A Bangin’ Start to 2026: Ignite Your New Era at SM J Mall

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

The echoes of 2025 are fading, but at SM Supermalls, the silence is being replaced by a thunderous, show-stopping roar. The New Year isn’t just a date on the calendar; it is a clean slate, a blazing-hot adventure, and a call to embrace a bigger, bolder version of yourself. As we step into 2026, the spotlight shines directly on the latest crown jewel of Cebuano shopping: SM J Mall

This isn't just a shopping trip; it is a curated journey through explosive possibilities and fiery new energy.

The Treasure Hunt Begins: Trendy Discoveries

The New Year demands a lifestyle upgrade, and the newly opened KKV is the ultimate destination for those who thrive on the "now".

A Full-On Treasure Hunt: Wander through vibrant interiors and endless aisles bursting with trendy must-haves.

Everything Your Heart Desires: From makeup and skincare to tech accessories and delicious snacks, you might just find the gem that starts your year with a bang.

Step Into Megawatt Glam

If 2026 is the year you own the room, you need the footwear to match. Clube Melissa offers ultra-glamorous options to help you strut with newfound confidence.

Fierce & Sturdy: Choose from cosmopolitan jelly flats, heels, and sandals that combine high-fashion flair with unmatched durability.

Power Your Ambition

Don’t let your momentum falter. WIWU ensures your tech lasts longer than a New Year’s Eve party.

Flex Your Style: Beyond fast-charging power banks and cables, explore hundreds of quirky, eye-catching mobile accessories designed to keep you fully charged into the year.

A Sweet Explosion of Flavor

No Filipino celebration—no handaan—is complete without a centerpiece that makes the room go "boom".

Conti’s: Indulge in mind-blowingly delicious icons like the Mango Bravo and Pistachio Crunch.

Carmen’s Best: Now open, this handcrafted ice cream hub uses rich, high-quality ingredients to add a delicious twist to every visit.

The Countdown to What’s Next: Coming Soon

The excitement at SM J Mall is only getting started. In just a few months, a new wave of jaw-droppingly fun spots will open their doors:

UGreen

A top tech spot for fast chargers, hubs, and power banks to juice up your 2026.

WATCHprofile

Digital and custom timepieces to track the moments that don't stop when the countdown ends.

Wilson

High-performance gear for tennis, basketball, and baseball to help you serve up explosive gameplay.

Own Your Era

Repeat after us: 2026 is YOUR year to thrive. Leave the past behind and step into a brighter, bolder "new you" era. At SM Supermalls, we are evolving alongside you, bringing together world-class cuisine, exclusive retail treasures, and a commitment to community and sustainability.

Go ahead—let SM J Mall elevate, ignite, and power your New Year and beyond. Because at SM, we’ve truly got it all for you.

DepEd sets sights on realizing system reforms, program promises in National Planning Conference

 

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

MAKATI CITY, 04 February 2026 — The Department of Education (DepEd) outlined the agency’s forward-looking plans to reform and strengthen the education system during its National Planning Conference—anchoring policy directions, strategic priorities, and implementation roadmaps on the recommendations put forward in the Final Report of the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II).

"Para sa taong ito, kinakailangan nating ilatag ang ating mga prayoridad upang masigurong bawat sentimo sa ating 2026 budget ay magagamit nang wasto. We owe it to our teachers and learners to deliver the highest quality education possible," Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.

During the discussions, DepEd underscored the need to strengthen the Learning System through the seamless integration of curriculum, teaching and learning processes, assessment, learning materials, teacher training, and alternative learning delivery modalities.

For 2026, the Department will prioritize the review and consolidation of Special Curricular Programs, while sustaining the implementation of the strengthened Senior High School (SHS) curriculum, including the expansion of Grade 12 elective offerings. Learners will also be provided with clearer post-K to 12 pathways through the rollout of the National Entrepreneurship Challenge.

In terms of learning resources, the agency reported that the majority of textbooks have already been procured and are expected to be delivered by June, in time for the opening of the next school year. This will also support the full implementation of the Strengthened SHS program across public schools nationwide.

The Department likewise reiterated that a key priority for the year is the enhancement of school-based staffing. DepEd is targeting the filling of 32,916 new teaching positions; 6,000 Principal I items; 11,268 Administrative Officer II items; 5,000 Project Development Officer I items; and 10,000 School Counselor Associate I items. In addition, more than 100,000 teachers are set to receive their “long overdue” promotions under the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System.

Human resource reforms will shift toward transformational workforce development, supported by artificial intelligence (AI)-powered platforms for workforce planning, assessment of school head applicants, human resource deployment, and the streamlining of school forms. These initiatives also support the agency’s broader efforts to integrate technology into basic education.

To uphold its learner-centered mandate, DepEd will also intensify learning recovery and continuity measures aimed at preventing learning losses caused by natural disasters, classroom congestion, malnutrition, absenteeism, and bullying.

The Department also highlighted the increase in budget allocation for schools’ Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE)—from P48 billion in 2025 to P60 billion in 2026—to ensure that school heads, personnel, and teachers are sufficiently supported in implementing programs and initiatives on the ground.

"Sa tulong ng pondong ipinagkaloob sa atin ng ating mahal na Pangulo, President Bongbong Marcos, at ng Kongreso, patuloy nating isusulong ang mahahalagang reporma sa edukasyon—para sa Bagong Pilipinas," Secretary Angara said.

Attended by officials from the Central and field offices nationwide, the conference focused on comprehensive discussion of the Five-Point Reform Agenda and the Quality Basic Education Development Plan (QBEDP). The Department emphasized the imperative for reforms to be coherent, data-driven, and resilient—ensuring alignment across policy, planning, and execution.

Wazzup Pilipinas: The Digital Titan That Became the Voice of the Filipino Nation

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

In an era where digital noise often drowns out authenticity, one platform has risen above the chaos to become more than just a blog—it is a movement. Wazzup Pilipinas, hailed as the Pambansang Blog ng Pilipinas (National Blog of the Philippines), was born from the vision of Ross Flores Del Rosario, a former United Nations ICT officer who traded circuit boards for keyboards to amplify stories that matter to Filipinos at home and abroad.

 

From Engineering Labs to the Heart of the Nation

 

Ross Flores Del Rosario’s journey began not in media, but in the rigorous halls of Mapúa Institute of Technology, where he earned a degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering. His career took him to the frontlines of global aid as an ICT officer for the UN World Food Programme, where he witnessed a profound disconnect: the stories of ordinary Filipinos—from rice farmers in Ifugao to fishermen in Bicol—were invisible in mainstream and international news.

 

“Every time I’d visit far-flung communities, I’d meet incredible people doing amazing things,” Ross recalls. “But you’d never read about them in the papers. I realized we had all the tools to connect these stories—we just needed someone to flip the switch.”

 

In March 2013, he took that leap, launching Wazzup Pilipinas as a personal blog documenting his travels and daily life. The breakthrough came when he covered a small community festival in Rizal Province—an event ignored by major outlets. His post, filled with vibrant photos and heartfelt interviews, went viral, drawing thousands of comments: “Finally, someone is telling our story!”

 

A Platform Built on Courage and Community

 

What started as a hobby quickly evolved into a powerhouse of Filipino digital media. Wazzup Pilipinas has since earned dozens of accolades, including Top Filipino Community Blog, Most Outstanding Community Blog in Southeast Asia, and the National Customers’ Choice Award for Most Outstanding Social Media Influencer/Online Community in 2023. These honors are more than trophies—they are validation of a mission to prioritize truth over trend, community over clicks, and purpose over profit.

 

The platform’s content spans travel, culture, business, advocacy, and current events, with a focus on uplifting Filipino voices. It has partnered with institutions like the Department of Tourism to promote local destinations, collaborated with Worldbex Services International to showcase Filipino innovation, and worked with NGOs like Save the Children Philippines to drive social change. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Wazzup Pilipinas became a lifeline for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), helping them recover by amplifying their stories and products to a global audience.

 

More Than a Blog—A Movement for Positive Change

 

Beyond news and features, Wazzup Pilipinas is on a mission to reshape online content culture. Through its Umalohokan Influencers and Content Creators Workshops, the platform trains emerging creators to produce content that is morally, ethically, and legally aligned—a direct response to the rise of sensationalism and harmful material on social media. Ross believes that influencers have a responsibility to “project a better image of the Philippines, because it’s the Filipino people who make it more fun here.”

 

Today, Wazzup Pilipinas is a multi-platform community with a vibrant presence on websites, social media, and YouTube, reaching over 1.4 million monthly views as of July 2024. It has forged partnerships with global brands like VRITIMES to expand its reach, while staying rooted in its promise to be “unfiltered, unbought, and undeniably Filipino.”

 

The Legacy of a National Voice

 

Ross Flores Del Rosario, now known nationwide as the Pambansang Blogger, never set out to build a media empire. He set out to tell a story—our story. From its humble beginnings to its status as a digital titan, Wazzup Pilipinas remains a testament to what happens when passion meets purpose. It is a platform that not only reports on the Philippines but celebrates it, proving that in the hands of someone who cares deeply, a blog can become the heart of a nation.