Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Monday, April 7, 2014

Philippines Wins “Best National Tourism Organization” Award in India

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Travel and tourism professionals in South India voted the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT) as the “Best National Tourism Organization” for 2013.

“South India Travel Awards will create an all-India platform to recognize those behind the success of the travel and tourism industry and to recognize their achievements,” Amit Bhasin, Convener of the India Travel Awards, said

The DOT was awarded for its branding campaign and roadshows in South India, particularly in the cities of Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore. Last year, the Philippines organized three roadshows and one location meeting with filmmakers in the region alone to promote various destinations and facilitate business-to-business deals among its private sector partners.

Amit Bhasin added that the South India Travel Awards, supported by the Indian Ministry of Tourism, is the first of the four regional recognition events (the other three are in the North, East, and West) leading to the nationwide India Travel Awards scheduled later in the year.

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We spent a family bonding opportunity at the Dusit Thani Manila hotel after my father was invited to try out a staycation at the said hotel. It was perfect timing to celebrate my sister’s high school graduation which was happening in just a few days from now. After a great dinner at the Benjarong Thai Royal Cuisine restaurant and an overnight at a magnificent hotel room, we woke up eager to try out the buffet breakfast at the Basix Restaurant of the hotel.

Basix Restaurant had quite a selection of food since it seems to contain the popular type of breakfast choices: American, Filipino, Continental and a few more to satisfy your appetite. Our breakfast here was the best we’ve experienced so far, because everything was so delicious, like an adventure for our taste buds.

Witnessing the surroundings, everything was portrayed conveniently so you wouldn’t look like a lost kid searching for your parents. We got our plates, and raided each station to our hearts content. We chose food to make the perfect breakfast; I chose cereal, waffles and pancakes, bread, noodles, rice with franks, corned beef, chicken curry, bacon and finally yogurt (carbs on carbs on carbs on carbs on carbs on carbs...hehehe….just joking).

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To continue with our Dusit Thani Manila Hotel family staycation story, I left you wondering what it was like inside our hotel room. Well now I bring you inside to get a few glimpses of how it looked like.

Since it was a family staycation, the room should be big enough for all five of us (two adults and three kids aged 15, 14 and 10). Lucky enough, we were given a hotel suite at the 12th floor.

Basically, there were two partitions. One partition is where you can find two beds along with some tables and a flat screen TV monitor where you can watch cable TV, and the other the living room containing a sofa set plus an extra bed for the fifth member of our family. The living room also had a flat screen TV monitor with cable TV connection. Its like living at home except that there was no kitchen and dining area.

However, who needs a kitchen in a hotel when it already has four specialty restaurants that can serve the best meals possible. But we'll be sure to visit the hotel gym as too much eating will surely increase our waist size soon.

Hirugohan O Taberu at UMU Japanese Restaurant

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Last March 29 and 30 marked another significant day of our lives as a family. We spent our family bonding in Dusit Thani Manila hotel, located at Ayala Center, the central business district of Makati City here in the Philippines. It was also sort of a celebration of my high school graduation since I will be soon graduating in just a few days.

We checked in at around 1:30 in the afternoon of March 29th for an overnight stay that my father calls a family staycation. Our stay in the said hotel was worth reminiscing because we got to spend time at a luxurious hotel room filled with amenities fitting for VIPs, had dinner at the Benjarong Royal Thai Cuisine Restaurant, enjoyed a buffet breakfast the following morning at the Basix Restaurant, and had our lunch at the Umu Japanese Restaurant of the hotel.

I volunteered to write about our dining experience at the Umu Japanese Restaurant because I really enjoyed the dishes there, and since I love Japanese culture particularly the anime, I am more than willing to write about it. So here goes the story about our fabulous Japanese feast.

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The eight national winners of the 2014 Philippine Art Awards (PAA) have been honored during the awarding ceremony and formal opening of exhibition at the Yuchengco Museum in Makati City.

Bayen Elero, Corporate Affairs Director PMFTC, Inc., said in her message, "As we strengthen our community projects all over the country, we truly take pleasure collaborating with the sectors promoting Philippine culture and the arts."

Dave Gomez, Communications Manager of PMFTC, Inc., thanked the partners of Philippine Art Awards. without whose support, the PAA would have not done its tasked for almost 20 years. He said "through the years, PAA, has maintained its preeminent status particularly due to the consistent support of our national as well as regional partners all over the country, and generally, by the eagerly growing participation of the Filipino visual artists nationwide."

Aside from cash prizes, each of the eight winners received a trophy designed by National Artist Napoleon Abueva and a trip to the forthcoming Basel Art Fair in Hong Kong this May. The winners were to keep their winning entries as well.

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Does it feel like the hottest summer ever?

Pick up the latest issue of UNO Magazine with Irina Ansell on the cover and you're guaranteed to feel even hotter.

Irina epitomizes scorching hot and is the perfect girl to bring anyone out of hibernation. This Polish-born seductress has Jewish, Italian and Russian blood running thru her veins and her sun-kissed complexion coupled with her sultry gaze will get your blood running to all the right places.

Find out what keeps UNO Magazine's summer siren focused (hint, she's actually quite talented behind the lens as she is in front of it), discover some of her deepest darkest desires and even be surprised that this girl can take you to court (and even provide the background information to boot).

She is such an accomplished woman, she even gave the photos for this issue--shooting them in the exotic sands of Mexico and Hawaii. She makes crocheted pieces of swimwear look very sexy indeed and images of her bending her tiny waist over a hard white rock make you go...

Well, you get the picture. Think feathers, here, there and everywhere plus itsy bitsy bikinis. Have we whet your appetite enough?

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Your favorite night food market leveled up a few floors higher in Makati because you can now find Cucina Andare at the roofdeck of The Link building located just right across The Landmark department store and Makati Shangri-La hotel.

The Anton Diaz and RJ Ledesma line of night food market continues to dominate the industry every Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights as it offers very affordable meals available for an average of Php 100 for every meal. true enough, all sorts of viands can be bought at surprisingly very low prices just like at their other night food markets that can be found at other locations.

Where else can you find delectable meals as low as that within the Makati commercial business district? This is definitely your best choice to go and hang-out with your colleagues after working hours, or with your friends and family after a weekend of gimmick or bonding.

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They're so cute, cuddly and can light up your night. Every kid would want them to be part of their room and, if possible, their best friend to make them feel safe at night.

The dreamy and colorful light collection is a collaboration between Philips and Disney to help light up the room of kids at times when darkness seems to be dreadful for your little toddlers. They will surely love the adorable vibrant designs of Philips and Disney LED SoftPals and LivingColors light collection.

The collection features Disney characters that kids all over the world love like Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan or otherwise known as Sulley of Monsters Inc, Micro Cars, and the Disney princesses like Snow White, Cinderella, Jasmine, Aurora, and Belle.

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Filipina mixed martial arts fighter Jujeath Nagaowa, who will be making her ONE Fighting Championship debut on May 2 in ONE FC Rise of Heroes at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena, guarantees she is more “inspired” to fight now that she has broken off with her boxer boyfriend.

In an interview, Nagaowa said: “I’m inspired 10 times now that he’s no longer around.” When pointed to her the statement seems contradictory, her only answer is, “Basta.”

She revealed through questioning that it’s been three months since the breakup. “Naka move on na ko.”

Her having a boyfriend was an issue during her training last year when she was supposed to fight Malaysian muay thai contender Siti Syahida Binte Adek, a bout which was scrapped at the last minute. Her relationship was reportedly interfering in her training.

Nagaowa will be battling Indian kickboxing champion Jeet Toshi on May 2. She is aware of the importance of the fight as she is the first female mixed martial arts fighter from the Philippines seeking her rightful place
in the male-dominated sport.

She said she is not taking her fight with Toshi lightly. “Magaling din sya pero kakayanin ko.”

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Digital door locks have been around for years but it is only now that it has slowly penetrated into the households as it becomes more convenient and affordable even for the home. The future has been around and yet we get to only see them yet in the movies and TV series. But now Yale has brought the future to us.

Yale now focuses on introducing digital door locks in the Philippines when it launched an event a few days ago last April 2, 2014 at the Marquee Hall of EDSA Shangri-La Hotel located in Mandaluyong. Members of the media witnessed the multi-featured convenience of having the keyless alternative as there are now many ways to secure your home using the many technologies now available.

There are now several digital locking technologies using fingerprint, RFID card, or smart touchpad using PIN code that you can use to open doors. These locks are also equipped with alarm systems for security against burglary, vandalism and fire for selected models.

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Museo Orlina, the newest venue of world-class and internationally acclaimed artistry, is now opening its doors to the public.

Ramon Orlina, the Philippines' pioneer and foremost practitioner of glass sculpture, proudly presents his exultant body of works that, throughout the decades, have dazzled the art scene and prized by numerous collectors. The artist has totally changed our appreciation of glass as merely a utility that we use to create drinking vessels, window glass panes or automotive windhields because he has elevated glass as a wonderful expression of his vivid imagination and vision.

I've seen the artist's works several times in many exhibits and galleries within Metro Manila and I can't help but feel a sense of respect towards the creator of the masterpieces. His works seems to reflect what I've been wanting to do ever since I grew fond of the arts - to shape and mold objects into enchanting works of art.

When we got invited to attend a press preview of the Tagaytay museum, I thought I needed to bring my youngest kid along on the trip to introduce him to the creations. There was so much things that I wanted to do during my younger years that I got into thinking that it may be possible to pass it on to my children. My appreciation for music and the arts should also be of interest to them so that they will grow up to be wholistic, and not be concerned with just foreign influences brought upon to them by popular entertainment like anime and K-Pop. I am just relieved they never got to like those appalling "tele-seryes" that further dumbs down the masses.

DOTC Awards MCIA Project to GMR-Megawide

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Following several months of reviewing various legal questions raised by a bidder in connection with the Mactan-Cebu International Airport project, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA) finally awarded the 25-year concession to the GMR-Megawide Consortium yesterday, 4 April 2014.

“Amidst all the noise drummed up in different forums the past few months, the DOTC has allowed nothing but the law and the country’s interests to matter in awarding the project. Finally, Cebuanos will soon get the world-class airport they deserve – one that will not only boost the province’s economy and tourism industry, but the whole country’s as well,” said DOTC Spokesperson Michael Arthur Sagcal.

“This project should have been done at least a decade ago, so there is no more time to waste. We have resolved all issues, we are ready to defend our decision, and it is now time to push forward on Daang Matuwid by delivering our services to the people,” Sagcal added.

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For kids and young at hearts, the Pacific Licensing Studio (PLS) and The SM Store unveiled the launch of a storewide program, "Justice League: Heroes United at SM", a year-long merchandising program lead by Honey Barn Corporation, who is Warner Bros. Consumer Products key product licensee for DC Comics in the Philippines.

The program which will extend over 80 key product offerings is based on exclusive art inspired by DC Comics "New 52" comics series, which is being featured for the first time in Asia.

The "Justice League: Heroes United at SM" product assortment includes apparel, accesories, footwear, bags, gifts & novelties, houseware, bedding & personal care items. Products will be launched in three waves commencing mid-February which is currently in store, and refreshed in May and July. The product also features the new store fixtures and product packaging.

Family Bonding Time at Dusit Thani Manila: A Truly Memorable Staycation

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One of life's simplest pleasures is spending quality time with the ones we love. There are a lot of amazing things that can happen when the family has opportunities to do meaningful things together. Family bonding time strengthens the relationship even further to a level that each and every family member will cherish forever. As they say, "The family that _________ (fill in the blank with anything you want) together, stays together."

It is totally heart-warming when you can easily connect with your kids who appreciate the value of close family ties. I believe that children that do not have a sense of family values are more likely to be influenced by friends that do not necessarily have their best interests at heart. It will always be up to the parents to model expected behaviors inside the family circle and with others in the community, of which the children will eventually emulate. To spend a more intimate weekend with the kids would be the best way to show that spending time with them was truly something special and memorable.

This is the reason why I quickly grabbed the opportunity to bond with the kids after I got an invitation to spend the weekend at the luxurious Dusit Thani Manila. My wife and I were very grateful that we will be able to get the chance to take the time off from our busy schedules, and most of all, spend quality time with our children.

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The main reason why people opt to sign up for quick broadband services is for convenience. Amazingly enough, the best broadband providers also managed to come up with a way to increase the user’s level of convenience by offering bundled services.

Bundled services is a service that allows a user to have a single account that provides for their Internet connection, TV services, and digital voice services. Bundled services allow a customer to save money, enjoy convenience, and even customise specific aspects of their account, thus making the idea of bundled services a good move to anyone who wants to fully maximise their Internet and digital capabilities without paying a lot of money.

Here is a more detailed discussion of why you should look into bundled broadband services today: