Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Monday, April 6, 2015

UP Debate Society Launches the 15th Philippine Inter-Collegiate Debating Championship

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The University of the Philippines Debate Society (UPDS) will welcome 320 debaters and judges for the largest national debate competition in the Asian Parliamentary format, the Philippine Inter-Collegiate Debating Championship (PIDC). On its 15th year, PIDC will run from April 17-22 at the University of the Philippines, Diliman campus and the Asian Development Bank. Eighty teams will compete for the coveted national title and at the end of the five-day tournament, Philippine's top ten debaters and top ten adjudicators will be awarded along with the tournament champions.

PIDC also celebrates diversity through the Sinag Cup. The Sinag Cup pools four non-Manila representatives from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. It promotes regional camaraderie and celebrates diversity. To this day, the Sinag Cup remains to be a coveted prize.

The motions of PIDC cover a wide range of pressing topics, from perennial issues on minority rights, state paternalism, and religious exercise to recent issues on economic integration, technological development, and medical breakthroughs. The topics to be debated, called motions, are crafted by the prestigious adjudication core. This year's adjudication core is composed of: Allan Cabrera from Ateneo de Manila University, Garie Ouano from University of the Philippines Diliman, Kevin Ganchero from Far Eastern University, Karlo Antonio from San Beda College, and Paolo Franco from De La Salle University Manila.

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LoveByte, the mobile app that specializes in helping couples improve their relationship and stay connected, aims to make dating and communication fun, even beyond Valentine’s Day.

As a niche private app for two people, couples can chat in the app, share every detail of their life as photos, notes and dates. However, LoveByte offer special features that improve couple bonding and communication to be even more personal and unique.

Apart from sending each other cute stickers, couples on LoveByte can also send secret messages to each other. The recipient gets to rub the screen to unveil what is being sent, like a scratchcard. Inside it, the message can get as creative as the sender plans it to be; ranging from a spontaneous date invitation, or a simple I Love You.

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The University of the Philippines (UP), the country’s premier higher education institution, in partnership with Nokia-Manila Technology Center (Nokia-Manila TC) has recently inaugurated a new engineering laboratory in its Diliman campus in an effort to provide quality hands-on education and training to telecommunications engineering students.

Located within the university’s Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute (EEEI), the UP-Nokia Telecommunications Engineering Laboratory features Nokia Networks’ state-of-the-art equipment, including a radio access network that can connect user devices to one of Nokia Networks core network in Asia. A full class can experience the equipment, providing them with real-life experience on telecommunications operations.

The new learning facility helps the state university stay true to as one of the few centers of excellence and development in the Philippines. "Wireless and cellular telecommunications are normally just taught from textbooks,” said EEEI Director Dr. Joel Marciano Jr. “But with the new laboratory our students will actually see the interaction between mobile phones and base stations. It’s experiential, hands-on learning that will be even more effective.”

The laboratory also marks a new chapter in UP and Nokia-Manila TC’s long-standing partnership when the two institutions first launched the Teach In the University Program with the same aim of raising the country’s telecommunications education.

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For Eugene Toquero, ONE: Valor of Champions will allow him the chance to shine in front of his native people.

Toquero and fellow 125-pound fighter Brianata Rosadhi are set for the 24 April card from the Mall of Asia Arena in Manila, Philippines.

A native of the host country, Toquero will look to impose his will through Muay Thai, which is his strength.

After starting his career with five straight wins, all of which came via finish, the flyweight was topped by Geje Eustaquio in his ONE debut back in late 2013.

Eustaquio showed Toquero what he needed to work on, as his striking was muted by counter punches and being a step quicker. On the ground, Toquero was unsuccessful on a takedown attempt that led to the eventual winner landing plenty of solid strikes.

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The Philippines has seen an exponential growth in its small and medium enterprises (SMEs). According to the Department of Trade and Industry, the number of SMEs in the country has increased 66% from 492,510 in 1995 to 816,759 in 2011. They comprise 99.6% of all registered businesses in the country and provide jobs to 3.9 million people.

Along with the growth of SMEs is the increase of the country’s internet users. The latest statistics from Global Web Index shows that the Philippines outperformed the internet population growth of its Asian counterparts, growing 531% from 2009 to 2014. The nation currently has the 14th largest internet population, with 44 million of its citizens having an online presence.

SMEs need to keep up with the quick adaptation of Filipinos to the latest technologies. Now included in business maturity is the presence of a digital outlet. However, having an online presence isn’t enough: Filipinos take content seriously and consider it as an important step towards launching a strong social presence. The question, then, is how SMEs can grab the attention of the public while informing them of the offerings that they can get.

This is how PLDT SME Nation helps SMEs. With its goal of making SMEs more reachable to Filipinos, PLDT SME Nation has constantly partnered with its clients to make the communication between businesses and the Philippine market more engaging and informative. With this, PLDT SME Nation will open Tech Island 2.0.

2015 PBA Developmental League Foundation Cup Teams and Game Schedule for April

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Filipinos love basketball so much since it is a sport that can be played almost anywhere. You just need a ring where to shoot the ball, and a minimum of two players to make it competitive compared to playing by our lonesome.

You'll find a basketball court from the smallest barangay to the biggest city. There will always be a basketball court in every stadium or sports complex. It's the very first sports facility that is setup. It will forever be the number one sport in the country.

Let's play basketball!

Here are the 2015 PBA D-League Foundation Cup Participating Teams

1. AMA University Titans
2. Cafe France Bakers
3. Cagayan Rising Suns
4. Cebuana Lhuillier Gems
5. Hapee Fresh Fighters
6. Jumbo Plastic Linoleum
7. KeraMix Mixers
8. LiverMarin
9. MP Hotel Warriors
10. Tanduay Light Rhum Masters

Schedule of Games for April (Games will be alternately held at the following venues: Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig, JCSGO Gym in Quezon City and San Juan Arena in San Juan)

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We are all saying that we love our planet, yet every candy wrapper we throw away carelessly on the streets or the rivers signifies how weak our commitments are.

We often forget about the little things that would also eventually bring forth repercussions if we continue to become unmindful of their consequences.

Earth Day Network Philippines Chairman, Dr. Metodio Palaypay, reminded us: "This is why we never get tired of telling people that Earth Day must be everyday, everywhere, for everyone.”

In the media briefing for Pro Earth Run 2015, Dr. Palaypay underscored the critical role of media in bringing out the message of earth care to the public when he addressed the members of the media last 31 March 2015 at the Merrell Concept Store, Market! Market! Bonifacio Global City.

In the end, he entreated the members of the press, “Into your hands, I commit Mother Earth.”

Meanwhile, DENR Director for Strategic Communication and Initiatives Service Jesus Enrico Moises Salazar commended Earth Day Network Philippines for the environmental work it has been doing over the years.

“While the result of your labor may not always be immediately felt, it will eventually yield something good for the country.”

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In celebration of the World Hemophilia Day on April 17, the Hemophilia Association of the Philippines for Love & Service (HAPLOS) will spearhead a national gathering of different Hemophilia groups and support organizations at the Glorietta Mall in Makati City on April 11 to 12.

Dubbed “Count Me In,” the two-day activity seeks to raise awareness and understanding about hemophilia and related bleeding disorders. The event expects to gather around 300 persons with these conditions, along with their families and friends.

Hemophilia, von Willebrand disease, inherited platelet disorders, and other factor deficiencies are lifelong bleeding disorders that prevent blood from clotting properly.

People with bleeding disorders do not have enough of a particular clotting factor, a protein in blood that controls bleeding. The severity of a person’s bleeding disorder usually depends on the amount of clotting factor that is missing or not functioning. People with hemophilia can experience uncontrolled bleeding that can result from a seemingly minor injury. Bleeding into joints and muscles causes severe pain and disability while bleeding into major organs, such as the brain, can cause death.

UP DOST Scholars Association Summit 2015: Post-Event Highlights

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Last March 28, the UP DOST Scholars’ Association (UP DOST SA) held its 7th DOST Scholars’ Summit at the College of Science Auditorium, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City. With the theme “Scholars’ Eye View: Widening Career Dimensions”, the event was participated by almost 200 scholars from different universities. The scholars not only received insights from the speakers but freebies and certificates from the sponsors and organizers as well.

The DOST Scholars’ Summit, the premier DOST scholars' conference in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, aims to help and prepare the DOST Scholars, especially the juniors and seniors, for their career endeavors. This year, the scholars were invited to witness outstanding professionals from various fields as they deliver talks about their respective careers—academe, science and research, finance and business and industry. Other speakers were also invited to give job application tips, to talk about their company, and to inspire their fellow scholars.

The success of the event could not have been possible without the help of its sponsors, media partners, and partner organizations. Above all, the organizers would like to express their deepest gratitude to DOST-SEI which was supportive as ever and helped a lot to the cause of the event, and to MediLink which has been an invaluable partner to the UP DOST SA in organizing the DOST Scholars' Summit for several years.

Michelin Joins GT Asia Series as Official Tire Supplier in 2015

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MICHELIN Philippines Chief Representative Michael Nunag announced that MICHELIN official and exclusive tire supplier of the GT Asia Series the for the Asian Region’s leading GT category from 2015. The full 11-race programme will begin in South Korea on May 15.

The GT Asia Series is sanctioned by the FIA as an International Series and is clearly recognised as the Region’s leading GT Championship. It is jointly managed and promoted by Motorsport Asia Ltd and the Supercar Club Hong Kong.
David Sonenscher, Joint Series Director of the GT Asia Series said, welcoming the return of Michelin as the official tire supplier. “I’m happy to announce that we will be in partnership with Michelin in 2015, re-establishing a link that Motorsport Asia Limited has had with the French manufacturer that first began back in 2006. Since that time we worked directly with Michelin up until 2011 and then indirectly though the Porsche Carrera Cup Asia Series, so we have had an unbroken link with spanning 19 years."

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On it's 10th year anniversary, Wyre Underground of UPLB invites you to watch their upcoming dance concert, The Underground Movement: It's About Time on April 17, 2015. 3PM and 7PM at DL Umali Auditorium, UP Los Baños. Tickets are available at 200php. For ticket reservations, contact 0926-879-3396.

You can also like their page at facebook.com/wyreundergrounduplb and follow them on twitter at twitter.com/WyreUnderground for more info

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

Fairy Tale Houses For Sale

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Now is your chance to live in the dream house of your youth!

The seven dwarfs have to grab their shovels, picks and walking sticks, the giant needs to pack up his goose, and Cinderella is still looking for her shoes. The inhabitants of the fairy tale houses have to move out; living happily ever after seems to be in doubt.

After the enormous international success of the Brothers Grimm publishing group, Jacob and Wilhelm have decided to concentrate on the investment arm of their sister company Brothers Grimm Properties.

Brothers Grimm Properties is now selling five of its most beautiful properties through global real estate platform Lamudi. Hide in Rapunzel’s tower, take a seat in the cottage of the seven dwarfs or have a crazy ball at Cinderella’s castle. Moroever, if you are planning to sell your fairytale like house in Houston then there are many companies that claim we buy houses in houston but make sure to do a proper research before you proceed.

Over time, they have not only managed to collect fascinating folklore but also one of a kind fairy tale houses. Find below a brief description on what each dream property has to offer.

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There’s nothing better than waking up to a great view of rolling hills, the mountains, a crater lake, or a vast ocean. Luckily for Filipino homebuyers this is possible, especially if they purchase any of these amazing properties currently on the market through global real estate platform Lamudi.

Here are Lamudi’s top picks of homes across the Philippines with spectacular views.

Tagaytay Highlands, Tagaytay

Asking price: Php22 million

This 371-sqm South American-style home is situated in The Verandas section of the Tagaytay Highlands, a master-planned mountain resort community that boasts golf and country clubs and great views of the nearby Taal Lake and Volcano.

Ayala Greenfield Estates, Calamba

Asking price: Php28 million

Sitting on a slope 340 meters above sea level, this newly built, five-bedroom contemporary-style house is situated in Ayala Greenfield Estates. Located on the slopes of Mount Makiling in Calamba, the property offers a great view of Laguna de Bay, Manila’s skyline, and the nearby golf course.

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Welcome to the home of passionate minds. The Avida Towers - Montane, the newest Avida Ayala Land development in the booming Bonifacio Global City (BGC).

The Montane at 8th Avenue is a high-rise top-of-the-line residential project located at the center of the active North side of the Bonifacio Global City. At 39 physical levels, it is Avida's tallest tower to date, whose design is inspired by the sleek and sophisticated aesthetic of urban landscapes.

The Montane is strategically located on 8th Avenue which stretches up to Kalayaan Avenue. It is a short walk away from one of BGCs main thoroughfares, 32nd street. This street extends to C-5 to the East, and Makati to the Northwest.

Living at The Montane at 8th Avenue, residents can relish the best of BGC being within walking distance of world-class establishments and all that BGC has to offer.

Laging Handa ang Ating Kababayan with KaKAMPi Microinsurance Program

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Be always prepared and ready for everything especially with regards to personal financial planning as it will be very difficult to manage sudden expenses especially when its totally unexpected.

We should be saving for the rainy days while we still can and not be tempted to waste our precious time by putting the need to invest at second priority.

Be always on the look-out for many ways to make ourselves a family with sustainable sources of funds especially for emergencies like sudden death of the head of the family.

We wouldn't want to leave our family troubled with finding ways on how to get funds for our funeral. They deserve better than hunting for a relative or friend to lend them money to pay for all the expenses.

Dying should no longer be an option. Everyone should be able to live up to eternity. But that's just a fantasy. There is no fountain of youth, and there is no immortality. Whether we like it or not, we will all eventually die. The question is: Do we have enough savings that our family an use if ever the inevitable would come?

MAPFRE Insular Insurance Corporation, in support of the government’s inclusive development initiatives, will launch the Kabuhayan at Kinabukasan Alay ng MAPFRE sa Pinoy (KaKAMPi) Microinsurance, a program to help policyholders protect their family from the financial burden of coping with costs associated with the unexpected death of family members.