Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Uber Now Working with Philippine Government

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With the goal of modernizing land transport systems, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) and the Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board (LTFRB) had a highly productive meeting with officers of Uber Philippines and Singapore yesterday, in a quest to find ways for rules and regulations to support – rather than stifle – innovations which improve services to the public.

“We will always push for anything that modernizes the country’s transport systems under my watch. Government welcomes tech solutions to transport problems, and fortunately, Uber also wants to work with us to make it happen,” remarked DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya.

“Both sides came to the table to find concrete ways to make government regulations more in tune with today’s technologies. We all agreed on two things: first, Uber’s services are for the people’s benefit; and second, regulation is a must for public safety and order,” he added.

LTFRB Chairman Winston Ginez and Executive Director Roberto Cabrera, who both participated in the meeting, proposed several means by which applicable rules may be updated in order to accommodate similar IT-based solutions within the legal framework.

Musikapella 2014: Tinig ng KahAPOn, Awitin Natin Ngayon

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Join the University of the Philippines Economics Society as they celebrate the 10th anniversary of Musikapella, an annual choral competition participated by various high schools in Metro Manila, to be held at the PICC Plenary Hall from 5pm-9pm, on the 29th of November, 2014.

This year’s competition, entitled Musikapella 2014: Tinig ng KahAPOn, Awiting Natin Ngayon, will feature 12 high school choirs singing your favorite APO Hiking Society tunes such as Ewan, Blue Jeans and Doo Bi Doo.

And, to decide who will take home grand prize, the Economics Society has invited numerous highly esteemed judges from the choral industry along with APO’s very own Jim Paredes and Buboy Garovillo.

Along with its goal of promoting Philippine music and culture, Musikapella also gives opportunities to the beneficiaries of the Economics Society Scholarship Fund, to which all proceeds of this event will go.

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We are inviting thought leaders, market strategist, bloggers, media personalities, community managers, entrepreneurs, and other parties to learn and exchange insights on the very controversial and sensitive LGBT market segment.

In a country considered to be a significant origin of many influential Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgender (LGBT) market, we have obviously made a valuable impact in the fields of entertainment, business, socio-political, among other industry segments. Our fellowmen have transcended the typical roles of LGBTs and have earned worldwide recognition to be lined up among the best in the world.

Recognizing this influence, it is high time we form an event or forum that seeks to understand this market segment and its role or effect in our culture and economic development. We should be able to take advantage of this prominent contribution and tap into the probable potentials so we can further enhance it for the greater good.

Hence, Liberating Jepoy, #DPOP, proudly presents “#RainbowConnection Demystifying the LGBT Market” event this November 28, 2014 at Best Western Plus Antel Hotel, Makati Avenue, Makati City 2 PM to 7 PM.

This event is made possible by sponsors Best Western Plus Antel Hotel, Shinagawa, Island Rose, and 2Go.

Wazzup Pilipinas is a proud online media partner.

Single Professional’s Get-Together Event, Series 3 #Holidate2014

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#Holidate2014 is the third series of the Single Professional’s Get-Together event organized by Events and Friends Production Manila which aims to provide an avenue for Young Single Professional’s to MEET, INTERACT & BREAK PHYSICAL BARRIERS through psychology-based games and thrilling activities especially made for men and women.

Through facilitating active and engaging physical games with Single Professionals, the event underscores the interactions and the connections made between men and women — be they friendships or something more.

Events and Friends Production Manila encourages young men and women to understand how the practice of healthy platonic touch will give them a sense of real connection to people. Single Professionals Get-Together events’ goal is to emphasize that physical interaction can never be replaced with technology, the same way as real-life conversations cannot be fully achieved in table set-up meetings.

Events and Friends Production Manila develops exciting event programs that would promote constant interaction between participants including activities that could push young professionals to go out of their boxes while helping them make good and lasting impressions towards people, especially the opposite gender. The goal is to make men and women feel comfortable with other single professionals to prepare them to go beyond superficial info exchange and the awkward first time meetings.

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The 2015 International Gamefowl Festival is now bigger and better as it is now the official expo of the 2015 World Slasher Cup which is regarded as the "Olympics of Cockfighting" and undoubtedly the most prestigious cockfighting event in the world.

Scheduled to run this coming January 21 up to 23 before the World Slasher Cup scheduled on January 24 until February 2, 2015, the International Gamefowl Festival promises to please all cockfighting enthusiasts especially now that it is being held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, the big dome and home of the World Slasher Cup, where Philippine cocking history have been written for around 50 years since the first Slasher was held in 1962.

A press conference was recently held last November 8. 2014 at the Green Gate lobby of the Smart Araneta Coliseum which was attended by the organizers, gamefowl feeds and vetmed sector, and members of the media.

Part of the panel during the press conference were Nick Crisostomo of the Pambansang Federation ng Gamefowl Breeders, Adrian Concepcion of Sabong TV, Wilvin Sy of Cockfights magazine, Lando Luzong of Sabong Sports Group, Arkhon Antolin of Sabong News, Francis Ong of Thunderbird, Jun Jamandores of Fighting Cock magazine, Gines Enriquez of World Slasher Cup, Atty. Rery Directo of NFGB, Pachie Cruz of Sabong Star Magazine, Havy Bagatsing of Sabong Nation, Dr. Jose Lazaro and Delbert Coligado of Black Rooster Inc. Atty. Alan Gabor of the Araneta Center was also there for a brief statement.

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Setting up a restaurant within a residential area is quite risky. This is probably why we see most restaurateurs choosing malls and other busy areas as their preferred site for their restaurant business. Though the crowd is indeed massive especially during peak hours of lunch and dinner, the competition among other restaurants is also something significant to be concerned about. But all of these should not be too detrimental if we really believe in our product. Our food should do most of our marketing and let the satisfied customers share the great news about their dining experience.

My first visit at The Breakfast Club was during a meeting with the parents of a young singer who I met during a radio show interview a few days ago. They invited me over for lunch and this dining spot in Quezon City was their choice. Though it was not my first time to hear about The Breakfast Club, I have not tried it out yet. Later, I realize I knew about it from the Kris TV show where I also learned that the co-owner was teen Kapamilya celebrity Erich Gonzales.

I took the initiative to call the attention of the chef for a short interview, or let's just say a friendly chat. She was there at the restaurant doing her regular meet and greet the customers, so I couldn't resists asking her a few questions, and grew more curious when I saw and tasted their Baby Back Ribs that were not only huge, but was definitely so tasty for its very low price.

This led to a return engagement at their restaurant, this time with a friend, since I really need to find out more about their other dishes. Thus, your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger made a second visit to be able to dine on their other specialties and indulged once again on those amazing Baby Back Ribs.

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Lazada is preparing to take cyberspace by storm with the Online Revolution - the biggest sale of the year in Southeast Asia, set to rival Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Singles Day. Starting on 11 November 2014 the region’s leading online retailer is offering shoppers a month of sales, discounts and promotions with all the best deals under one digital roof.

With the widest and deepest offering of products online, from mobiles, tablets and consumer electronics to fashion, household goods, toys, and sports equipment, Lazada is the ultimate one-stop shopping destination. Lazada also makes shopping effortless by providing a fast, intuitive and secure online shopping experience.

Shoppers on-the-go have access to a best-in-class mobile shopping experience via apps and/or the mobile site. For added convenience and peace of mind, Lazada offers the widest reach of delivery and cash-on-delivery service, so shoppers from all over Philippines can buy now and pay only on arrival.

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Digital imaging leader Epson partnered with the Photobooth Organization of the Philippines, Inc. (POP Inc.), to help professionalize and uplift the standards of the photo booth industry in the Philippines. Epson assisted in the knowledge and technology sharing among the members of POP through a technology update and a POP University Photobooth Workshop held last September. The workshop featured lectures on photography and lighting, layout techniques, and business operations.

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Phil-Bike Expo 2014: The Philippines' First Biking Expo Holds Press Conference

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I believe it's high time we fully support all bicycle-related efforts so our country can also benefit from the less pollution brought about by the excessive reliance to automotive vehicles that emit dangerous smokes and fumes into our environment - in the air that we all breathe in.

If we cannot control the aggressively fluctuating price of oil and other related products, we might as well make an effort to search for an alternative, and if we cannot get rid of all the junk food that has proliferated in many fast food chains and groceries, then we could at least get enough exercise - and this is where bicycles come in.

Not only are bikes a healthier means of getting from one point to another, it really would create a better world with fresh and clean air. If everyone else would go back to the golden ways during the older days when there were plenty of reasons why we could stay fit and healthy.

Be ready to see amazing bikes of all kinds on November 15 and 16, 2014 at the very first Philippine Bike Expo in the country. The Phil-Bike Expo 2014 press conference was held yesterday, November 7, 2014, and the organizers promising not only a multitude of bicycles from imported brands to locally made ones where some were made from bamboo, and the cool foldable bikes that will be so convenient to carry and could very well encourage people to go biking instead of using their cars.

Kiddo-Preneur Christmas Bazaar 2014: Business Fun For Young Entrepreneurs

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Christmas is a time when most kids receive a significant amount of money coming from their loving parents and relatives who are more generous during the season, especially those who recently received their 13th month pay or Christmas bonus from their employers, or earned a very hefty sales from their business.

Many kids would surely plan on how they would start spending their money,, but for a talented and business savvy bunch called Kiddo-preneurs, it’s also a time to learn how to earn – and that’s exactly what they’re going to do at The Kiddo-preneur Christmas Bazaar on Sunday, November 23rd at the Glorietta Activity Center on Palm Drive (across the Raffles Hotel) in Makati.

For this annual kiddie entrepreneurial event, kids think of a business, set up shop, and sell their wares to eager holiday shoppers. Often times the Kiddo-preneurs work hand in hand with their siblings, classmates, other relatives and/or friends to run the business in a fun and profitable way.

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Vision Solutions, Inc., a leading provider of disaster recovery, high availability and data migration software and services, announced today the release of Double-Take 7.1. With the improvements, end-users and partners will benefit from new options for disaster recovery and improved software performance.

The new 7.1 release of Vision Solutions Inc.'s Double-Take 7.1 DR product enables easy implementation and diversification of disaster recovery strategies. Companies operating on Windows and Linux server environments can now utilize Double Take 7.1 with the following enhancements:

• Faster time to migration and protection with increased initial synchronization speed
• Significantly faster cutover time; up to 50 percent decrease in time required to failover
• Full server one-to-one migration and protection for users with Linux operating systems

In addition to increased functionality for existing products within the Double-Take 7.1 family, including Double-Take Availability and Double-Take Move, this release includes a new solution available to market, Double-Take DR.

As IT infrastructure becomes more complex, Double-Take 7.1 helps hybrid datacenters become a reality for more businesses. Double-Take 7.1’s effective data migration, protection and availability products are included in a single, unified platform, which drives value for customers. In addition, the updates allow businesses to easily manage SLAs across various workloads in a heterogeneous environment.

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A survey said that Internet users don’t believe that cyberattacks are real and are only overstated by Internet security companies like Kaspersky Lab. An estimate of 13% of Internet users do not believe that cyberattacks are real. This is according to a recent survey carried out jointly by B2B International and Kaspersky Lab.

They feel that the threat is exaggerated by Internet security companies. However, this complacency leaves them without any protection against a risk that threatens their data and virtual lives every day.

According to statistics, even people who accept that cyberthreats are real are not always convinced they need protection against these threats. Specifically, only 22% of respondents believe they can be targeted by cybercriminals.

However, in reality any person’s device could be of interest to attackers. Even if the owner does not store valuable data on the device and does not carry out financial transactions online, cybercriminals can make use of any computer, smartphone or tablet – perhaps by turning it into a bot that sends spam, carries out DDoS attacks or sends phishing links via instant messaging and email.

Almost a third (32%) of users are not worried that their online accounts could be compromised, or are even oblivious to this risk.

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Just like in other fields, the rise of smartphones will change the real estate game is played in the Philippines in 2015. The changes are actually almost evident already as more and more companies are making their online presence and considering mobile presence as part of their business strategy.

It goes without saying that the Philippines’ mobile Internet landscape is fast evolving. Smartphone penetration, although relatively low at 15 percent, has been growing over the last couple of years. It is expected to leap to 50 percent in 2015.

Filipinos do not leave home without their smartphones. We book taxis, check road traffic conditions, and purchase gadgets and shoes using our smartphones. Mobile apps even proved very useful when Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) struck the Visayas Region in late 2013, mobilizing an army of volunteers and a massive relief drive.

Indeed, smartphones have become the place where Filipinos research everything, including real estate. This presents a huge opportunity for the industry.

With these developments, Lamudi has compiled a list of smartphone trends that could stand to change Filipino real estate in 2015.

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Less than one year since Typhoon Yolanda ravaged the country’s belt from the Eastern Visayas to Northern Palawan, the Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC), the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) have completed several key rehabilitation projects of various airports and seaports to help regain normalcy in the affected regions.

“In the wake of Typhoon Yolanda, we saw that the resilience of the Filipino people is truly remarkable. To speed up recovery in the affected regions, transportation agencies have completed 3 airport and 14 seaport rehabilitation projects, in order to support the victims in their livelihood requirements and in the delivery of their basic needs,” said DOTC Secretary Jun Abaya.

Tacloban Airport was one of the most damaged transport facilities following the typhoon, but it now boasts of a refurbished passenger terminal building (PTB) with new floors and ceilings, walls, windows and doors, finishings, and other furniture. New safety and security equipment such as four (4) x-ray machines and 4 walk-through metal detectors have also been installed.

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There is no doubt that apps are ruling the mobile community. Everyone is downloading their favorite apps and trying out the latest release every time there's a new one available for download. Since smartphones have become so very affordable due to the high demand, coupled with convenient Internet access that you can make even at a coffee shop or at most malls, app development have made lots of companies taking advantage of its popularity.

There's even news about this 19 year old guy who made it into Yahoo when the company purchased Summly. Yeah! Many have made it to the top and accumulated riches just by developing cool apps that are welcomed by many eager mobile users. From designing fun and humorous mini games to booking a restaurant or a taxi, these geniuses of this generation are rockstars of the mobile world.

Yahoo Philippines is not to miss out on the popularity of apps when they recently invited a few members of the media last November 6, 2014, including your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger, to an intimate presentation or product briefing of the newest Yahoo apps now available for download at Google Play and Apple App stores.

The said apps that are only a few months old are Yahoo App, Yahoo Aviate, Yahoo News Digest, and the latest update of Flickr.

At their head office located in ACCRA Law Tower in Bonifacio Global City, Kate Delos Reyes, Country Manager and Country Editor of Yahoo Philippines, gave us a preview of the capabilities of their latest apps which looks very promising for people who wants to be easily connected with the latest news as well as to become more organized and connected with the world.