Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Monday, December 8, 2014

12 Days of Exceptional Fares This Christmas from Singapore Airlines

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In celebration of the upcoming holidays, Singapore Airlines is offering exceptional all-inclusive Economy Class fares to Singapore, Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh, and Bali for sale from now until December 15, 2014. Fares are applicable for departures up until February 28, 2015.

All-inclusive Economy Class one-way fares start from USD 180. For round-trip Economy Class itineraries, travelers can avail of all-inclusive roundtrip fares to Bangkok at USD 270, USD 280 to Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Saigon as well as USD 330 to Denpasar.

Passengers traveling beyond Singapore can redeem a complimentary SGD20 Changi Dollar Voucher at the iShopChangi Collection Centre in Singapore Changi Airport Terminals 2 or 3. Also, passengers with at least five hours of transit in Singapore can avail of complimentary city tours that showcase the city’s prominent tourist landmarks.

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"Dear Ross. Thank you so much for coming! I truly believe that the Philippines will rise through the GK spirit." - Thomas Graham
That was the dedication written by the author when he signed the book he gave me during the book launch. It is a great motivation when people other than you believe that your country can still rise amidst the dilemma it has seemingly forever sunk into. It is a much stronger inspiration when foreigners are the ones who try to give you hope.

The Genius of the Poor book written by Thomas Graham was recently launched last November 29, 2014 at the Fully Booked book store branch in High Street, Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

The book is a heartfelt and often numerous account of Thomas Graham's life-changing journey in the Philippines. Whether in prisons, conflict areas, or dangerous slums, Thomas became inspired by countless heroes that share one common dream - to build a nation in which no Filipino is ever again left behind. This tells the story of how Gawad Kalinga is rousing a remarkable nation to overcome the poverty in its midst.

With a fervent desire to find the answer to the question why poverty remained so high in the Philippines, Thomas entered the world of the poor to find solutions together with the people of Gawad Kalinga.

Following a serendipitous encounter with Gawad Kalinga founder Tony Meloto, a confused British journalist going through an early mid-life crisis ditched the shirt and tie and instead discovered for himself the genius of the poor. He quit his job, moved out of his high-rise Maniola apartment, and set out on a journey that took him across great lengths and breadths of the islands.

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Just how well do you know the Bonifacio Global City (BGC) neighborhood?

That's the challenge all must face as they try to solve diverse sets of mind-gripping puzzles coupled with the need for endurance and stamina as everyone proceeded to their next grueling tasks.

Wazzup Pilipinas thought we were there just to cover the run but was surprised to be invited to participate in the actual fun run itself. So your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger had to sweat it all out and run wearing his trusted jeans all over BGC. It was a good thing I was wearing rubber shoes that day.

Each challenge of the BGC Run Urban Adventure was never easy as it requires team work and a lot of patience and perseverance plus the fact that the weather was not a big help when it drizzled a bit offering a tougher challenge for all fun run participants.

But this was no ordinary fun run because it required the power of the brain aside from just sweating it all out from all that running from one point to another. Armed with smartphones and cameras, we took photos of our completed tasks as proof we actually performed all of them. We even found ourselves going back and forth trying to figure out where the elusive man wearing the Andres Bonifacio costume was.

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It was inevitable that there will soon be high-tech fashionable yet functional gadgets that you can wear loud and proud. We used to just see them in sci-fi movies and TV series but now they are a reality. Like they said, anything we can imagine, we can eventually make a possibility. Soon it will become commonplace and an ordinary sight seeing people proudly wearing their multi-functional and elegant gadgets that matches their unique personalities.

Wazzup Pilipinas is proud to witness pioneering fashionable wearable technologies sold at Power Mac Center branches. Your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger is so pleased to see these technologies finally coming out in full force, of which I'm sure other brands are soon to follow the trend...or fad... But regardless of how popular it will soon become, we are grateful they bare now available in the country for everyone to appreciate. The possibilities are endless.

Similar to the same gadgets we saw during Power Mac Center's Fusion: Wearable Tech Fashion Show featuring stylish wearable gadgets from brands like Garmin, Cookoo, Cogito, Misfit and Jawbone. It's time to fuse as says their hashtag for the nigh #TimeToFuse while we saw several models walking the runway while wearing the wearable tech gadgets from the said brands.

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Do we really need to learn about the sensitivities of the LGBT community to easily come up with effective media strategies?

Some would agree without any hesitation while some would vehemently raise their brows. We all know everybody wants to be treated equally and nobody wants to see certain groups given special care. Though everyone appreciates a VIP treatment, we sometimes get into much trouble if we treat each other unfairly and with discrimination. The real problem comes when some people think they deserve some form of entitlement. Don't we just hate it when we see some people think they are more privileged to earn more respect thinking they have earned the right to break all forms of courtesy?

Like every other group or faction out there, the LGBT community is composed of various individuals with unique personalities. Just like the rest of us, not everyone of them has the same point of view and way of doing things. We are all born uniquely different from each other, and that is what really makes us very special.

I believe the #RainbowConnection: Demystifying the LGBT Market held last November 28, 2014 at the Best Western Plus Antel Hotel seeks to identify better methods to communicate and reach out to the LGBT community. It is with great admiration to the organizers to become part of a worldwide concern in the further understanding of the LGBT market and the many potentials it offers to everyone.

Christmas Decorations Around the World

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Are you curious about Christmas preparations happening around the world? Are they the same for most countries, or are they unique in every aspect? We are aware that there are many celebrations where we were influenced in one way or another by other countries especially from the dominating Western side, or the neighboring ones. Wouldn't it be interesting to learn about these things. So join us and let's take a world tour of how different countries prepare for Christmas.

Trees covered in tinsel and baubles. Stockings hanging from the fireplace. Elaborate outdoor light displays popping up all over the neighborhood.

Think of decorating your home for Christmas and at least one of these traditions will likely spring to mind. Yet all over the world, countries celebrating Christmas have their own set of customs for decorating their homes for the holidays.

In Mexico, nativity-themed Christmas decorations are carved from radishes. In chilly Antarctica, fish heads hang in doorways to replace mistletoe. And in Ghana, palm trees decorated with candles replace traditional Christmas trees to suit the tropical climate.

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Healthway Medical, the trusted and most preferred network of mall-based clinic in the Philippines, offers a unique one-stop-shop setting where minor surgical operations, special medical examinations and preventive healthcare and specialized medical consultations are performed under the administration of reputable and experienced doctors in the country.

It recently opened its newest branch in Manila located at the ground floor of 8 Adriatico Tower Padre Faura corner George Bocobo streets in Ermita, just a few steps away from its previous location at Robinson's Place Manila. The new clinic may be smaller but it still houses the same facilities and continue to provide the same Alagang Healthway Brand of Service Excellence.

The ribbon cutting and unveiling of the clinic was led by their special guests Rep. Amado Bagatsing of the 5th District of Manila alongside Ms. Carmie De Leon, Vice President for Sales & Marketing, Ms. Reynalyn Tomada, Clinic Manager, and other officials of Healthway.

Since this branch is the smallest among the other branches, they just have around 40 individuals composed of nurses, medical technologists, radio technologists and other staff ready to serve you. This does not include the doctors which reaches at almost 70. This means there's more than a hundred individuals that you can meet during your visit at this Healthway Clinic.

Animahenasyon 2014: The 8th Animation Festival from the Animation Council of the Philippines

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Who doesn't love animation? I haven't met anyone who isn't interested watching one or two of those computer-generated graphics coming to life on any screen size may it be on TV, the cinema house or online. It's actually harder, more expensive and takes a lot of patience to make a blockbuster animated movie compared to a regular movie minus the special effects and the huge Hollywood paycheck of the celebrities.

All of the movie productions nowadays implement the use of digital graphics and animation to enhanced their movies, you can find the works of animation artists almost everywhere especially on mainstream movies. They can create animations that are almost life-like and could pass for the real thing.
Here in the Philippines, some of our local artists share the limelight with other foreign animation experts as they now could also apply the same techniques in our local movies, for example "Tiktik: The Aswang Chronicles," which have used the art of digital animation for their special effects and background/foreground settings. The part 2 of the movie now called "Kubot: The Aswang Chronicles 2" also capitalized on the use of digital animation incorporated in the movie to make an outstanding array of special effects to improve the entertainment viewing experience.
The 8th Animation Festival dubbed as Animahenasyon (Filipino equivalent of Animagination which is a combination of animation and imagination) organized by the Animation Council of the Philippines in partnership with the iAcademy, gathers together experts and enthusiasts in one venue to give opportunities to the youth, and the young-at-heart, to discover and explore the art of animation. The event happened from November 25 to 28, 2014 at the new iAcademy building (formerly the Mondragon building) located along Buendia (Gil Puyat) Avenue.

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The Theatre at Solaire at the Solaire Resort & Casino proudly raised its curtains and is all set for stellar performances. Just a few days ago, it initiated the opening of its doors to the performing arts with a grand launch last November 26, 2014 led by Audie Gemora, Director for Entertainment.

Your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger was among the select few who was invited to witness the unveiling of the spectacular fan-shaped lyric theater with a seating capacity of 1, 760 people. The theater is ideal for all forms of the performing arts - be it musical, opera, ballet, pop concert, concerto, awards night, competition, circus act, kiddie show or corporate event.

Boasting of the best light and sound equipment, it is the first theater in the country and among a few in the region that is equipped with the groundbreaking technology called Constellation Acoustic System (CAS) exclusively provided by Meyer Sound. The CAS combines patented algorithm, advanced digital processing, and miniature transducer technology to provide optimal yet flexible acoustics in building design. It enables the acoustical properties of a room to be altered to suit the nature of the event taking place in just a touch of a finger.

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Asia’s largest mixed martial arts organization with a 90% market share, ONE Fighting Championship (ONE FC), returned to Manila in spectacular fashion, showcasing another night of world-class mixed martial arts action in front of a packed crowd at the MOA Arena. In the main event of the evening, Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes submitted Dae Hwan Kim with a Rear Naked Choke to retain his ONE FC Bantamweight World Championship. Brandon Vera knocked out Igor Subora in a battle of heavyweights and Timofey Nastyukhin shocked the crowd with a knockout of hometown MMA hero Eduard Folayang.

ONE FC Bantamweight World Champion Bibiano “The Flash” Fernandes retained his title with a submission win over Korea’s Dae Hwan Kim. Kim proved to be a live challenger as he tested Fernandes’ championship mettle in the first round with a display of lightning quick strikes that found their mark. In the second round, Fernandes turned to grappling as he quickly worked to secure Kim’s back after the Korean missed a punch. Moments later, Fernandes locked in a Rear Naked Choke, forcing Kim to tap out.

In the co-main event of the evening, international mixed martial arts superstar Brandon “The Truth” Vera of the Philippines defeated URCC champion Igor Subora of the Ukraine via spectacular knockout, sending the MOA Arena crowd into a frenzy. The fight started off with both fighters trading heavy blows. Vera caught Subora in a Muay Thai clinch and unleashed a couple of knees to the head. Towards the end of the round, Vera slipped a punch by Subora and countered with a straight left, dropping his opponent and throwing in two more kicks for good measure. The referee stepped in to stop the fight, awarding Vera with the victory.

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Is Shabooya from 99 Percent already a dance craze?

If not, well maybe after watching this video, it will soon become a viral video. I've personally witnessed how these popular celebrities rehearsed the steps pertaining to the dance, and enjoyed every minute of it. The dance encourages all participants in the group to do individual freestyle dancing while the rest of the group cheer on.

Shabooya is said to be a song from 99 Percent and used at the Bring It On 3 movie and is a part of a certain cheer routine to introduce the squad; also known as scatting.

Seen below are the lovely cosplay queens Alodia Gosiengfiao and Myrtle Sarrosa who were part of this dance show-off after the Amazing Stories of Yexel's Toy Museum grand launch. Yexel Sebastian danced with the two cosplay queens together with other amazing and cool friends like Eric Ejercito (Alodia's boyfriend), Brian Poe Llamanzares, Moymoy Palaboy, Roadfill Sparks, Chicser and, of course, the adorably sweet and lovely girlfriend of Yexel, Mikee Trixia M. Agustin. Eric Ejercito was acting as the choreographer of the group who patiently taught everyone the steps.

What is amazing about these teens is that they were able to easily and quickly learn in such short tutorial session. More videos of the rehearsal at the Wazzup Pilipinas YouTube channel.

The newest life-size toy museum dubbed as "Amazing Stories of Yexel's Museum" is located at the 2nd level of the Manila Ocean Park alongside its other equally amazing attractions, is bound to attract the attention of many people especially this holiday season.

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Eat Out Manila, the Philippines' first restaurant reservations app, expands its reach even further with the Android version, and now brings its convenience to users of the two leading mobile operating systems. Launched on the iOS platform initially when it came to market just middle of 2014, Eat Out Manila is now available to all Android users via the Android app store.

The premier restaurant reservations application in the Philippines is making eating out a more fun experience for Filipinos who love to dine out. Diners can now easily reserve seats at their favorite restaurant and even gain benefits from doing so as Eat Out Manila also offers exclusive deals including discounts, gift certificates, and freebies from its top-notch partner restaurants.

“This app is borne out of our frustrations on our personal experiences with manual restaurant reservations. When we first came up with the app, our goal was to bring it to as many users as possible. We’re very happy to introduce it to Android users and see what they think,” said Iñaki Lamata, Co-Founder, Eat Out Manila

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The Amazing Stories of Yexel's Museum just had its grand launch last December 5, 2014 and your friendly neighborhood pambansang blogger just had to be there to cover it myself.

I'm a fan of Yexel Sebastian's work, as well as avid followers of his guests like Alodia Gosiengfiao, Eric Ejercito, Myrtle Sarrosa, Brian Poe Llamanzres, Moymoy Palaboy, Roadfill Sparks and even Chicser....seriously! Yexel's other museums are equally incredible especially the one in Las Pinas with the giant Optimum Prime bust! This one at the 2nd level of the Manila Ocean Park is indeed a venue where amazing stories can be forever told.

A truly family-friendly attraction where even the kids-at-heart can marvel at the fascinating life-size replicas of famous very and familiar characters form the movies and comic books, plus lots of other stuff on display at this incredible toy museum where learning comes natural as children and adults immerse themselves to the world of fantasy and movie magic.

An interview with a Manila Ocean Park official said the museum is a collaboration between them and Yexel. They initiated the arrangement to come up with this truly amazing display of sculptures mostly made from styrofoam and other light materials. Though the creations are images taken from the movies and comic book characters we all loved, Yexel personally created them with love and passion. You'll be amazed at the life-size sculptures of the cute Chipmunks, the adorable Minions room, of Spiderman, the Lord of the Rings including Ganfalf the Wizard, the Star wars with Lord Darth Vader, and most especially the Ironman room with all the intricately-designed Ironman suits on display.

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My kids call me the pancake master at home because I am the only one who can cook pancakes with very little flaws. Perfect they would say, for I can quickly come up with a batch of great smelling buttered pancakes that's a little crispy at the edges and in almost perfect circle shapes that no one could resist. I would sometimes include some other ingredients like cheese, raisins and chocolate bits as a decorative and taste add-on. They would quickly eat them all up before you could say "Pass the maple syrup."

But I guess I need to step aside now because I've just seen a real artist when it comes to mastering the art of pancake cooking. Imagine pancakes in all shapes, sizes and color neatly mixed or arranged together to produce an artwork that is so appealing. They say it's bad to play with your food but you will surely make an exemption the moment you experience being in front of international all-day breakfast joint Slappy Cakes special pancake cooking grill.

Slappy Cakes recently introduced its Christmas offerings which are specially designed for kids and kids-at-heart to enjoy this season. Let us present to you the seasonal Gingerbread Batter that's perfect for the holiday season. All brown and gooey but once you've cooked it to a pancake and put on top some sweetened apple bits (apple compote), whipped cream, plus the basic syrups, you'll wanna do it all over again.

Google Announces Online Resources for Typhoon Ruby/Hagupit

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Typhoon Hagupit (Ruby) is currently an extremely powerful tropical cyclone approaching the eastern part of the Philippines, which is also the most intense tropical cyclone of 2014 in terms of sustained winds.

In this regard, we would like to share a very important message from Gail Tan, Google Philippines Head of Public Affairs and Communications, that might be of big help for the coming typhoon Ruby (international name Hagupit)

Google has announced that is has activated several resources for typhoon related information.

Public Alerts- real-time updated information from Pag-asa and other information on the typhoon and its route and expected effect. On the right side, you'll find a Google Crisis Map for Ruby. This map contains information on shelters, evacuation centers, and the track of the cyclone.

Crisis Landing Page houses our Person Finder and a lot of emergency contact numbers.