Experience the Taste of Japanese Food with Buddha-Bar Manila's Corporate Chef Shigeki Iimura

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Buddha-Bar Manila, a world-class resto-bar-lounge that offers fine dining and entertainment experience, is bringing the best of contemporary Japanese cuisine as Chef Shigeki Iimura, Buddha-Bar’s Japanese Corporate Chef, visits Manila this July 7 for a meet-and-greet with lovers of good food and entertainment.

A night of gastronomical delight will follow on July 8 as the renowned executive chef showcases his culinary skills as he prepares choice Japanese dishes through a live kitchen demo.

The said event on July 8, dubbed as “Japanese Serenade,” features Chef Shigeki’s signature Japanese dishes that will be prepared right before a live crowd while a violinist plays a beautiful ensemble.

“We are glad to invite everyone who loves Japanese food for this once-in-a-year event. I know that they will get to enjoy and learn a lot from this spectacular night as Buddha-Bar Japanese Head Chef Shigeki Iimura  comes over to showcase his one-of-a-kind dishes,” said Bernadette Castillo, Sales and Marketing head of Buddha-Bar Manila.

For almost 35 years, Chef Shigeki was able to learn the different styles of Authentic Japanese cuisine from Kyoto-style to Kaga and Robata-style. With this, he achieved a reputation in the culinary world in Japan as he established a career in a top restaurant in Tokyo. After traveling and working in different parts of the world, he developed a passion for Western cuisine and its flavours.

“Beyond the passion for Continental and Japanese cuisine, Chef Shigeki is admired most because he is an artist whose talent gives people emotions displayed from the fusion of his different cooking styles,” added Castillo.

First 4 Official MMFF 2017 Entries Revealed

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) was commendable for being bold enough to take risks - for understanding the true essence of quality filmmaking.

Last year's MMFF, even though there were some issues, was finally a time where films with good substance were being shown nationwide.

But are we back to mainstream and nonsense movies? If so, please rename the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) to Money-Making Film Festival.

After a wonderful festival last year, looks like MMFF's on its way to major regression.

I'd rather have the 2016 MMFF entries again than this year. Pieces of shit again basically.

I thought that last year was the start of change in the cinema industry - ika nga bringing everyone's A game. Now, back to the usual na naman tayo. Money talks, money moves!

MMFF - you shouldn't have succumbed to the producers' threats. They can make quality films. Profits are their priority that's why they don't make it. Supplying low-class entertainment for mediocre minds.

The 4 mentioned movie entries are Ang Panday, Almost is Not Enough, Love Traps, and The Revengers

Ang Panday naturally stars Coco Martin

Almost is Not Enough stars Jennylyn Mercado and Jerico Rosales

Love Traps stars Vic Sotto and Dawn Zulueta

The Revengers stars Daniel Padilla, Vice Ganda & Pia Wurtzbach

Anyare na? Bakit we're back to dati? Do we start vomiting again? Where's the quality?

Can you blame them? The MMFF took a risk last year, but sad to say many Filipinos did not care to watch.

Last year, half of the MMFF entries ang napanood ko. Pero this year mukha yatang wala akong mapapanood. Hays!

I agree naman na many mainstream movies are trashy pero don't generalize them kasi may mga movies din naman sa MMFF na worth watching.

Shameful that Pia Wurtzbach agreed to be part of a trashy film like "The Revengers." She definitely made a mistake here. Not to bash or ridicule, but being opposite the likes of Vice Ganda, though she or he is a blockbuster star among the masses, made her a class below her reigning status as a beauty queen of the Universe.

It's just like she degraded herself from being a confidently beautiful with a heart Miss Universe to a stupidly clueless without a brain Mis-take Universe.

So ginoogle ko sino si Rodel Nacianceno na direktor ng Panday na kasali sa MMFF. Lo and behold, si Coco Martin pala. Totoo ba to?

Si MMFF ung jowang mong nangakong magbabago patawarin mo lang pero dirin nag tagal bumalik na ulit sa dati. Change is Coming kuno! Pwe!

Many now think Pista ng Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) is the real and legit Film Festival.

Just take a look at the MMFF criteria: 

40% artistic excellence 

40% COMMERCIAL APPEAL - WTF!

10% promotion of Filipino cultural and historical values 

10% global appeal.

How much did the MMFF council get from the lobbyists of commercial movies?

Rolando Tolentino the chair of Rules Committee and member of 2017 MMFF Execomm just resigned this morning.

Mic drop.


" I love how the current cover photo/banner of theMMFF Facebook fan page reminds us of the joy and hope that was last year's lineup. "Maraming Magandang Filipino Films." Truly, you showed us that last year, MMFF. Thank you for proving all of us wrong when we thought of the festival as a mere commercial grab, and inspiring us to seek out these films, to discuss them, and to look forward to the future. True, not all of the films in last year's lineup were great films, but I daresay they were all important films, because they showed us the potential and capability of our filmmakers, our storytellers, and yes, even our government and decision-makers when it comes to selecting the quality we show at such an important time of the movie-going year. Last year wasn't perfect - but it was a great and heartening step forward for the local industry.

Right below that banner--this announcement. It seems we're back to the old ways again. Try as I might I can't muster any excitement for the same retread of the same themes, stories, stars. Maybe one, or two, or all of these films are actually great. But at an opportunity for originality, for change, to inspire again and to push the envelope, this is unfortunately feels like a wasted one. This is not to belittle the efforts and accomplishments of those who've worked/who are working on these projects--it's just, there are many times for these to shine during the year. They are almost assured of success.

Thanks again, certain lawmakers and lobbyists. Thanks again for the vote of confidence for the moviegoing public. Thanks again for choosing to fill your coffers for this Christmas, with little regard for the future of our industry and generations of MMFFs to come." - Wacky Narciso

Below is the official press release:

The Metro Manila Film Festival Executive Committee (MMFF Execom) , upon the recommendation of its Selection Committee, hereby announces the first 4 official entries to the MMFF 2017 based on the script submission.

The MMFF Execom said the following entries have been thoroughly evaluated by the body's selection panel.

ANG PANDAY
Director: Rodel Nacianceno
Producer:CCM CREATIVE PRODUCTIONS,Inc.
Lead Actor: Coco Martin

ALMOST IS NOT ENOUGH
Director: Dan Villegas
Producers: QUANTUM & MJM PRODUCTIONS
Lead Actors: Jennylyn Mercado & Jericho Rosales

THE REVENGERS
Director: Joyce A. Bernal
Producers: STAR CINEMA & VIVA FILMS
Lead Actors: Vice Ganda, Daniel Padilla & Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach

LOVE TRAPS #Family Goals
Director: Antonio Y. Reyes
Producer: OCTO ARTS FILMS
Lead Actors: Vic Sotto & Dawn Zulueta

With the push for artistic excellence that began in 2016, the MMFF this year under the helm of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Danilo Lim received a very encouraging and diverse roster of 26 film-entries that already crossed the so-called commercial-indie divide.

"Our selection committee had a difficult time choosing given the quality of films. We have to thank them for their exhaustive and thorough deliberations," MMFF Executive Committee Chairman Tim Orbos said.

"We also have to give credit to this year's Rules Committee which devised the two-part selection process that gave a greater latitude to interested participants for this year," Orbos said, referring to the new vetting scheme that was initially applied this year to assure that no discrimination will arise amongst commercial and the so-called "indie" films.

The film entries this year were evaluated based on the following criteria: 40% artistic excellence; 40% commercial appeal; 10% promotion of Filipino cultural and historical values & 10% global appeal.

The next phase for the FULL LENGTH FEATURE category will be the finished film submission. The films with the duly accomplished application forms and complete requirements can be submitted to the MMFF Secretariat until October 2 for early birds, and until October 30 for the regular submission.

The remaining 4 slots as official entries shall be selected from all the submitted finished films to complete the eight (8) official entries to the 2017 MMFF which will be announced on November 17.

The deadline for the SHORT FILM category, on the other hand, will be on September 1, while the announcement for the eight official Short Film entries is on September 29.

Waze Navigational Mobile App Will Speak in Tagalog Voice Soon

Wazzup Pilipinas!

To comply with Anti-Distracted Driving Act (ADDA), Waze navigational mobile app will have voice commands in Tagalog soon.

Waze will soon have voice direction language in Tagalog. Who would you like to be used as its voice? Kris Aquino, Ruffa Mae Quinto, Rey Langit, Gus Abelgas, Korina Sanchez, Kuya Cesar, Mike Enriquez, etc?

This will be starting on July 6, 2017 Tagalog Waze voice be like:

"Ikaw ay nakarating na sa iyong destinasyon" 

"Sa labing-limang kilometro, umikot pa-kanan" 

Sana magkaroon rin ng Bekinese language option sa Waze.

"Pagdating sa kanto, ikaliwa mo gurl! Dyan dali! Ayan! Pak! Pak! Kembot!

or 

"Beshie, sa ika-300 na metro, bahay na ni ex yan. Move on move on din."

If Grace Poe voice was on Waze: "Sa may stoplight, mag U-turn po. Ako po ay Pilipino, hindi ko lang po alam ang Tagalog ng stoplight at U-turn."

How I wish somebody would invent a Tagalog , Visayan or Ilokano Waze which will give more animated instructions like: " Hoy, tanga! Sabi ko na sa iyo left turn! At, hindi 10 feet kung hindi 3.048 meters na, kasi metric na lahat except sa USA!"

But Magiting Street is still Ma-jiay-ting. It may still take time for Waze to pronounce Tagalog words correctly.