Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Thursday, August 27, 2015

OLX Activates More Filipinos to Practice the Classifieds Lifestyle

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Curiosity buzzed as inquisitive media reps gathered at the recent event for OLX Philippines, the country’s leading online classifieds platform. It was an intimate event between OLX and the media to talk about the changes since the rebranding and their plans moving forward.

RJ David, Co-founder and Managing Director of OLX Philippines and one of the most successful online entrepreneurs in the country, talked lengthily about these changes. “We want to provide win-win exchanges for everyone by giving consumers equal buying and selling opportunities. We also want them to become more madiskarte in buying and selling 2nd hand items online.”

David added that they have expanded to Cebu and merged with another online classified ads platform to encourage more Filipinos to get into the habit of online buying and selling. Add to these, the improved look and feel of OLX Philippines: faster loading pages, more simplified sell form and an improved report button for keeping spam and scam ads at bay. To provide a fair selling venue and to promote high quality ads, OLX has removed the feedback system and minimized the number of free ad slots.

OLX has also taken a big step by releasing and managing their own content platform called OLX Yaman. Jean Magboo, OLX Philippines Content Marketing Manager, explains, “We’re now more than just a buy and sell platform, OLX is a service that provides an opportunity for Filipinos to make smart and practical choices that can lead to an improved life.”

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Andrew Stotz, CFA, an award-winning financial analyst with more than two decades of experience in Asia, came to Philippines March and conducted a seminar on his new book “You Won’t Get Rich in the Stock Market Until You Change the Way You Think about It” at the Ugnayang La Salle, De La Salle University – Dasmariñas, Dasmariñas City, Cavite. The seminar was lively, retentive, exciting and the game “Coin Flipping” as an analogy in Stocks Picking was especially memorable to the attendees. To become an expert Stock Picker or Coin Flipper, one needs to have long experience and have the skill developed. All winners received a hardcopy of the book.

The game received a great amount of positive feedbacks with great audience engagement and interaction; perhaps the Grand Prize was what motivated the audience the most: An All Expense Free Trip to Bangkok and Experience Working with Andrew for 48 Hours. Three months later, Sharmaine Franco, the winner, arrived in Bangkok and experienced working with Andrew for 48 Hours. She witnessed Andrew’s life as a CEO, lecturer, entrepreneur, CFA Society President, an athlete and Yoga aficionado.

Today we are pleased to release a short documentary about Sharmaine's visit, to share with our audience in Philippines. Follow Sharmaine on her journey through the day with Andrew and see what she has learned from seeing Andrew manage multiple businesses while keeping time for study, exercise and having a good, balanced life. Watch the documentary here: http://andrewstotz.com/how-to-manage-your-day-spend-48h-with-andrew/

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From sending invites to making sure you have food and drinks enough for everyone, planning a party can be quite an arduous task, no matter how much you enjoy having people over. And although having one ‘pot luck’ style is a good hack, your guests would much rather prefer that you, as the host, took care of everything.

The ‘boodle fight’ is a great way to check at least one of your party preparations off your list—setting the tables—because a boodle fight only requires a single long table and a lot of food.

Few know that we have the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) to thank for the concept, as the boodle fight originated from the military’s practice of members of the army, regardless of rank, gathering around a long table and eating food spread over banana leaves with their bare hands.

As primal as it sounds (‘boodle’ fight is military jargon for ‘attack the food’ after all), a boodle fight need not be so messy. Just follow these tips to make your boodle fight the talk of your barkada:

Above photo is a typical boodle fight layout. Photo was taken from angsarap.net.

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The Land Transportation Office (LTO) today launches its new service improvement program involving the creation of Driver’s License Renewal Offices (DLROs) at various shopping malls nationwide, marked by the signing of a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with its first DLRO partner, the Gokongwei family-owned Robinsons Malls.

“We congratulate the LTO for its initiative to bring its services closer to the people and to make license renewal more convenient for them. With various reform and modernization programs being implemented, we can look forward to much-improved services at the LTO,” remarked Department of Transportation and Communications Secretary Jun Abaya.

Pursuant to this service improvement program, the agency aims to open DLROs at all major malls nationwide in order to provide applicants with more convenient alternatives in renewing their licenses.

“We also thank Robinsons Malls for being the government’s first DLRO partner, which entails waiving valuable rental fees for the use of their mall space,” he added.

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Sining-lahi Polyrepertory, the resident student theater group of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, will be staging Yoji Sakate's "A Contemporary Noh Play: Three Sisters" on September 1-2, 2 and 5 PM, at the PUP Theater, COC Bldg. Anonas St., Sta. Mesa Manila.

Translated by Rody Vera, Directed by Rommel Iquin and Produced by Mary Ann Fate Erni, this will serve as the group's laboratory production "DULARALAN", on their 35th season of staging quality plays throughout the PUP Community. Unlike any other productions, DULARALAN, is the group's training grounds for beginners especially to the new members of the organization. It has a question and answer portion at the end of the play that will give the audience a chance to ask the director and the staff anything about the said production.

A story about war, love and passion, Yoji Sakate's "Three Sisters" is about the encounter of actors and soldiers at the unexpected situation. During war, retreating soldiers who were looking for camp site barge in to a ruins of a theatre thinking that it's the perfect place for them to stay. Later on they notice the presence of actors and started to converse with them. Few conversations leads to another which makes them discover that the actos we're actually holding a memorial service honoring the souls of the dead lying on the theatre. This is a Free Admission play for PUP Community and guests.

For inquiries, please contact 0906-830-2413 or like and visit our official Facebook page: www.facebook.com/sininglahi. You can also follow us on instagram and twitter, @polyrepofficial.

Musikaramay: Music for a Cause

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Music is very powerful tool that can touch people's lives. Last August 10, STI Caloocan was introduced to a non-profit organization, MUSIKARAMAY : MUSIKA (Music) + KARAMAY (EMPATHIZE ) which aims to BUIILD A LEAGUE OF REAL LIFE SUPERHEROES THRU STREET MUSIC. This advocacy was founded by the band CLIMAX, which basically plays in the streets around Metro Manila (namamalimos) to raise funds for different charitable institutions.

They've raised funds for the Bohol earthquake victims, typhoon Rubi and typhoon Yolanda survivors, Aeta communities in Tarlac and Subic, kids with cancer at PCMC and NCH and currently has 10 scholars at Blessed Ville Special School in Cavite. Partnering with Musikaramay, AOC Monitors, Philips LED TV, Philips Monitors, Globe, Jollibee, Chowking and Yoshinoya, STI CALOOCAN'S mission was to touch the hearts of the students, through Music, and participate in raising money for our less fortunate brothers and sisters living at Sangandaan-Tugatog cemetery.

With powerful renditions of popular songs from Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, Ed Sheeran, etc.., STIers began gathering at the covered court area, started dancing and singing. Some even jammed and sang with them on stage. The whole experience made everyone ecstatic. But the most important thing is it made the students aware that the act of giving can make a difference our the society. One by one the students started giving from their hearts and shared their blessings. Before the event ended, the box where the donations were kept was already full. BeSTI at it’s finest. REAL LIFE SUPERHEROES indeed!!

It’s an Adventure this September on Discovery Channel!

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Discovery Channel brings back two of its long-running series and adds two new shows to its roster this September. The first of the -BER months brings a new kind of adventure to Discovery viewers, from homemade science videos to King Crabs and, yes, treasure hunting!

All across the planet, curious adventurers are doing scientific things that nobody else has tried before. These self-appointed heroes of home-made science do not only perform bizarre experiments and crazy stunts. They’re filming themselves in action, too, and uploading them on the internet for the world to see - and appearing to get away with defying the laws of science!

In an attempt to demystify the mysterious, Ean Nasrun scours the internet across the globe for the best of the weirdest, wackiest and downright insane examples of un-sung internet science heroes. Then, it's over to our top team of Malaysian and global science geeks to analyse how they do it, why they do it, and who deserves to be chosen as the very best of the best.

Be prepared to be stunned, awe-struck and enlightened! It’s science, but not as you know it!

Explore the geeky side of the internet in YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED with Ean Nasrun premiering this September 9, airing Wednesdays at 10PM.

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What is a hero? Someone who runs inside a burning building? Someone who prevents world domination from aliens? How about someone who cares about his community and is willing to help improve it?

In celebration with National Heroes Day, the Far Eastern University’s Institute of Arts and Sciences (IAS) Sandigan Party Alliance will be having their FIRST Leadership Empowerment and Advocacy Development (LEAD Camp) with the theme "IAS A HERO" happening this August 30 and 31 2015. It is a two-day event where student leaders from different organizations can enhance their leadership skills and show people that being a hero is sharing awareness and imparting your knowledge to the people in your community.

To help empower and inspire the students during the LEAD Camp "IAS A HERO", they have invited prominent IAS alumni achievers in their respective fields for the first day of the event which will happen at Manila Teachers' Savings and Loan Association, Inc., Office Penthouse, UN Manila to have a talk about their experiences being a student leader and a hero in their own ways. They have also planned a “Socialization Night” for student leaders to get to know one other and share their experiences.

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Power Mac Center dares to test the limits of Filipino creativity with its launch of Pixelworx, a campaign that merges ideas, technology and art through various platforms and events. It culminates with the introduction of Power Mac Center’s newest art envoys and the announcement of its very first multimedia awards competition winners.

Power Mac Center’s four Art Ambassadors, Jay Contreras, Electrolychee (Marcus Nada and Bru Nada), Nikki Luna and Leeroy New, represent cutting-edge artistry and excellence in the Philippine contemporary art scene through photography, graphic design, visual arts and sculpture, respectively.

In the past two months, the Art Ambassadors conducted free workshops and live demonstrations held at select Power Mac Center classrooms, sharing their unconventional art, techniques and ideas in creating their chosen medium. The weekly workshop also focused on demonstrations when using Adobe Photoshop. A Wacom artist gave live sketch and edits of select Pixelworx participants. Wacom also introduced the features and techniques that one can do with the use of the latest Wacom tablets.

“We selected the four artists because they have been making a name in the art industry, bringing art closer to local audiences now more than ever,” said Power Mac Center Marketing Director Joey Alvarez on the exhibit, with the theme, “Defying the Everyday Grind.” “They represent the now and the future of Philippine art.”

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Last August 10, Climax band performed at the STI Caloocan covered court. Musikaramay or also known as Climax Band performs in different places because their advocacy is to raise funds for students, especially for those children who live in the streets. Their band qualified as one of the acts that represented the Philippines on the 1st Asia’s Got Talent which was aired via AXN Asia.

Musikaramay visited STI Caloocan last August 10, 2015 and it was a blast. The students of STI enjoyed the performance but most importantly, they were able to help and share to those in need while having fun at the same time. Most of the students enjoyed the performance of the band; some of the students joined and sang along together with the songs they performed. All of the money that was collected was used to conduct a sharing in a form of a celebration in Jollibee where the kids enjoyed and received bags and other merchandise that might be helpful for their necessities.

The candidates, along with the sponsors, AOC Monitors, Philips LED TV, Philips Monitors, Globe, Jollibee, Chowking and Yoshinoya, were very much willing to lend a hand to this charity event. The candidates showed willingness to give and exhibited what an STI role model should be and sticked to the brand of the school which is BeSTI. This goes to show that the pageant, Mr. and Ms. STI, is not only to showcase the physical beauty of STI students but also to present to everyone that it goes beyond that; It is not the physical aspect that they aim to uplift, but it is more on what they can do for others that will make them the best role model for their fellow STIers. The aim of the candidates and the institution is to be a catalyst on involving oneself to works that establishes relationship and promotes transformative education.

Here Comes G-Force Project Sembreak!

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Students' much-awaited season all school year has finally arrived

Put on your dancing shoes and welcome this year's school break with G-Force Project Sembreak!

Now on its fourth year, Sembreak is one of the baby projects of G-Force Dance Company's artistic director Georcelle Dapat-Sy, more popularly known as Teacher Georcelle. Sembreak is an offshoot of the annual G-Force Project Summer Dance Workshop that began in 2008.

"We call on all dance enthusiasts, students and professionals alike, to be part of G-Force Project Sembreak. We guarantee, not only will you get to learn how to move and groove like G-force, you will definitely have fun and enjoy spending your break with us," says Teacher Georcelle.

G-Force managing director Angel Sy couldn't agree more. "We pride ourselves with G-Force Project Sembreak now more than ever. We now have a different venue for our recital and that should give off a different feel and a different experience to our students."

Divided into two batches, Sembreak Batch 1 is happening all Saturdays of September and October (September 5, 12, 19, 26 & October 3, 10, 17, 24); Batch 2 is set all Fridays and Saturdays of October (October 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24). And just like G-Force Summer Dance Workshop that culminates into a showcase of talents, Sembreak will also have its own recital to be held at TriNoma Activity Center on October 30.

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School has just started, but it’s not too early for the University of the Philippines Association of Civil Engineering Students (UP ACES) to make some noise. This September, UP ACES will celebrate its 61st anniversary with its 10th installment of the renowned National Civil Engineering Summit (NCES), a two-week event that will gather over 5,000 participants from all over the country.

True to UP ACES’ tradition of organizing prestigious events, NCES kicks off on September 2 with Jumpstart –a thanksgiving mass and exhibit launch event, followed by a thanksgiving lunch for the entire College of Engineering.

Come September 5, high school students get to participate in InCEthink: Bridge Building Competition, as well as High School Career Talk (HSCT) and CE Laboratory Tour at the NISMED Auditorium and Melchor Hall, respectively. InCEthink will feature over 40 teams, each team competing to create the best and sturdiest bridge while applying their engineering knowledge, creativity, and teamwork. HSCT, on the other hand, aims to introduce the civil engineering field to high school students as early as now, through a series of talks from professional civil engineers. The ideas they will learn will then be reinforced in the CE Lab Tour, which will take the students on an interactive tour around the various facilities and equipment of the UP Institute of Civil Engineering.

On September 10 to 11, around 4,200 civil engineering students will listen to renowned speakers in the National Civil Engineering Symposium at the University Theater. This year, the Symposium will have the theme Cutting Edge: Streamlining Civil Engineering in an Advancing Nation. It will have four major talks relevant to the field of civil engineering and will be supplemented by one inspirational talk. Simultaneous with the Symposium are the CE Laboratory Tour, PROFILES, and the CE Job Fair. Designed to provide a more intimate environment for the exchange of ideas, PROFILES is the newest addition to NCES’ roster of events. It features successful UP ACES alumni engineers in a seminar that will give civil engineering students a better glimpse of real-life civil engineering and provide them with practical tips and advice. Meanwhile, the CE Job Fair allows participants to submit résumés to their prospective companies.

Customer Lovefest Set, An Event in Creating Enhanced Customer Engagement

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Customer experience (CX) is the new battlefield and leading organizations are changing their priorities this year to focus on this space, reports Gartner.

Gartner Research Center is the voice of selected business decision makers. Participating members have a unique opportunity to provide input and opinions on a variety of IT and other business-related topics. It is based in US.

Customer Lovefest was created to further the understanding on how to maximize customer experience management, and customer loyalty and rewards program.

Customer Lovefest set this August 27-28,2015 at New World Hotel, Makati City has two conferences, the Customer Experience Management Conference and Customer Loyalty and Rewards Program Conference.

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Summer is in full swing and everybody is craving a sweet hidden gem, to enjoy the warm months and relax both their body and soul. Global property portal Lamudi has compiled a list of dream properties to make your summer dreams come true, where you can experience beautiful scenery, the biggest adventures and the craziest parties.

Seaside community in Cebu, the Philippines

Ever been to the Philippines? These islands are a hotspot for travelers and offer some of the most beautiful beaches on Earth. Nevertheless, you can always find some hidden gems and with the right property, your stay will be one of your most memorable vacations. This six bedroom villa is the ideal place for peaceful and relaxing beachside living. There is enough room for a large family or a bunch of your best friends. It is located 45 minutes from Cebu city, and right on the beach. The pool is big enough for you as well as all of your friends and family, and the house’s indoor design is a beautiful conglomeration of natural wooden furniture, which will provide great comfort.

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NetSuite Inc., the industry's leading provider of cloud-based financials / ERP and omnichannel software suites, today announced that Scoot, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, has deployed NetSuite as its core financial management platform in a two-tier ERP model aligned with an on-premise SAP ERP application in place at the parent Singapore Airlines.

Scoot chose NetSuite after considering other major ERP solutions due to factors such as speed of implementation, low cost of ownership, real-time business intelligence and reporting, as well as the breadth and depth that NetSuite provides in financial reporting, multi-currency management and budgeting – all within one unified platform.

Since implementation, NetSuite has supported Scoot in its network growth across Asia and Australia, enabling Scoot to attain cost-efficiencies and speed to market. Business agility through NetSuite has been critical in helping Scoot drive its exponential business growth while expanding its network across 15 destinations in China, Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

Scoot views NetSuite as its core ERP solution in its plan to triple its fleet size over the next several years with 20 new Boeing 787 Dreamliners to increase its presence in the medium and long-haul segment.

“As a startup, Scoot wanted a modern, agile business platform that could scale rapidly while ‘future-proofing’ our company for long-term innovation and growth,” said Ng Long Jian, Scoot Head of Finance. “We looked at other major and more established ERP, but NetSuite was the clear winner in meeting our requirements for cost-efficiency, fast deployment, real-time visibility into the business and flexibility. NetSuite is the perfect fit for Scoot to enable us to transform our business operations and support our growth.”