Online Hiring Plummets by 31% in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Online hiring in the Philippines has shown a huge decline over the past year, according to the Monster Employment Index (MEI) Philippines, which is being released for the first time. 

The Index reported a 31% decline in activity between April 2014 and April 2015, with a 20% month-on-month decline as well, between March and April 2015. 

The MEI, a gauge of online job posting activity, also records the industries and occupations that show the highest and lowest growth in recruitment activity across the Philippines. In April 2015, the BPO/ITES industry showed the highest activity, although this was still in decline overall at -2%. The Production/Manufacturing, Automotive and Ancillary industry showed a steep decline in online hiring activity, at -51% year-on-year. 

The second lowest growth industry was Advertising, Market Research, Public Relations, Media and Entertainment at -43%. 

“The Monster Employment Index Philippines has registered a decline of 31% in the past year, with the BPO/ITES industry showing the most amount of promise. The Philippines’ economy has recently emerged as a global hub for BPO, currently employing over one million people,” said Sanjay Modi, Managing Director, Monster.com (India, Middle East Southeast Asia and Hong Kong). 

Discovery Channel Partners with Actress Michelle Yeoh to Promote Aftershock: Disaster In Nepal

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Discovery Channel announced the commissioning of AFTERSHOCK: DISASTER IN NEPAL, a new documentary that will explore the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that shook Nepal on 25th April, 2015 and the subsequent 7.3-magnitude earthquake on 12th May, 2015. The 60-minute special will air on Discovery Channel, starting 14 June at 8pm.

As part of the production, Discovery Channel will be partnering with actress Michelle Yeoh, who will be hosting programme links and a special public service announcement to further highlight the disaster, its after-effects, and the plight of those affected. Discovery Channel has also produced a public service announcement featuring several of its personalities calling on viewers to support recovery efforts, which has been on air across Asia Pacific since the beginning of May.

The devastating earthquake that struck Nepal on 25th April unleashed a shockwave equal to the force of 20 thermonuclear weapons on the region, amassing an overwhelming death toll of more than 8,000 people, including 19 climbers who were scaling Mount Everest at the time of the quake. Historic buildings in the centre of Nepal’s capital, Kathmandu, were reduced to rubble and generations-old family homes destroyed.

AFTERSHOCK: DISASTER IN NEPAL will feature expert interviews and seismic demonstration to explain the science behind the earthquakes, footage of the rescue operations in Kathmandu, news reports from around the globe and exclusive glimpses of new technology and research being developed to help humanity better predict and cope with natural events such as earthquakes. The documentary will also feature a variety of compelling first-hand accounts from those who survived the natural disaster, from a hotelier in Kathmandu laying out breakfast service and two sisters opening up their bakery in the shadow of the Pashupatinath Temple, to a group of tourists visiting Dubar Square and a newlywed couple at Everest’s Camp 1. In addition, the programme will supplement these first-hand accounts with user-generated content and social media. 

Leo Ralph Villamayor is New Emerging YouTube Artist with Let It Go from Disney's Frozen

Wazzup Pilipinas!

What's new and what's hot on social media today?

The weather is incredibly hot but what will make your summer a bit cooler is a new emerging YouTube artist who has just uploaded his first YouTube video – a cover of Let it Go from Disney's Frozen.

His name is Leo Ralph Villamayor, which may not ring familiar yet, but his with heartthrob looks that will soon change. The video was intended for the upcoming concert this June 7, 2015 8pm at Mall of Asia Arena of the Broadway superstar Idina Menzel, the original artist and though he didn't win the contest, a lot of people noticed his talent.

Leo covered the song in a unique male rendition, and he makes it sound effortless. The Voice of the Philippines Season 2 runner-up Alisah Bonaobra was also amazed at Leo’s beautiful version of Let It Go (the same song which made her a YouTube sensation and which she used for the competition of The Voice Ph 2).

Undeniably the song is a difficult one, as even legendary Broadway diva Ms Leah Salonga admitted to co-host Popstar Royalty Sarah Geronimo on the same show. So way to go to this new artist!