Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Ellen Adarna Covers Esquire Philippines April 2014 Issue

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Esquire magazine reveals an ingenious cover for its April 2014 issue with Ellen Adarna seductively gracing it in a very provocative yet somehow blasphemous way.

In the absence of a cross, she may get away with it but how she lay on the floor and the position of her hands and feet do not mistakenly portray the image of Jesus Christ in a cross.

Creative it may seem with the major article topics covering most of her sexual assets like Manuel L. Quezon III's power, the love of Ely Buendia, and the pain of Lav Diaz.

Alternately, with the other cover reveals Lourd De Veyra's God, the sex of Ellen Adarna, and death by Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo.

There has never been any magazine cover yet that has struck my attention enough to read what's inside those glossy pages. I am betting I will be seeing more than just the oozing sexiness of Ellen Adarna.

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Maja Salvador is looking well in a two-piece swimsuit revealing her sensational firm and hot body ready to officially face summer with style and wellness.

The magazine shares articles on how to bag that dream trip without breaking the bank, how to keep your holiday hot, how to travel like a pro, how to keep your abs flab free, and the hottest reasons to hit the beach among many other worth reading topics.

The magazine also reveals JC De Vera as the alternate cover of Men's Health magazine where JC shows off his awesome muscles.

The alternate cover shows the other articles namely, Free sandbag workout, the best new shoes for men, readers sharing their secrets to success, shares ways on how to fortify your heart to add 50 years to your life, how to put your sex drive into overdrive, how to become a roastmaster and brew that perfect cup, and ways to save the Earth.

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I stopped organizing food reviews, but I keep myself open and available when there's an invitation. Sadly, I try to make it my last priority because my wife will continue to scold me whenever she sees my double china and growing belly (lol). But what was I supposed to do when I got an invitation to travel to Zamboanga for a four day visit, and then surprised to learn that our hosts will be treating us to different restaurants everyday to help promote Zamboanga as a promising tourist destination inspite of the recent conflict between MILF elements and government forces. It was followed by an exorbitant dining adventure at the three fine-dining restaurants of the Dusit Thani Manila hotel accompanied by our overnight family staycation treat the hotel gave me in exchange of blogging about them. Now that really bloated me like a blimp, but I so loved it!

Who wouldn't want to drop his dietary plans when you see before you several plates of delectable cuisines all waiting for you to dig in and explore its taste? So that was it!...I knew it wouldn't last. Life is just too short to restrict myself from eating seemingly fattening foods. It doesn't really hurt if I keep eating moderately. At least I try my best to remain guilt-free and in control. There are times I am tempted to over-eat but that's only if I eat alone. It's not everyday I indulge on one of life's finest moments especially when the dining experience is at restaurant that I've never been to.

Take for example my visit to the Grillery Restaurant and Bar located at the Greenhills Town Center along Granada street just a few blocks away past the Greenhills Shopping Center along Ortigas Avenue. By the way, don't get confused between the two places as the former is a newer spot farther away form the latter. At this restaurant, you'll find me reunited with what I love doing - teasingly going through a gastronomic adventure once again.

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Earthday Jam returns once again for another star-studded evening on April 25, 2014 filled with many of the young and veteran performers from the music industry collaborating in an effort to give tribute to the celebration of international Earthday.

The celebration will be held at the same venue where it happened last year - at the 9th Avenue corner 34th of Bonifacio Global City (BGC) starting at 7 pm. The event promises to be a merry music marathon that is still free for public viewing. I am sure it will again be flooded with individuals of all ages who will share the night with us in recognizing Earthday through the Earthday Jam 2014 celebration.

I was there covering the event last year and I have to say it was an impressive line-up of bands and singers, coupled with a few talks from NGOs and advocacy groups, and a spectacular presentation of talent and showmanship. I wanted to take photos and videos of all performances but they were simply numerous that my camera drained its battery just more than half-way the performances. Trust when I say that you'll have

At the press conference held at Gerry's Grill at Greenbelt 3, members of the media were presented with what to expect at the Earhday Jam for the year. From all the artists already identified, there will be a few more surprises to make up for an evening of non-stop music tripping and Earth-loving advocacy.

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Your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger was invited to the launch of the Oppo Find 7, the flagship phone of the Oppo Mobile Telecommunications Corporation Ltd, an international mobile phone brand committed to designing beautiful technology products with an open attitude. The company seeks to fuse technology and affection in all their products and has been restless in the pursuit of innovation, quality standards and delivering an element of positive surprise.

The Oppo Find 7 is a level above the rest of the smartphone models that are currently available in the Philippines. They introduced features I have never seen before on any of the brands that have proliferated in the country. Truly there's a lot of innovations done on their phone.

Unknown to some, the brand is very popular in China and has been a talk in the international tech forums where they discuss about the China brand phone. Though the only concern of most during the question and answer portion is the pricing. The Oppo Find 7a retails at Php 22, 9990 - almost Php 23k already save Php 10. Meanwhile the Oppo Find 7 retails for Php 25,990 - almost Php 26k.

At the media launch held at the Sofitel hotel in Manila, Oppo awes the crowd with the fascinating stage production with the number 7 represented in both small and large sizes, the dynamic stage presence of all speakers, and the stunning light display including the Oppo logos that seemingly danced on the walls of the grand ballroom of the hotel. It was a night of glamor and elegance as they introduce a very innovative product to the audience.

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In the unique tradition of street art, gritty visuals transform spaces into artistic landmarks and markers of community engagement. It is a language defined by contact, dialogue and exchange. At the heart of which lies human relationships- the inspiration for street artists such as Blic.His art depicts personal and social experiences- a creative response, expanding and collapsing, to the yearning of public spaces and specific sites. Blic brings to life “sub-cities”, familiar and storied public spaces with his street art icon, a hand or a pair of hands, which hints at a language of its own.

Pildera is an obscure enclave in Pasay City. It is no exception to the precarious and dire conditions found in a “megapolis”. It is a stark reminder of neglect, disparity, contradiction and the drama of social change. In Pildera, the economic and social divides are evident not only in the make-up of community dwellings but also amidst the interaction of people living in specific spaces.

Blic painted this wide mural on a wall behind a church and near a basket- ball court by a derelict Padefo. The Padefo, a day-care center turned urban ghetto inhabited by informal settlers, is the focal point of the mural. Beyond the frustrations of urban angst, the mural wistfully illustrates the possibility of rising out of destitution.

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My first taste of real Korean culinary was no other but from Chef's Noodle Korean Restaurant. Before I was a blogger, the only food I knew was Filipino dishes. Well, yes.. I may have eaten some foreign dishes in the past, but it's my first time to eat something authentic from a Korean Restaurant.

I was there when they introduced their very first endorsers like Down to Mars and Grace Lee. I was also present when they renewed Grace Lee's endorsement contract. Now I also recently attended their formal launch of a new Chef's Noodle brand endorser - Sam Concepcion, the teen actor, singer and dancer well-loved by the youth because of his flexibility as a performer.

Beauty queen Shamcey Supsup and her husband Lloyd Lee is also among the other special endorsers of the Korean restaurant, but Sam Concepcion is here to project an image of youthfulness and freshness that is the basic characteristics of Chef's Noodle. The restaurant is fast becoming a diner's haven for those that love everything about Korea.

I could still remember my first take-out of their dishes from their Greenhills branch. The staff were very courteous and helped me with my choices from the menu. What was great was the affordability because I remember going home with two paper bag full of dishes for only a few bucks. Back home, my family and I enjoyed the feast, and they had no complaints of the food.

Pretty Little Liars Philippines' Stars Cover Sense & Style Magazine April 2014 Issue

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Sense and Style magazine presents the stars of the Philippine version of Pretty Little Liars namely Danielle Lee, Sophie Albert and Chanel Morales on their April 2014 issue.

All three pretty little ladies are TV5 princesses from the Kapatid network of Manny Pangilinan. The three ladies exude an aura of sophistication and elegance wearing those exquisite printed dresses, and long beautiful hair that are simply highlighted as the teenage stars' crowning glory.

Their faces could also launch a thousand ships if we were back in the old days, now they can launch a thousand boys' dream of heavenly paradise, or become viral on social media shared mostly by the love-struck boys.

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The end of high school years is usually marked by two things; graduation and prom. Graduation is where the fourth years receive their diplomas which certify that they have completed their high school education. But before that is an event where the seniors can get to socialize with the juniors before leaving their beloved alma mater. That event is the junior-senior promenade (“prom” for short), and this year Pasig City Science High School’s prom got brighter and brighter as the earth lurched away from the sun.

This year, the student body of PCSHS has decided to make the Great Gatsby the theme for their junior-senior prom. So with that theme comes one word-vintage. Dresses and coats were all flaunting a touch of nostalgia. Some even sported the clothes straight from The Great Gatsby itself. The venue was decorated with black, gold, and anything that sparkles, with bouquets of flowers to balance the overall atmosphere.

We were serenaded by selected students while dinner time was ongoing. There were lots of performers from both the juniors and the seniors. Some sang for their special someone. Some sang to entertain. Some even played guitars while performing!

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Ashley Rivera, otherwise know as Petra Mahalimuyak, is the cover model for FHM Philippines magazine April 2014 issue.

Wearing only a bikini panty and with hands holding two water guns covering her perky well-rounded breasts, Ashley teases all who catches a glimpse of the magazine to find out more about this beauty inside the pages of the magazine.

The magazine has articles on what women actually like, how grilling makes a man and that girls love a man who can burn meat, reminding that better living starts with getting your back straight, and a sexual debate between sex gurus Abby Poblador and Jahziel Manabat to determine which is better: Pop In or Pop Out?

Now available on news stands and book stores nationwide.

Maybank and Wendy's Partner to Treat You With Awesome Burger Combos

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I can still remember the days when we often visit Wendy's burger joints after work week. My colleagues and I would always attack the salad bar as one of our favorite meals aside from their burger with bacon and melted cheese. We would often compete with each other making the tallest salad just using the plate provided. There is something really challenging in making their salad look like a tower especially when you see others able to make it look like a skyscraper.

OMG! How are they able to do it? They were very ingenious in using the cucumbers and other veggies to create a humungous bulk of salad on their plate. I am at awe seeing many other people aside from our group trying their best to emulate the same achievement like it was a career on its own. Yeah! We frequent the salad not just because it taste really good because of those several choices of salad dressing, but also because we were challenged to find out how tall we can go.

Everyone is only allowed a one-time visit to the salad bar but how can others able to eat so many, or better yet how can they make their salad defy gravity? I would often be in a state between admiration and feeling weird. This is probably why Wendy's no longer has a salad bar. Lol! They still serve salads, but gone are the salad bars.

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Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph “Jun” Abaya hails the European Union’s (EU) decision to lift its ban on Cebu Pacific Air, citing the carrier’s efforts in satisfying the European Commission’s safety standard requirements, as well as the effective governance of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines’ (CAAP) top officials.

In a message he delivered during the announcement of the lifting, Abaya gave the following remarks:

“One of our missions at the DOTC and CAAP under President Aquino’s leadership has been to revive the country’s aviation sector and to elevate it to world-class standards. Today’s announcement of the EU’s decision to lift its ban on Cebu Pacific Air brings us that much closer to establishing the Philippine civil aviation sector’s resurgence as one of the hallmarks of the Aquino administration.

“We are grateful to the EU for opening its skies to more flights from the Philippines. This will afford your constituents better access to excellent tourist destinations across our islands, and will give our citizens convenient and affordable means of travelling to your countries as well.

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Below are both statements of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Malacanang (from the Deputy Presidential Spokesperson, Undersecretary Abigail Valte) on the upgrade to Category 1 Status of the Philippines by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. Earlier on I posted the official press release of the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) at a separate blog post.

We are glad to hear about this great news that will surely uplift the recognition of the Philippine aviation industry towards strengthening tourism promotion efforts of the country.

Many will feel more confident flying to the Philippines now that we are on FAA Category 1 status.

Flying is relatively the safest means of transportation with very little, and almost insignificant compared to the accidents happening on the roads and even the seas, but with the recent disappearance of the Malaysian airplane, there seems to be an impending concern for some to become more aware of classifications such as these to ensure their safety.

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We did some Wine Tasting 101 a few days earlier during one of the events I attended for another brand and that is where I realized the many factors that make up a great wine, and how the delicate and lengthy process takes place. From there I found out that wine is simply a symbol of elegance because it takes a real wine lover to be able to tell which wine is of superb quality. You need to do a lot of reading, and a lot of tasting, to master the art.

Now here's the chance for all wine enthusiasts to indulge on great wines. Get ready as Buddha-Bar Manila finally brings the Ultimate Wine Experience! Unlimited wine every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, 8-11PM for only Php 1500. Enjoy unlimited serving of top of the line wine, making conversations with friends a feel good one!

What are you waiting for, dress up and troop over at Buddha-Bar Manila for an Ultimate Wine Experience.

For inquiries and table reservation, please contact (+63 2) 856-6859, (+63 2) 856-6719, or email at info@buddhabarmanila.com

Category 1 Status Cements Landmark Era in Philippine Aviation Sector

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After seven (7) years, the United States (US) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has finally upgraded the country’s civil aviation status from Category 2 to Category 1, enabling Philippine air carriers to open new direct flights to the US.

Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Joseph “Jun” Abaya lauds this significant development in the country’s aviation industry and notes that it would further strengthen ties with the US.

“This upgrade cements a landmark era in the Philippine aviation sector. From one major achievement to another in a span of less than 2 years, the country has made great strides in enhancing its aviation industry to one that is at par with the best in the world,” said Abaya.

“We congratulate the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) for a job well done in ensuring the lifting of the ICAO’s significant safety concerns, the lifting of the European ban on local airlines, and now, the FAA upgrade to Category 1. Truly, your accomplishments prove that good governance and competent leadership will be the legacy of President Aquino’s Daang Matuwid,” Abaya stated.