Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Get Set for AXN University Challenge: Amplified!

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AXN, Asia’s powerhouse of thrilling entertainment, is set to bring back its annual varsity challenge event for a third edition.

Themed AXN University Challenge: Amplified, the series of events grows from three participating colleges last year to four this year. They include: San Beda College, University of the Philippines – Diliman, De La Salle University, and Far Eastern University.

The physical and intellectual challenges that participants are expected to overcome will be tougher than last year, but with better rewards! A total of PhP65,000 in cash and prizes from event sponsors including SmartBro., PS Bank, McDonalds, Pharex Vitamin E, C2 and OLX.ph will be up for grabs in each leg.

AXN University Challenge: Amplified: DLSU Manila September 12, 8am

AXN University Challenge: Amplified will be held on September 12, Friday at the Marian Quadrangle of DLSU Manila from 8am – 6pm.

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Earlier this year, the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) opened its doors for aspiring stage performers through their annual Workshop Weekends. Different people, from college students to young professionals flocked to the PETA Theater Center to enroll in various courses ranging from Theater Arts to the more advanced courses like Basic Acting and Creative Musical Theater. Starting on October 11 and ending on December 7, PETA is giving another opportunity for aspiring thespians to further their skill in acting and theater.

An in-depth look into the courses

For the second batch of Workshop Weekends, PETA is offering additional classes in order to accommodate more enrolees ranging from beginners to intermediate aspirants. The courses for the Workshop Weekends 2 are: Theater Arts, Basic Acting, Creative Musical Theater I, and Creative Musical Theater II.

Beginners may take their first step into the theater world with the Theater Arts and Creative Musical Theater I courses. These courses do not require prior theater experience; instead it is more of an introduction for those who have the passion for theater but haven’t really gotten to it yet. Theater Arts is more focused on building a background for theater newbies; teaching them to learn and appreciate the art of theater production and history while also touching upon the subjects of group dynamics, visual arts, and creative music. Creative Musical Theater 1 provides students the chance to study the principles of composition and organization in performing for musical theater that is geared towards developing the enrolees’ basic musical theater skills.

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Power Mac Center, the premier Apple partner in the Philippines, celebrates this year two glorious decades in the Apple business. To commemorate this important milestone, Power Mac Center launches the Experience 20 Anniversary Campaign, an exclusive anniversary offering that gives patrons the chance to win one of 20 epic experiences taking place on a national scale.

Experience 20 is Power Mac Center’s way of thanking its beloved customers who have chosen to share the Apple experience with the country’s most reliable Apple partner. The special anniversary campaign will run until October 31.

As the pioneering Apple reseller in the Philippines, Power Mac Center has grown by leaps and bounds since it was founded in August 26, 1994. From its inaugural location at SM Megamall, Power Mac Center recognized opportunities for expansion and has since evolved and become the premier local Apple partner that delivers integrated Apple solutions and meets the distinctive needs of Filipino consumers.

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Aquabest, the country’s leading water refilling franchise is proud to support the upcoming 2014 Filipino Franchise Show.

“We are proud to support Filipino entrepreneurs who are exhibiting their world class concepts through AFFI’s annual franchise show. This year there will be hundreds of participants each with its own success story that will inspire everyone to go out and start their own business.” says Carson Tan CEO of GQWEST Inc which owns the Aquabest brand.

The company is a long time member of AFFI with around 700 stores and is considered among the leading players in the water franchising industry. This year, the company will continue to highlight its 3 in 1 Combostore concept as well as introduce its new Nanogen technology.

The Combostore franchise combines the Aquabest, Laundrybest, and Oxyplus brands. This allows franchisees of the Combostore to benefit from the expanded target market and synergies resulting from the fusion of the three brands. The concepts offer a faster return period and better margins.

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Easy Taxi has been around for more than a year already yet it has not been as grandeur as its competition when it comes to promotional gimmicks, campaigns and event launches. In fact even its office located at the Angelus Plaza in Makati was as simple as it can possibly be.

Why? Because it concentrated more on making the taxi booking experience as convenient and seamless as possible so it has focused more of its funding on improving their services by offering better packages for its drivers. These involve training programs, recognitions and rewards for its taxi fleet to make them more informed and responsive of the needs of the commuters.

The company already operates in 37 countries making them the biggest taxi booking mobile app company in the world. For the month of August, it was reported that the Philippine operations were on top of all the other Easy Taxi operations globally. This clearly states that they are very much welcomed as a mobile app service by the Filipinos whose population is already getting more comfortable in using the new technology.

A visit at their office to interview two of their global executives namely Regional Managing Director (SEA) Joon Chan and CEO/Country Manager (Philippines) Daniel Torres, we learned more about Easy Taxi and their honorable goal - to offer safety and convenience in riding taxis - Easy Taxi Everywhere!

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As we wrapped up our first Chapter event in Naga, we’re going north of the country to get a hold of the budding marketers in this region.

Next stop, PAMPANGA!

It is with so much zeal that the Philippine Junior Marketing Association is officially inviting you to the second chapter event this academic year...

JUAN BIG IDEA: TAKING MARKETING THOUGHTS INTO FLIGHT, North Luzon Edition this September 14, 2014 at the University of the Assumption Pampanga!

Grasp much knowledge from the BIGGEST speakers who will share with you their thoughts about Content Marketing, engage in our marketing talk show, JBItube and most importantly, just have an incredible time!

Wazzup Pilipinas Original Short Stories Series: Closure

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Does a kiss always mean something?

Yes, definitely a kiss always means something, but then again, it depends. It can be categorized in different situations, a kiss for love, a kiss for luck, a kiss for respect, a kiss for admiration, a friendly kiss, a welcome kiss, a kiss for lust, a Judas kiss, even a kiss of death! Even the spots of where a person kisses differs in meaning. So I guess the question could be a globalized one too. We can localize it so we can specifically say if that kiss was something or nothing really! So, we ourselves can discern which kiss really gives a true specific meaning.

Sometimes it hurts to presume too much. A kiss does not always mean love. It is not wise to be judgmental.

The protagonist in the story below showed strong sense of emotions and feelings towards someone just because of one single kiss. Unfortunately, it was entirely different with the other person who treated that as ordinary and nothing special.

We all dream of a relationship with a special someone but we can't really have everything as expected or planned.

Read on below our short story for the day.

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Storytelling kids will make you laugh, cry and tickle your imagination, live at the SMX, Mall of Asia!

The 2014 Lampara Storytelling Competition Kuwentong Bata, Kuwentistang Bata 3 finalists will be taking the stage at the grand showcase at the Manila International Book Fair, SM Mall of Asia (MOA) on September 22, 2014.

Out of the more than 200 contestants that joined the Elimination Workshops last September 5, only ten finalists per category were chosen for the final competition.

For Category A, Grades 1-4, the finalists are Jazz Doon Milan (Santiago A. De Guzman Elementary School), Luis Benjamin Isidro and Emmanuel Alberto Syquia (PAREF Northfield School for Boys), Chelsea Jemimah V. Gupo (Comembo Elementary School), Wilfred Reyes, Jr. (P. Gomez Elementary School), Samantha Maye Chua, (Chiang Kai Shek College), Marxinne Pajarin (San Joaquin Elementary School).

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Ex-link Events, in partnership with the Philippine Marketing Association,will hold its 3rd Customer Loyalty Conference & Expo on October 24, 2014 at the New World Hotel, Makati.

The growth of big data and analytics industry in the country has made companies in the country scamper to create their own loyalty and rewards program.The Philippines, according to Marketing Interactive, accounts for 10% ($212 million) of the $2.12 Billion global analytics industry, and this is bound to further increase with educational programs being hammered by corporate players in partnership with CHED.

This development only means that the Loyalty and Rewards Program is the best tool in gathering consumer data and behavior in terms of interaction with brands.Thus, loyalty and rewards program is here to stay and will be a permanent force to help companies survive the grueling business competition.

With the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Integration where the marketplace will become bigger, and where competition will become massive even forSmall Medium Enterprises (SMEs), understanding and creating Loyalty and Rewards Program for businesses is a must.Studies state that a Loyalty and Rewards Program can increase sales and customer retention from 5% to 20% depending on how these programs fit to the target consumers.

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Wearable technology is no doubt gaining popularity. Usage of wearables like smart watches and fitness bands, have been rising, especially in the U.S., where consumer interest has surged significantly.

In Nielsen’s “Connected Life Report,” released early this year and covering the US market, an overwhelming 70 percent of respondents said that they have heard about the technology, and 50 percent of them said they are likely to purchase wearables in the future.

While Nielsen indicated that only 1 out of 6 respondents are actual owners of wearables, the future is still bright for mass consumption of the devices, because of the convenience it offers and the personal features that connect to the user’s essential needs. Its only main drawback: the current wearable gadgets’ steep price.

If these wearables become more affordable, aside from making their current designs become more fashionable, then buyers of such gadgets as smart watches and fitness bands will increase, the Nielsen report recommended.

This holds true in price-sensitive markets such as the Philippines, wherein value is of the essence, especially in mobile phone service bundles. Initially, local mobile phone operators have offered wearables through high-end, premium plans. Now, Sun Cellular brings this technology within everyone’s reach.

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Traveling to the Middle East can be a rich and rewarding experience. But it is better to keep a few tips in mind in order to be safe and have a nice time when you are there. Eight of these tips have been given below.

1. Do not get intoxicated

- The Middle East is mainly a Muslim bastion. And alcohol consumption is banned in Muslim religion. This is why there are very few places offering liquor in this area. Mainly these bars are located in star hotels or similar other places. Basically these are located in places that cater to Westerners.
- It is advisable to drink with someone who is well known to you or to drink in your own hotel. The aim is not to be seen drunk in a public area as that would make you vulnerable. Always be sober when you are in a public area as else you would be drawing attention to yourself.

2. Dress appropriately

- People in the Middle East dress conservatively. You must also do so, especially women. This way you will not be hurting their religious and cultural sentiments.
- Dressing in a stark contrasting style will attract attention and you will become vulnerable. This can be avoided by dressing appropriately.

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Rappler, MovePH, the Houston-based Global Center for Journalism and Democracy and +SocialGood, joins a global community for this year’s Social Good Summit – a look at how technology and new media can help solve age-old problems.

In the Philippines, no other problem has an impact as large in scale as natural disasters. Each year, thousands of lives and billions of pesos worth of instructure, property and livelihood are lost. The 2012 World Risk Index says the Philippines is the 3rd most vulnerable nation to climate change and disasters in the world. Our capital, Metro Manila, is the world’s 2nd most vulnerable city.

In last year’s PH+SocialGood Summit, Rappler unveiled Project Agos, outlining the year-long collaboration integrating disaster mapping, crowdsourcing and social media in a transparent platform combining top-down government workflows with bottom-up civic engagement.

That was a little more than a month before the world’s strongest typhoon hit the Philippines, killing more than 6,000 people.

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The liver is the largest glandular organ of our body which performs many vital functions to keep the body from toxins and harmful substances. However, it is also a silent organ that can be damaged without us knowing it because there are no visible or felt symptoms until its already in a worst condition.

With the proliferation of fatty, oily and junk foods, and the indulgence of many to different varieties of alcoholic drinks and liquor, many of us are highly susceptible to many kinds of liver diseases including the Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) which is the abnormal accumulation of fat in the liver cells. This disease may cause the liver to swell with risk factors such as obesity, diabetes, overweight and metabolic syndrome. Thus it is very important to take some form of liver care supplements to get the protection we won't normally get from our regular diet and exercise.

Hepamin OD, brought to us by pharmaceutical company Trianon International Inc., is now being introduced to the market to provide the much needed silymarin on a once-a-day dosage as part of the management of liver diseases such as NAFLD.

Silymarin is a unique flavonoid complex containing silydianin, silychrisin and silybin that is derived from the milk thistle plant. Milk thistle is the number one recommended plant extract for the protection and detoxification of vital liver function.

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We are now on our third offering of our Wazzup Pilipinas original short stories series. I've decided to include this series in our blog to provide an alternative source of online short story reading. The stories are all original and were written by our younger contributors so if you'll encounter a few grammatical errors and typos, plus some incoherence or story structure errors, please just bear in mind that they are still in the process of improving their story-telling.

Submitting their stories in our blog is an effective way to motivate them to learn and realize their mistakes based on the feedback they will be receiving from the readers. We believe it would be more appreciated when people are given a chance to showcase their talents at a larger scale.

This is a story about Raven Scott who was introduced as a college freshman. Raven is a friendly person who has a pointed nose, brunette short hair and somewhat blue or grey eyes. Raven and his seatmate John became friends and later Raven found out that John was the same boy who offered his handkerchief to her when they were still young.

This story is all about sacrificing for the happiness of your loved ones as the best way to show your love for them.

Please read on and enjoy.

Mooncake Festival: A Non-Traditional Tradition at Vikings Luxury Buffet

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September 8 is special for millions of Chinese because of the Mid-Autumn Festival, better known by its monicker as the Mooncake Festival. It is a big deal for being one of the four most important Chinese festivals, second only to the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations. The festival is for lunar worship and moon watching when mooncakes are regarded as an indispensable delicacy.

As per Wikipedia, "Mooncakes are offered between friends or on family gatherings while celebrating the festival. It is customary for businessmen and families to present them to their clients or relatives as presents, (making the mooncake business profitable during the season.)

These ubiquitous bite-sized chunks of pastry are filled with everything from red bean paste, lotus seeds, almonds, egg yolk, minced meat, candied fruits or chocolate. There are literally hundreds of varieties found throughout the region and in cosmopolitan areas such as Hong Kong and Shanghai, well-to-do folk can even munch on moon cakes of black truffle, caviar and foie gras."

Vikings Luxury Buffet, the Philippines' largest buffet restaurant is not to be outdone during the season as they offer their customers several kinds of mooncakes that are considered as the non-traditional due to the specially customized recipe and labor of love that accompanied the creation of these yummy delicacies.

For sure you will go lunatic or "loony" from all these mooncake choices that are now available at the buffet tables during every weekend of September.