courage and confidence,” she quipped.

Xiong points to a childhood episode, where she climbed a neighbor’s house to pick fruit and broke her hand following a fall from the roof.

Her father did not take her to the hospital at first, instead wanting to acknowledge her mistake and use it as a learning experience.

“He taught me some principles,” Xiong recalled. “He asked me if it felt painful first, and then asked me why I did it. Then, he said: ‘This is what you get, you have to be responsible for what you have done.’”

“My dad did not take care of my injury at first. It was not that he did not care about me. He just wanted to let me know that this was my own mistake, and I needed to be responsible for the result,” she added.

Xiong’s father eventually brought her to the hospital and had her hand nursed, which proved to play a pivotal role in her professional career.

Xiong knows a big part of her success is because of her father and the values that he imparted to her at an early age.

Even though he was most certainly tough on his daughter, there was a softer side to him that most people never had the opportunity to see.

“He was really a person who was not good at expressing his emotions. In fact, he has different attitudes towards me for different things. When he should be gentle, he is gentle. When it is time to show a father’s love, he does it. His heart is actually really soft. I can feel his love for me from his heart,” Xiong stated.

Inspired by her father’s valuable lessons, Xiong is ready to shine again as she will defend the ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship against Laura “The Gladiadora” Balin.

Both women are slated to face each other in the main event of ONE: PINNACLE OF POWER, which takes place at the Studio City Event Center in Macau, China on 23 June.

Xiong emphasized that there is no one else to whom she will pre-dedicate her win in her upcoming bout against Balin but her father.   

“I am looking forward to the match. I do not know what is going to happen, or how the match is going to end, but it is going to be exciting. My pride cannot be moved. It only grows. I want to win this for my father,” she ended.

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

Repertory Philippines Kicks Off its Second Wave of 2018 Summer Workshops

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Unleash your creative potential and take center stage by joining Repertory Philippines’ (REP) 2018 Workshop for the Performing Arts. The second batch of workshops will run from June 4 to July 20.  Lots of thrilling activities facilitated by the top artists in the industry await the participants of this year’s workshop.

Parents who are looking for fun and worthwhile activities for their kids this summer can enroll them in REP’s Kids to Pre-Teens Classes. Engaging children in theater workshops will help them develop their creativity, overcome shyness, and discover the value of pursuing their own passions at an early age.  The Kids to Pre-Teens Classes will start from June 11 to July 17 (Monday-Friday), from 11:00AM to 1PM at Active Fun, Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

Meanwhile, teens and adults who aim to improve their performing skills and be under the spotlight may sign up for the Teens to Adults Classes. This is open for 13-year old and up students and will begin from June 11 to July 18 (Monday-Friday), 1 PM to 3 PM at Active Fun, Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

As REP believes in promoting continuous development among artists, it will also open the Master Class for those who have previous workshop or acting experience and would like to pursue a professional career in theater acting. The training will begin from June 4 to July 20 (Monday, Wednesday, Friday), 1 PM to 4 PM at the REP office in Ecoville Townhomes.

At the end of the Junior Master Class workshop, participants will join “My Suite Princess,” a musical play written by Joel Trinidad and Nicky Triviño with music by Rony Fortich.   This old-style play will tackle mistaken identity, silly situations, shenanigans, and true love.

REP 2018 Summer Workshops serve as a way for young people to reach their full creative potential and utilize their talents to productive ends. Don’t miss out on these exciting sessions and be the next big thing in the theater scene.

For inquiries, you may call REP at 843.3570. If you are interested in applying, you can download and print the form from www.repertoryphilippines.ph and send it in to REP by fax (555 0082) or email (repphilfoundation@gmail.com).
Like and follow repertoryphilippines on Facebook and Instagram, and follow @repphils on Twitter.

ASEAN Para Sports Meet in Manila Gets Big Boost from International Paralympic Head

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Preparations for the 10^th ASEAN Para Games that will be hosted by the Philippines in January 2020 goes full swing this June with the meeting of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) that will be attended by Heads of National Paralympic Committees (NPCs) from the 11 member countries of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Myanmar, Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Timor Leste and the Philippines.

Andrew Parsons, current president of the International Paralympic Committee, gives a big boost to the event as his Manila visit coincides with the conduct of the federation meeting. Parsons is here to help promote the Philippine paralympic movement, which embraces the IPC vision to enable para athletes to achieve sporting excellence, and inspire and excite the world.

At the top of the agenda is identification of the sports to be played in the 10^th ASEAN Para Games (APG) that will be held in January 2020, after the 30^th Southeast Asian Games that will also be hosted by the Philippines in December 2019. 

A total of 16 sports were played in the 9th APG held in Malaysia in 2017. These were Boccia, Chess, Cerebral Palsy Football, Football 5-A-Side, Goalball, Para Archery, Para Athletics, Para Badminton, Para Cycling, Para Powerlifting, Para Swimming, Para Table Tennis, Sitting Volleyball, Tenpin Bowling, Wheelchair Basketball and Wheelchair Tennis.

Participants in the APG include athletes with physical, vision and intellectual disabilities. The ASEAN Para Games is under the regulation of the ASEAN Para Sports Federation (APSF) while the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the Asian Paralympic Committee lend technical and classification assistance when needed.

The Para Games, held every two years, is traditionally hosted by the country where the Southeast Asian Games are held. It is supported by the Philippine Sports Commission.

Michael Barredo, Philippine Paralympic Committee President, said the June meeting in Manila will set the preparations for the ASEAN Para Games in motion and Parsons’ presence here on a visit will boost efforts currently underway for the coming Para Games. This is the second time that the Philippines is hosting the ASEAN Para Games since 2005.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, who is ASEAN Para Games Organizing Committee Chairman, announced that the games will be held in three separate hubs located in Metro Manila, Clark and Subic. An international sports complex is now under construction in Clark where a 20,000-seat stadium is rising.  An aquatic center that meets Olympic standards is also in the works.

The ASEAN Para Sports Federation meeting will be held from June 8 to 9 at the Bonifacio Global City.   

Step into Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom with the Mini Oreo

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Win big, big prizes in this epic collaboration!

What better way to enjoy a movie about giant prehistoric creatures than with a pack of Mini OREO? Yes, everyone loves a good Jurassic movie, and this year's Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom will have everyone stomping their way to theatres during its Asia-Pacific release on June 6.

Now, what does everyone's favorite series of dinosaur flicks have in common with the creme-filled biscuit we know and love? Jurassic World and Mini OREO are both childhood staples that transformed as all-time favorites for all ages, all over the world. And this year, Jurassic World makes its mark on the OREO empire with Jurassic World-designed, limited-edition Mini OREO packaging, a slew of heart racing prizes and most exciting, the chance to win a trip to Universal Studios in Singapore!

Ready to roar? Then follow these easy instructions: buy any Mini OREO limited-edition Jurassic World pack, enter your personal details at https://www.oreojw2.com and click SUBMIT. Winner will be announced on this site and contacted via mobile on its first draw (week of June 11, 2018) and second draw (week of August 6, 2018). Winners need to surrender their Mini Oreo Jurassic World pack to claim their prize.

Prizes at stake are larger than life: 200 winners will take home a limited-edition Jurassic Lunch Tin, 40 lucky winners will walk away with Sodexo gift certificates worth Php1,000, and six (6) grand winners will fly to Singapore for an all-expense paid VIP trip to Universal Studios Singapore with three (3) of their family and friends! The out-of-this-world adventure will include flights, accommodation, and VIP tickets for the ultimate Universal Studios Singapore experience.

Mondelez Philippines—makers and distributors of the world's best snacks—is thrilled about its partnership with NBC Universal—makers of Jurassic World Studios Singapore. “We’re very excited about this partnership with NBC Universal as it marks a new milestone for us to be collaborating with the world’s leading media and entertainment company. Jurassic World is one of the most anticipated blockbusters that captures the hearts of all-age audiences which also aligns with Mini OREO’s value to create happy bonding moments for all family members. We cannot wait to showcase all of the marketing support that’s sure to surprise and delight consumers in Asia-Pacific,” said Mr. Rick Lawrence, Biscuits Marketing Director, South East Asia of Mondelēz International.

Get ready for the experience you'll relive for thousands of years! Promo starts on May 1. Mini OREO is available in all supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide.

DOTr-LTO Launches 1st Speed Limit Setting Training for LGUs

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Department of Transportation (DOTr), through the Land Transportation Office (LTO) – Region V, launched last 31 May 2018, the first ever training on Speed Limit Setting for Local Government Units (LGUs). 

The training is one of the salient features of the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 2018-001 signed by the DOTr, together with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG). 

According to DOTr Undersecretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Tim Orbos, this initiative shows the DOTr’s commitment and relentless efforts to promote transport modernization and road safety.

“This is as much part of the government's modernization drive. Not only do we aim for efficiency and convenience for our riding public, we want foremost to ensure their safety. Safer drivers. Safer vehicles. Safer roads,” Usec. Orbos said.

Under the JMC, the DOTr, through the LTO, shall provide training and information dissemination to city and municipal governments in the enactment of speed limit ordinances and road classifications.

LTO Regional Director Atty. Noreen San Luis-Lutey welcomed the participants and guests, and presented the region’s current road safety situation. 

Imagine Law, DOTr’s NGO Partner on Road Safety, provided the introduction of road safety principles, and presented the salient features of the JMC. 

Imagine Law likewise, guided the participants in drafting the ordinance for speed limit setting and road classification. After drafting such ordinances, participants are expected to go back to their respective localities to present the ordinance to the City Council for approval.

Representatives from cities and municipalities of Region V attended the training. 

Conduct of trainings were divided into two (2) batches to accommodate all cities and municipalities of the Region. 

Cities and municipalities from the provinces of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur attended the first batch of training, while representatives from the provinces of Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, and Catanduanes attended the second batch. The training, was held at the Avenue Square, Naga City last June 1.