May 2013 ~ Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Friday, May 31, 2013

Naga X (Excursions) Launched : To Boost Tourism In Naga

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Wazzup Pilipinas meeting with the DOT Office of Marketing Communications last Thursday was very successful.

Our engagement with DOT started with our very first official event invite earlier today at a presscon at Barbara's Restaurant in Intramuros, Manila to promote Naga X ( X is short for eXcursions). It would be a combined effort of many groups to boost tourism in Naga.

We are very proud to be the only blogger group present to exclusively cover the event, the rest were traditional media.

Who knows, maybe a potential Wazzup Pilipinas Bloggers tour to Naga may also be in the works soon!!! :)

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In her very first commercial concert in Indonesia, our very own Asia’s Acoustic Sweetheart, Sabrina once again proved her popularity and charm in a concert simply titled Sabrina Live in Malang! Held last May 18 at the Graha Cakrawala UM, produced by the Electrical Science students of Brawijaya University in Malang City, Indonesia.

The said concert was the culminating event of the 2013 Essentials Electrical Science and Art Festival. Flocked by no less than 2,500 people, the concert that featured Sabrina’s solo-acoustic performance showed her devoted talent in singing and playing guitar for more than an hour of performance rendering a total of fourteen songs, all from her albums and including two of her very own original compositions to the delight of the crowd.

She arrived in Jakarta midnight of May 16, took the flight to Surabaya in the morning and trooped another two hour drive to Malang. Starting at 3PM, she’s already doing courtesy visit for the sponsors at Andromeda Café and Music, a radio guesting at MFM radio followed and towards dinner, press interview coupled with meet and greet was done at Comic Café, a popular hang-out bar and restaurant in Malang.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Now this latest cover of Red magazine for its June 2013 issue is really certified fiery red hot!!!

Krista Miller on lingerie! What more can you ask for?

The 22-year-old controversial starlet, Krista Miller, is Red men's magazine cover girl for May 2013 issue. This is Krista's first-ever magazine cover.

Krista Miller recently faced intrigues when she was tagged as the third party in Sunshine Cruz’s failed marriage with Cesar Montano.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The attack on the wrong doings and immoral acts of most of the political personalities was done in a humorous and "provocative" way thru a comedy movie called Juana C.

Starring Juana Change, Mae Paner in real life, the movie, or "sex" comedy as they claim with a grin on their faces, is a movie with a mission, and that includes to promote good governance and non-traditional leadership. It shouts out loud that there is an extreme need for change in the government system and the time for change is now.

There is a lot of sex in Juana C. the full-length film debut of the political critic/YouTube phenomenon. Kinky sex, sex for pay, boy on boy, girl on girl, group and something called vroom vroom. Why is there so much sex in a movie that wears its advocacies on its XXL sleeve?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

To celebrate the Centenary of Sheaffer, a global leader in the field of fine writing instruments, museum Sheaffer pieces traveled across continents and displayed at one-night-only events in host countries for collectors and guests to see. In Manila, the 100 Years of Sheaffer event is hosted by National Book Store on May 29 at the Master’s Gallery of the Yuchengco Museum.

“We are proud that National Book Store was chosen to host the 100 Years of Sheaffer event in Manila,” said Trina Alindogan, National Book Store Regional Manager. “Just like Sheaffer, National Book Store is a brand rich in history, ingrained in the culture of its people and is known for excellent products and uncompromising service. It makes perfect sense that National Book Store and Sheaffer partner together to bring this global event here.”

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Do the names Gizmo, Chris and Joy ring a bell? Were you an avid fan of the Superbook TV series or a member of the Superkids Club? Or is it your first time to hear about Superbook? Whether you’re a first timer or a long-time fan, we've got great news for you!

The phenomenal 1980’s animation we love is back! Get ready as Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) brings you an all-new Superbook. Once more, viewers will experience a one of kind journey with triple the excitement. On June 1, 2013, the new Superbook’s pilot episode “In the Beginning” will air at 7:30 a.m. on GMA 7. In addition, Superbook Classic episodes will air every Sunday, starting June 2 at 7:30 a.m. also on GMA.

Bianca King is on the Cover of Gadgets Magazine June 2013

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Attention to all the geeks out there! Gadgets Magazine's Back-to-School issue is out! With Bianca King on the cover!

The magazine gives you a guide to the best and newest tech toys that can give you a leg up in school.
Playing each one of the characters from the iconic coming-of-age film The Breakfast Club, Gadgets magazine cover girl Bianca King shows us just how dynamic and all-around she really is. In Gadgets magazine's exclusive interview with her, Bianca tells a bit about her life as a filmmaking major back in college.

Douglas MacArthur's Landing at the Red Beach of Leyte

Wazzup Pilipinas!

You were not full-pledge in Leyte if you did not stop by and visited this famous and most popular historical landmark in Leyte.

WikiPilipinas says that the Leyte Landing Memorial is a memorial to the landing of General Douglas MacArthur and his men at Red Beach. It is located in Candahug, a barangay of the municipality of Palo in the province of Leyte, part of the Visayas.

Also known as the MacArthur Landing Memorial Park, the memorial consists of larger-than-life bronze statues of the general with other men, including then Philippine president Sergio Osmeña, Jr., standing in a manmade pool.

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The trip to Samar was by a flight from Manila to Tacloban, Leyte - from the Daniel Z. Romualdez airport, we had lunch first at a restaurant, a few minutes away, called Ayo then crossed the San Juanico bridge to reach Santa Rita town in Samar.

According to my ever trusted online encyclopedia called Wikipedia, The San Juanico Bridge, part of the Pan-Philippine Highway, stretches from Samar to Leyte across the San Juanico Strait in the Philippines. Its longest length is a steel girder viaduct built on reinforced concrete piers, and its main span is of an arch-shaped truss design. With a total length of 2.16 kilometers (1.34 mi),it is the longest bridge in the Philippines spanning a body of seawater.

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WD, a Western Digital company and world leader in storage and connected-life products, today announced that its WD Green™ desktop 3.5-inch hard drives have been awarded the COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2013 Best Choice Award in the Green ICT category.

The Best Choice Award is a technology-industry recognition of distinctive products, judged on functionality, innovation and market potential. This year the judging panel, comprised of government officials, professors, experts and journalists, received more than 400 entries.

Employing the company’s WD GreenPower Technology™, WD Green hard drives were the industry’s first drives to significantly reduce power consumption when compared to standard hard drives, and have been widely accepted globally, with more than 125 million units shipped since their introduction in 2008. In addition to consuming less power, the purpose-built drives’ power-saving technologies result in cooler and quieter operation. Available in capacities up to 3 TB, the WD Green family is designed and manufactured with lead-free, conflict-free and halogen-free materials.

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Hinting a little of her behind, Bianca Gonzalez goes a bit daring on her cover for Rogue magazine this June 2013.

This is the first time Bianca Gonzalez will show more than just her bikini-perfect body. and I thought Esquire magazine's April 2012 issue was the most daring she can get. This time at Rogue, its definitely a must see! Even if its just an itsy bitsy peek.

How about you? Which cover do you think is sexier and alluring, and which caught your attention longer and immediately?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

For many businesses, their website is the main line of communication between their customers and the company. Even if they do not conduct all of their business through their website, it may be just what the customer needs to see to choose them over a competitor.

Therefore, a business really needs IT experts that they can count on to deliver top-notch solutions at very reasonable prices.

Soft Micro Enterprises is a software and hardware reseller,computer repair expert and a web design and development firm that is sure to provide high quality business designs and software applications for a reasonable cost. It is duly intended to render three key services, namely, web design and development, OS based software and hardware dealership,and computer repair.

Soft Micro Enterprises will also have its office at the Conclave at BGC soon! Now that's something to look forward to.

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The Inquirer reports "On May 17, during the packed concert titled “I Vice Ganda Mo Ako sa Araneta” at the Big Dome, Viceral staged a whole segment about unlikely celebrities becoming bold stars.

The segment, uploaded on YouTube in its entirety, included jokes about Soho, the only GMA 7 personality among ABS-CBN stars (Boy Abunda, Kris Aquino, Gus Abelgas and Kim Atienza) “roasted.”

Should Soho start making sexy movies, Viceral said, the pivotal scene should be a gang rape. This followed a joke—and was followed by another—about Soho’s weight.

“I could let the fat jokes go,” Soho told the Inquirer earlier. “But he had to go so far.”"

In other words Vice Ganda, roast only those close to you, who knows and patronize you. Be on safe zone na lang para lahat happy.

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Two technology companies recently partnered to deliver innovative business solutions for the country’s expanding small-and-medium enterprises (SME) market.

The country’s leading telecom service provider PLDT, through its business arm SME Nation, signed a strategic partnership with prominent electronics brand - Samsung. This partnership aims to further empower entrepreneurs today with business-enhancing bundles comprised of cutting-edge broadband and cloud services with the latest IT equipment and smart devices.

SMEs nationwide are assured of reliable high-speed connectivity, trusted cloud-based solutions partnered with high-tech gadgets such as tablets, notebooks and Smart Wi-Fi LED TVs which can help them be more productive and efficient.

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Everyone experienced an evening of beauty and glamour when Reckitt Benckiser Philippines honored the first ever My Veet Girl last May 28, 6 p.m., at Prive Luxury Club, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City.

My Veet Girl is a contest searching for the Filipina who embodies Veet’s essence — beauty and confidence. From among all the hopefuls, nine finalists have been chosen to compete for the title.

“We want to celebrate the beauty of Filipino women so we came up with this search. We also want all women to experience what beauty feels like; beauty that comes from having silky smooth, hair-free skin,” said Veet Brand Manager, Angelo Dapilan.

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I salute Pinoy products because I am a proud to promote Filipino made products that came from the creative minds and entrepreneurial spirit of Filipinos. Whether in or out of the Philippines, the Pinoy really makes an outstanding mark.

I most admire those businessmen who would try to compete with big brands in a world where branding and recognition is highly invested upon. We would see a lot of marketing efforts that would shell out a large financing in order to promote a brand.

It is such an inspiration knowing that locals would try to make a name out from a market that's already filled up with so many choices.

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I never knew this will be another memorable experience for me as I rubbed shoulders with Solenn Heussaff as one of my team mates during a cook fest challenge sponsored by Sun Broadband.

This is in line with their promotions of their WiFi stick that was designed to be used primamrily for vehicles as it comes with an adaptor for car charging.

What was amazing aside from the technological innovation from Sun, it was a huge surprise learning that Solenn was so knowledgeable in cooking, plus friendly and accommodating. She was also a team leader as she participated well in the team effort to be able to come up with dishes based only from the available ingredients given to us.

Details of the remarkable experience below.

Wazzup Pilipinas is the Proud Media Partner of the Department of Tourism

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Wazzup Pilipinas bloggers with Miss Christel Arguelles and Miss Leah Marie Sy of the DOT Tourism Promotions Board located at the Legaspi Towers 300 at Roxas Boulevard, Manila.

Continuous discussions towards the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between DOT and Wazzup Pilipinas will be happening.

Wazzup Pilipinas bloggers are now the Proud Media Partners of DOT. I encourage everyone to please sign up on our database so that I can submit your names to DOT immediately.

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Epson, the world’s top projector maker for 12 years in a row*, has updated its EB-“G5000” series of high brightness projectors with new “G6000” models that are even brighter than the previous generation, feature sport cinema technology from Epson’s market leading home theatres, and with some models in the range being among the world’s first projectors to feature the long awaited HDBaseT interface.

Designed for use in large or bright venues, the Epson G6000 series projectors have brightness ratings of 5200 to 7000 lumens, and are able to produce clear, bright projections with equally high color brightness thanks to their 3LCD technology.

They are also the first projectors in this range to feature Epson’s renowned home theatre projection technologies that greatly improve contrast, resolution, and video motion, and enable them to produce the best movie quality in their class.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Epson, the world’s top projector maker for 12 years in a row*, has introduced the new EB-4000 series of projectors to give the company the widest range of bright projectors rated 4000 lumens and above.

Featuring brightness ratings between 4000 to 5200 lumens, the new EB-4000 series models fill the gap between the Epson EB-1900 series (4200 to 5000 lumens) and higher end EB-G6000 series (5200 to 7000 lumens and with interchangeable lenses). With the EB-4000 series, Epson now has a total of 17 installation projector models that have a high brightness rating of 4000 lumens and above. These include the new models of the EB-4000 series, the EB-G6000 series and the range topping EB-Z series. With such a wide range of high brightness projectors, customers who need them for larger rooms or halls can choose the projector model with the perfect combination of brightness, features and price for their requirements.

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Epson Philippines Corporation (EPC) announced that the company successfully capped its Fiscal Year 2012 by achieving leading value shares in Inkjet and Serial Impact Dot Matrix (SIDM) product categories.

CATEGORY	FY2011 Value Share	FY2012 Value Share	REMARKS
IJP (Inkjet Printers)	26.8% #2 – Epson	34.4% #1 – Epson	- Based on IDC Asia/Pacific Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker, 2013Q1
SIDM (Serial Impact Dot Matrix)	81.7% #1 – Epson	90.3% #1 – Epson	- Based on IDC Asia/Pacific Quarterly Hardcopy Peripherals Tracker, 2013Q1

According to the International Data Corporation (IDC), Epson dominated the market for inkjet printers in the year 2012 with a commanding 34.4% value share. This figure represents an increase in Epson inkjet printers (IJP) value share from 26.8% to 34.4% from the preceding year.

Value Share corresponds to the total customer purchases in currency. IDC is the standard source for market and value share information in the Philippines and in most countries.

The growth originated mostly from the sales of the new Epson L-Series printers – the first and only genuine ink tank system printers in the country.

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The Philippines is a recipient of the New Frontiers Award 2013 at this year’s Arabian Travel Market (ATM), the Middle East’s premier travel and tourism exhibition.

The New Frontiers Award started to be a main feature of the ATM six years ago, given to destinations that have surmounted great adversity to rebound its tourism industries. The award also gives tribute to the resilience of local communities to rebuild their lives, as well as bring attention to the crisis management and risk reduction practices of local authorities. It is the only citation extended during the event.

The Philippines was shortlisted, together with New York State (Hurricane Sandy) and Pakistan (2012 floods), among an original list of 10 nominees for outstanding contribution to tourism development in the face of overwhelming adversity.

I Am WU Manila and I'm Coming to Meet You

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In a city as dynamic as Manila - ever-changing, ever-moving, ever-growing - one question has become the battle-cry of the battle-worn: WHAT'S UP? What's going on now? What's new? What ELSE is there to do?

Husband-and-wife team Ron McCormick and Juni Okeya have precisely the answer hidden in glossy glory in the city's newest publication, WU! Manila. Chock-a-block with stories on what to look forward to from sports to events to eateries to travel, WU! Manila is a free publication ready for your fingertips to discover what really is going on in this active city. Include as well the creative genius of Jon Okeya as the man behind the magazine's design, and you have a terrific trio happy to bring Manila residents all sorts of amazing options on what to do.

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I'm inviting all photographers, enthusiasts and friends who are into photography to join the first and big event of Eventive dubbed as SUPERNOVA. For inquiries and participation please contact Rodel Flordeliz, please feel free to share the poster to your friends who might be interested. We're open for strategic partnership and tie-ups. See you all on August 8.

World Records for Filipino Photographers

Venue: Lapu-Lapu Monument, Rizal Park
Date: August 18, 2013
Time: 04:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Fees: Admission is FREE for the trade show and exhibit

During the culminating event*, P300.00 will be charged for adult attendees and P200.00 for students. (Further details about Ticketing on Part V, Section F. Mark * refers to the ultimate event on August 18, 4pm)

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We are inviting all bloggers to join AngelHack's Blogger Photo Hackathon on June 8 to 9, 2013. Limited to 30 qualified bloggers only.

Visit this page so you can register : http://bit.ly/Z9gyWJ . The Winner will get P10,000 plus Gift Items!

Be a part of the first Hackathon in the Philippines!

For more details about Angelhack, please read this : http://angelhack.com/ and click MANILA

Gigi Coffee and Cupcakes : Brightens Up My Day

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A cupcake is a small cake designed to serve one person, which may be baked in a small thin paper or aluminum cup. As with larger cakes, frosting and other cake decorations, such as sprinkles, are common on cupcakes. What's good about cupcakes is that they come in sizes enough for just one sitting. Unlike cakes where you have to slice it, cupcakes allows you to taste as much other variety as you want without ruining an entire cake.

I've been longing to write about Gigi Coffee and Cupcakes for the past weeks already since I was there at their restaurant in Eastwood, Libis Quezon City with my friends but the several out-of-town travels and daily events always kept me from sitting in front of my computer to write about it.

Its the hardest article to write about - the story about my dining experience with some fancy cupcakes and coffee concoctions to satisfy my cravings for the best tasting sweets and drinks.

Gigi Coffee and Cupcakes definitely made an impression, and a worthy piece to write about, which makes it really hard just to sit down and write some simple paragraphs.

Swish Breath Spray for Instant Fresh Breath

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Bad breath is a problem shared by many. Whether you are a smoker, a drinker, with gingivitis, with a decaying tooth, or someone who rarely has the opportunity to regularly brush their teeth, a mouthwash may be the solution to your problem. But a mouthwash may be too difficult to use while on the road or during an event.

Swish of Unilab has formulated a breath spray that we could use for the instant and quick freshening of our breath which will be very useful in meetings with clients, customers, colleagues and friends. Our breath doesn't have to smell bad anymore with this new product from Unilab.

Swish Breath Spray gives you instant fresh breath in just 10 seconds! It quickly kills germs and bacteria in the mouth to eliminate bad breath caused by eating, drinking and smoking. It is very convenient to use anytime and anywhere for a quick breath fix. It is also absolutely alcohol-free and sugar-free.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Nuclear medicine is a medical specialty involving the application of radioactive substances in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

When we hear nuclear, danger may be the first thing that comes into mind but many do not realize that nuclear technology in small controlled doses can clearly help save lives.

Just like in the treatment of thyroid. A small dose of nuclear iodine will help dissolve the source of the problem.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The girls of the Girls' Home Unit at the Boys Town Foundation Complex located at Parang, Marikina were treated with fun, food and gifts when Kris Bernal celebrated her 24th birthday there.

As Kris' way of giving back to the needy the blessings that she has been receiving, she opted to celebrate her birthday with a good cause. With the help of some of her sponsors like Zanea, Sundance, Tony & Jackey, Poshnails, Fernando's Bakeshop, My Dentist and Vans.

Kris Bernal and her ACLC family was also generous enough to give two full scholarships for two chosen girls at the institution.

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Cervical cancer is sadly the second deadliest cancer prevalent among the women of the Philippines, and maybe even the world. It is next to breast cancer to claim many lives, but it is unfortunately the hardest to cure because you would usually notice the symptoms once it is already at a deadly stage.

Thus it is advisable to have a regular check-up to detect it during its earlier stage when it is still possible to cure it.

Isabelle Daza, plus other personalities join the cause to encourage women to submit themselves to regular detection to prevent or avoid being among the casualties of this dreaded disease.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Barbie Forteza is only fifteen years old yet she has reached a level in her life that ranks her above the rest of the same age.

Now what used to be tween queen turned teen queen Barbie Forteza adds another facet to her young entertainment career—singing. She finally released her debut album under MCA Music (Universal Music Philippines). Simply self-titled, the album fits Barbie’s personality perfectly- bubbly, fun and wholesome.

Having a first solo album on her own should make her very proud and extremely happy especially when she was able to have this accomplishment at an age where very few stars could possibly match.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Playboy Philippines says "Live a little. Melt your heart out over Mocha Girl Mae Dela Cerna, PLAYBOY Philippines' May-June Cover. Available next week at all 7-11, Fullybooked and Odyssey stores nationwide."

I'm sure a lot of our guys will be grabbing a copy of the latest issue of Palyboy Philippines to come out soon next week.

From a cover containing the five babes of the Mocha group, now comes a solo cover by one if its group members. So apparently this was expected and awaited for each of the Mocha members to flaunt their booty in the pages of Playboy Philippines.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

A new Superman movie entitled MAN OF STEEL will soon be shown in many Philippine cinemas. I have to admit that I can't wait for that day to come as I am indeed a fan of the Superman movie franchise - even the Smallville TV series and the comic books. The child in me is so excited to see the newest recreation about the MAN OF STEEL.

Nuffnang will be sponsoring a MAN OF STEEL movie screening on June 14, 2013 and they are inviting everyone to participate in a contest where you get a chance of winning two tickets plus other MAN OF STEEL merchandize if you watch the movie.

If I had the powers of the MAN OF STEEL for one (1) week, I would use his speed to spin the earth into the opposite direction fast enough to return the planet into the past (Just like in the very first Superman movie starring Christopher Reeve) so that I could help mankind recreate a better history with less violence and better opportunities for all.

One FC Welcomes AsiaRooms.com as Official Accommodation Partner

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One Fighting Championship (ONEFC) has welcomed AsiaRooms.com as the official online accommodation partner. They are offering exclusive travel deals for ONEFC fans at such affordable rates!

AsiaRooms.com is a leading online travel accommodation site based in Asia, offering an extensive and diverse range of accommodation options at exceptional value.

ONE Fighting Championship (ONE FC) has entered into partnership with AsiaRooms.com as the official online accommodation partner for future ONE FC events. As part of the agreement, AsiaR ooms.com has created a special web page with superb deals for ONE FC fans, with a selection of hotels, each offering best available rates for the event, and providing free round trip transportation service from the hotel to the event venue. These special deals can be found at www.asiarooms.com/en/offers/partnership-1fc.

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WD to demonstrate solid state hybrid drive and 5 mm technologies in tablet, thin and light devices at Computex Taipei 2013. SSHD among thin-and-light, cloud storage and connected life portfolio exhibited.

WD, a Western Digital company and world leader in storage and connected-life products, today announced that it will demonstrate its solid state hybrid drives (SSHD) and 5 mm ultra-slim hard drive technologies in tablet and other thin-and-light devices at the COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2013 trade event, held in Taiwan from June 4 to June 8, 2013. The innovations will be a part of WD’s exhibit showcasing its latest storage technologies and solutions addressing thin-and-light mobile devices, cloud datacenter computing and the connected lifestyle.

Fusion 4 : The Epson Media Adventure

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Tired of surfing the net?

This year, Fusion IV, the Epson-Media Adventure invites their media friends to surf the waves off the coast of Calicoan Island in Eastern Samar, the Surfing Capital of the Philippines!

Calicoan is an island bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the East, and Leyte Gulf on the West. With its rugged landscape, virgin tropical forests, unspoiled white sand beaches, crystal clear water and surf, Calicoan is a must-see for the adventurous traveler or intrepid surfer.

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Intel announces the Silvermont microarchitecture. A product presentation was held at Skinny Mike's Sports Bar in BGC led by Leighton Phillips, Intel Asia-Pacific Director of Product Marketing Pricing.

The Silvermont is a new design in Intel’s 22nm Tri-Gate SoC process that delivers significant increases in performance (more powerful) and energy efficiency (longer battery hours).

The Silvermont microarchitecture delivers ~3x more peak performance or the same performance at ~5x lower power over current-generation Intel Atom core.

The Silvermont will serve as the foundation for a breadth of 22nm products targeted at tablets, smartphones, microservers, network infrastructure, storage and other market segments including entry laptops andin-vehicle infotainment.

Tired of surfing the net?

This year, Fusion IV, the Epson-Media Adventure invites their media friends to surf the waves off the coast of Calicoan Island in Eastern Samar, the Surfing Capital of the Philippines!

Calicoan is an island bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the East, and Leyte Gulf on the West. With its rugged landscape, virgin tropical forests, unspoiled white sand beaches, crystal clear water and surf, Calicoan is a must-see for the adventurous traveler or intrepid surfer.

Fila Sponsors Philippines Versus UAE Rugby Match

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Volcanoes Philippine Rugby Team has recently won a match against its competition from UAE a few nights ago at the Rizal memorial Stadium in Manila.

Everyone cheered loud as the Philippine team was always way ahead of the competition. I never knew Rugby was as this intense and sensational as every player out there gave their all in the pursuit of the "ball" towards winning the match for the night.

Hep hep hooray for the Philippine Volcanoes as they deliver a heart-pounding blow-by-blow strike and run against players from the United Arab Emirates. Huge bodies slamming against each other, all sweating and determined to score a point.

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Ryza Cenon on the cover and pages of FHM Philippines magazine.

Need I say more? I guess the trend nowadays for GMA teen stars is to go on magazine covers and flaunt their sexy figures for the gratification of the magazine followers with raging hormones that wants more young stars going daring and more adventurous.

Well, I have no quarrel with that. After all, Ryza can flaunt it anytime because she has the body and the face to make all men grab a copy of the latest FHM issue.

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For your convenience, we are posting the telephone numbers of taxi services for those who will opt for them going to the airport.

Based one experience, MGE Transport drivers and cabs are trustworthy. MGE Transport: 363-6096; 364-8260; 366-6287; 366-6214.

We also recommend Navarrette Transport BF Homes, Las Pinas City for those who are from the South. Their contact numbers are: +63(2)3597687, 0917-847-5230; 0999-995-6804.

We also have good experiences with Yellow airport taxis. Their flagdown is P70 , but they are not allowed to ask for "contract" prices from their passengers.

Other taxi contact numbers are provided below.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In a city as dynamic as Manila - ever-changing, ever-moving, ever-growing - one question has become the battle-cry of the battle-worn: WHAT'S UP? What's going on now? What's new? What ELSE is there to do?

Husband-and-wife team Ron McCormick and Juni Okeya have precisely the answer hidden in glossy glory in the city's newest publication, WU! Manila. Chock-a-block with stories on what to look forward to from sports to events to eateries to travel, WU! Manila is a free publication ready for your fingertips to discover what really is going on in this active city. Include as well the creative genius of Jon Okeya as the man behind the magazine's design, and you have a terrific trio happy to bring Manila residents all sorts of amazing options on what to do.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Tattoo @Home gears up for yet another wave of exciting offers!

We'd like to share with you news about this exciting preview of what's in store for the broadband industry. Together, let's get ready to live without limits only with Tattoo @Home's chart topping offers!

Tattoo@Home continues to create waves in the market as it is all set to follow-up its game-changing run of exciting offers.

Very soon, Tattoo@Home is ready to redefine the way consumers connect at the comforts of their home with another compelling deal that is sure to be “music to their ears,” following the success of its unlimited landline to Globe and TM call feature.

“

Wazzup Pilipinas!

RenaiXance – A Decade of Renaissance Art Gallery ” is set to open on June 5, 2013 at the Art Center located at the 4/F SM Megamall Bldg. A, Ortigas Center.

Invited as special guests of honor are National Artists Napoleon Abueva, Arturo Luz, Ben Cabrera, Abdulsari Imao and other respected names in the field of arts.

The 6:30 p.m. invitational cocktail reception will feature more than 50 of the country’s foremost names in the field of visual arts (figurative and abstract), sculpture and photography.

Araneta Center Marks Fiesta Month With Grand Santacruzan

Wazzup Pilipinas!

I was invited to witness the much-awaited Araneta Center Grand Santacruzan that reeled off last Saturday, May 18 at Araneta Center, Cubao Quezon City.

The Santacruzan is an iconic Filipino tradition that commemorates the search of the Holy Cross by Reyna Elena and her son, Emperor Constantine. The festive mode of thanksgiving of finding the Holy Cross in Jerusalem is replicated many times over in several parts of the country during the fiesta month of May. However, none compares to the pageantry and the overload of beautiful Binibinis of the Araneta Center Grand Santacruzan. The event has become a staple in the celebration of Flores de Mayo in the metropolis.

The winners of Binibining Pilipinas 2013 led the line up and was joined by some of the other candidates of the recently concluded Binibining Pilipinas pageant.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Last March 12 and 13, Japan Foundation Manila held a seminar for Disaster Risk Mitigation in the Community at Ateneo de Manila University. This seminar wasn’t an ordinary one; in fact this seminar was very special to aspiring Japanese language learners who are dreaming of visiting Japan. About a number of 20 students from different schools all over the Philippines joined the said event.

The seminar was held for two days, the students were allowed to stay in the PASS Dormitory for the night, all expenses (food, transportation, dormitory) were sponsored by Japan Foundation. The first day of the seminar was full of lectures and fun activities held by two guest speakers. One of the speakers was Dr. Hiroko Nagai, director of Japanese Studies Program in Ateneo de Manila University. The other speaker was Mr. Hirokazu Nagata, president of Plus Arts, a non-profit organization in Japan. The lectures and workshop held by the two speakers were surely informational.

Vin Diesel and Other Cast of Fast and Furious 6 Graced Philippine Premiere at MOA

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Gina Carano, and Luke Evans along with Fast and Furious producer Neil Moritz plus some select foreign press where brought into the Philippines by a movie premiere. This was Manila’s first big Hollywood franchise that cared enough to bring in four of its film’s stars.

Diesel did say that it was the best premiere that he has been into as he repeatedly shouted to the crowd "Mahal ko Kayow!".

Should we be expecting Manila scenes in the next installment of the Fast and the Furious?

Wazzup Pilipinas!

SM Aura Premier is the first SM Supermall in Taguig, 13th in Metro Manila and 47th SM Prime mall in the Philippines. It is SM Prime's latest high-end lifestyle destination project. SM Aura Premier is located along McKinley Parkway and C5 Road cor. 26th St., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City. The shopping center is situated near its rival mall Market! Market!, owned by Ayala Malls, a real estate subsidiary of Ayala Land, and affiliate of Ayala Corporation.

SM Aura Premier is a new upscale mall and state-of-the-art civic center with office and retail space, built by SM Prime in partnership with the City of Taguig. It was designed by Arquitectonica of Miami and mall interiors by Edge Design of Australia. It has a total floor area of 249,861 square meters for the mall and office building. It has 3 basement levels of parking with 1,771 parking slots. It aims to be one of the first civic centers in the country to be certified Gold under the US Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program. The SM Aura name is derived from the two elements Gold (which has the chemical symbol Au) and Radium (Ra). According to SM Prime putting them together defines “luxury and elegance that emanates from within.”

SM Aura Premier held its grand opening on May 17, 2013 at the Bonifacio Global City, Taguig. There were a lot of people who all made their first glimpse of the mall, photo ops at the first-time to see sights and attractions, as well as done some great shopping. A media launch was held also last May 16.

Microsoft, Department of Tourism and Tourism Promotions Board Launch Windows 8 Apps for Tourism

Wazzup Pilipinas!

With ease of technology, more Filipinos are relying on their mobile devices and apps for their important activities such as banking, tracking of courier packages and even for computing electricity consumption among others. The gadgets they have in hand have become their partners as well in planning their travels from looking for the best local destinations to visit to organizing their itineraries. Tourists need one-stop shop apps that can provide them the information and features they need when they travel around the Philippines.

In line with this, Microsoft Philippines (Microsoft), the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) formally sealed their partnership today to enable Windows 8 users with information and features they need on the country's best local destinations through a series of local apps. Microsoft, DOT and TPB are proud to announce that the set of More Fun Series apps is now available for download in the Windows Store.

The More Fun Series is a group of apps which aims to highlight the country’s 25 key tourist destinations including their interesting overview, exciting activities, famous sites and itinerary builder among other features. Furthermore, these free apps feature commercial information coming from the official website of DOT including but not limited to accredited restaurants, spas and souvenir shops to complete the travel experience of every tourist.

7 Groups Qualify To Bid For The Mactan-Cebu International Airport Project – DOTC

Wazzup Pilipinas!

All seven (7) groups vying for the first airport project to be bid out under President Benigno S. Aquino III’s Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program have been successfully prequalified, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) disclosed on Thursday (May 16, 2013).

The announcement, which was made four (4) days ahead of schedule, signifies that the P 17.5-Billion Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA) Passenger Terminal Building Project will be contested by the following groups:

AAA Airport Partners, led by the Ayala and Aboitiz groups and Houston airport operator ADC&HAS;
Filinvest-CAI Consortium of the Gotianuns and Singapore’s Changi Airport;
First Philippine Airports of the Lopez group and New Zealand’s Infratil Asia Limited airport operator;
GMR Infrastructure and Megawide Consortium, which includes India’s Delhi Airport’s operator;
MPIC-JGS Airport Consortium, composed of the Pangilinan and Gokongwei companies, as well as France’s Aeroports de Lyon;
SM-led Premier Airport Group, which includes Switzerland’s Zurich Airport operators; and
San Miguel-Incheon Airport Consortium, led by the SMC conglomerate and the operator of South Korea’s Incheon Airport.