iACADEMY's iSCE eyes new heights for ASEAN Integration, welcomes new Executive Director

Wazzup Pilipinas!

iACADEMY School of Continuing Education (iSCE) is pleased to welcome its new Executive Director, Mr. Jordan Imutan, who took the lead last July 2014. A seasoned professional whose career spans over two decades of industry innovation and excellence in the IT field, Mr. Imutan now tries to share his learnings and experiences through iSCE in the service of education.

As iSCE's new leader, Mr. Imutan envisions different strategies of maintaining, improving and ensuring that iSCE continues its excellence through his direction. He sees how our fellow Filipinos can be up-skilled for the coming ASEAN Integration. The Integration is expected to open up and boost investments, create jobs and incomes in the whole region. All member states would then be open to zero import duties for ASEAN products and services by 2015, while all nationals within the state would then be allowed to freely work anywhere in the region without exclusions.

The said integration will allow for opportunities for our companies and work force to collaborate extensively and create a stronger backbone for our economy. With a combined $2.2 trillion GDP market, the best companies in the ASEAN nations will be able to compete with local companies of their neighboring country. However, in order to compete, our local companies would need to raise the quality of our products and service. Moreover, the very competency of our human resource must also necessarily improved, in order to compete with the best of the best in the ASEAN.

Monthly Raffle and Giveaways Series: Zomato

Wazzup Pillipinas!

We will be doing raffle and giveaways every month from now on courtesy of our amazing sponsors and partner brands.

We will start with the hashtag promo brought to you in partnership with Zomato.

The instruction is very simple and you'll get to win lots of goodies from Zomato like a cool red shirt and a restaurant GC worth P 1000.

Just tweet anything about Zomato and add the hashtag #WazzupPilipinas. Please also do not forget to tag @WazzupPilipinas so we could easily spot you.

Follow us on Twitter.

@WazzupPilipinas and @PinoyTekkie for more updates.

You may tweet all you want everyday until the end of the month.

Best tweet for the month of August will win the loots! It's that easy!

Makati Tourism Launches First HoReCa Festival 2014

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Your pambansang blog ng Pilipinas was invited to the official launch of first-ever HoReCa Tourism Festival in Makati history. It was also the unveiling of  the campaign to promote Makati vity as “The Business Tourism Hub of the Philippines.”

Representatives from the Department of Tourism (DOT) were there to support the event led by Catherine Agustin, OIC from the DOT-NCR. Other members of the presscon panel include MFTI Executive Director Volatire Villegas, Adelia Majaba from Danex Expo International, Festival Chairperson Ma. Theresa Dacer, MFTI President Dr. Elton See Tan, Hotel Intercontinental Hotel Area Manager Christian Pirodon, New World Hotel General Manager Farid Schoucair.

The launch was held last August 11, 2014 at the Glass House function room of the New World Hotel, where else but in Makati city. Members of the media, including a few group of bloggers, were invited to witness the first in history.

Everyone is invited to Sip, Savor and Swoon at the first HoReCa Makati 2014. HoReCa stands for Hotel, Restaurant, Cafe/Catering and is considered as significant contributors to promote tourism in every country. Every tourist would love to go to places where these said establishments are at its best. They directly attracts visitors to experience a convenient and comfortable stay at every country. When tourists are aware of impeccable service and products from these establishments, we are assured of regular and returning visits to our country.

Be Closer with Your Loved Ones with LINE Premium Call

Wazzup Pilipinas!

As a gesture of their appreciation to their supporters in the media, the LINE mobile app company threw an exclusive party to celebrate their growing family in the Philippines! LINE brand ambassadors Jessy Mendiola and Matteo Guidicelli also joined the celebration during the later part of the event.

LINE, the world’s leading mobile messaging and call app with 490 million users, also launched a new LINE Premium Call promotion exclusive for Philippine users during the “LINE more, be closer” event held in Makati Shangri-la Hotel in Makati last August 6, 2014.

LINE believes that communication is vital in preserving and strengthening relationships. With an aim to build lasting relationships, the company formally introduced LINE Premium Call, a globally renowned call service, along with loads of other surprises exclusive to its Filipino users.

“Compared to other leading brands, LINE Premium Call provides the lowest price in all the Philippines’ most popular calling destinations because we believe that closer bonds among our loved ones should start with stronger connections,” said Greg Kim, head of LINE Philippines.

Surviving in the Philippines: Towards an Online and Connected World

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We have no landline at home and only uses mobile phones, email and social media networks to communicate with the outside world. Our ten floor "condo" does not allow the installation of wired services and utilities so we have to settle with mobile services.

We are accessing the Internet via a portable Wi-Fi dongle. I had no problems before but when the telecom companies implemented the Fair Usage Policy (FUP) where they will automatically downgrade your service to a speed like that of a dial-up connection once you reach the 3 GB bandwidth limit which they forcibly implemented on all the mobile Internet or data accounts of their subscribers.

You could probably imagine our agony whenever we use the Internet now. When before I could watch all day any YouTube or online streaming video, now I'm lucky if I even reach more than three videos. I  was also downloading some torrents before, now it's zero for me.

We were also using a satellite provider for our TV access. But it brought some problem with the building management since according to them they would not allow the bulky satellite dish installed infront of our unit which looked like mushrooms sprouting. They had to confiscate all the satellite dishes of the tenants which had the service installed. I guess this fucktards wants us to live in the stone age just to maintain the "look" of the place. What is wrong about teh move is that they could have just worked with the satellite TV provider and recommended an alternative way to setup the service in our building.

Join the WeChat and Easy Taxi Selfie Promo to Win 8K Worth of Prizes

Wazzup Pilipinas!
Calling all WeChat users! Take a selfie with your Easy Taxi driver and get a chance to win exciting prices from Easy Taxi's partner brands!

What are the mechanics, you ask?

Here’s all you have to do:

1. Follow Easy Taxi on WeChat: EasyTaxi_PH
2. Take a selfie in an Easy Taxi cab with your driver
3. Send to Easy Taxi your picture on their WeChat account

The 3 most unique selfies will win Php 8,000 worth of Gift Certificates from their partner brands!

It’s that EASY!

#EasyTaxi, your taxi one touch away! #EasySelfie

Why Facebook is Today’s Marketplace

Wazzup Pilipinas!

How often do you browse your Facebook account? Aside from getting the latest buzz from your friends and cyber-stalking your crush, what else do you do online? What other pages do you visit?

Though going to Aling Nena’s sari-sari store to buy a bottle of soft drinks is still done today, anyone with a phone or PC connected to the internet can easily know the latest promos and events of their favorite brands. Want your name on that bottle? Check out your friends’ selfie with theirs! Through the news feed and hashtags galore, you are easily tempted to go to the nearest store and quench your thirst.

Okay, you may be too lazy to stand up and go the mall. Just let your eyes and fingers move to the search bar to look for the trendiest clothes and gadgets. Or you can just spot your product preference for the day by simply glancing on the sidebar of your account.

As you can see, giving a trigger and even selling are possible in Facebook. With more than 30 million Filipino users registered and an average of 21.5 hours weekly browsing history, the said data even surpass a person’s time spent in stores and establishments.

Royal Postal Heritage Tour: The Veiled Beauty

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Traveling always fascinates me. Whether it be for just a short while or for a number days. The mobility of it gives me brief glimpses of the variety of culture and traditions that people have kept throughout their existence contributing to the identity of the place itself. These unique attributes gives us a representation, a title for a place which began without an identity. Manila was one vague place for me. It is the capital city of the Philippines which is probably the reason why it is a melting pot for a lot of cultures. These culture (dominantly Spanish) somehow clashes in tastes when it comes to their architecture but is harmonious in one way or another.

Manila, huge as it is, is home to different worlds. One turn and you may find yourself in another era from another country. This aspect of the place intrigues me because there’s not much variety from the places I am familiar with. Rizal’s provinces are not much different from each other. So walking around and introducing myself to these new sights was a pleasurable surprise for me.

I took part in the Royal Postal Heritage Tour. It was not the typical “Fort Santiago-Intramuros tour” that is so common in Manila. This was different, I can tell because I did not know the places that we’ll be going to. And its unfamiliarity determined my curiosity. The tour said that the meet up will be at the Liwasang Bonifacio around 11:30 on a Sunday. Mind you, although I was a student in Taft during the time of the tour, I was still a newbie to manila itself. In fact I even needed to ask directions on where Liwasang Bonifacio is.

e-Blog mo na yan!: Blogging Community Now on Air

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Now, Bloggers’ voice can be heard  on air and not just in the cyberspace, Ross Flores Del Rosario’s Wazzup Pilipinas, ang pambansang blog ng Pilipinas collaborates with Vigattin  of Radyo Inquirer DZIQ 990AM.   

Many Thanks to Mr. Den Macaranas,  Arnie Barcelo and Elison “Vigattin” Barcelo , Vigattin Anchors , for making bloggers feel at home and comfortable in the studio that lessen our tension being first timers on air.  

It was a welcome news for bloggers for having another avenue to discuss about social media, digital media as a platform for advocacy, marketing or simply sharing personal issues. Wazzup Pilipinas bloggers established themselves as digital media influencers and what a great way to share their stories and advocacy over the radio through the program: e-Blog mo na yan!

The Wazzup Pilipinas community  is grateful for the opportunity  given by Vigattin Radio, Mr.  Elison B. Barcelo, also of Vigattin.com , Vigattintrade.com, Vigattindeals.com and Vigattintourism.com.

Chasing Waterfalls in Mindanao

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Philippines is a country blessed with so many waterfalls. Most of the provinces has its own unique and beautiful waterfalls to be proud and to be taking cared of. Its either promoted as a tourist destination or used for irrigation and electrification. Everytime I planned a trip to a certain place, I always look for any waterfalls existing and make it a part of my itinerary. I have been in different places in the country, particularly in Mindanao and seen different waterfalls, each one is unique and has its own beauty.

Here’s some of my list of waterfalls in Mindanao that I visited and probably among the best waterfalls in the country.

Maria Cristina Falls, Iligan City, Lanao Del Norte

MARIA CRISTINA FALLS, Iligan City, Lanao Del Norte

During my elementary years, every time my teacher asked me to give an example of  waterfalls, I quickly answered the Maria Cristina Falls. Famous for being beautiful and majestic, this 320 ft feet waterfalls is among the highest waterfalls in the Philippines. Can be found in Iligan City, Lanao Del Norte, its cascading water is also a source of electricity in Mindanao, through a hydroelectric plant. You can get a best view of the falls in a viewing deck of the National Power Corporation (NPC) building in Iligan City.