U-Hop Partners With Click Labs For More Efficient Service

Wazzup Pilipinas!

U-Hop has tied up with a US-based technology solutions company, Click Labs, to reintegrate its systems and expand the services it can offer to its members.

Click Labs has designed and developed an app named “Tookan”, its 3rd SaaS (Software as a Service) product. It is an online system designed for businesses managing mobile personnel, deliveries and services. It is a system that makes workflows more efficient and is a simple answer to the core business operations often involving multiple stakeholders.

Through Tookan, managers and personnel can monitor all the day’s activities and tasks. The system provides a live map view of all mobile personnel, with specific corresponding information including the assigned driver, destination and client.

The system logs in all of the tasks, including those from the previous days, so everything is archived with efficiency and accuracy.

It features an alert function so everyone is notified once a task has changed or if it has been completed. It also has a messenger function so you can talk to all online managers and personnel.

Tookan does away with the conventional operations so you can say goodbye to your old-school spreadsheets, voice calls and the many, many paper works.

U-HOP: Philippines’ First App-Based Shuttle Service

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Because of the worsened traffic situation in Metro Manila, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has pegged our productivity loss to P2.6 billion every day. Furthermore, JICA said that if we do nothing by 2030, that amount would reach P6 billion a day.

That’s why we need transport solutions.

First there were the app-based car services. The original concept was brilliant; individual car owners would give a ride to those plying the same routes as theirs for a fee. Simply put, it is taking the idea of carpooling and incentivizing it for charging for fare. The result? We get less cars on the road.

But then this concept became an enterprising model. Individual car owners were no longer giving lifts to people, they were operating their cars as cabs, and down the road, they began purchasing fleets. The result? Now we have even more cars on the road.

Experts have said it over and over again, the only solution to this behemoth of a traffic problem is mass transport. But while we wait for the infrastructures and facilities for that, we offer an alternative. An app-based mass transport system we call U-HOP.

Think of the UV express at the terminals near your homes and offices. They are convenient because it is mass transport and it is cheap. Now take that service and make it app-based, you no longer have to wait for long lines.

Oscar Winner Graces The Small Screen In New Medical Drama

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Academy Award winner for Best Actress Marcia Gay Harden (Polllack) stars in Code Black, a new medical procedural drama inspired by Ryan McGarry’s critically acclaimed documentary of the same title.

Every episode presents extraordinary medical cases in creative but very authentic perspectives. Events unfold in the nation’s busiest ER, where medical professionals are the heroes. In a perpetual race against time, they solve one medical case after the other using limited resources. This is far from your usual medical drama. Get ready to be hooked as it fires up adrenaline, intrigues the mind and ultimately compels the heart.

Follow Leanne Royer (Harden), the gritty resident who leads her medical team through seemingly insurmountable odds.Completing the cast are Bonnie Sommerville (NYPD Blue), Raza Jaffrey (Homeland), Luis Guzman (Oz), Melanie Kannokada (Love, Lies and Seeta), Harry M. Ford, Benjamin Hollingsworth, and William Allen Young.

Michael Seitzman, Marti Noxon, Ryan McGarry, and David Semel are the executive producers of this series that premieres on October 7, Wednesday, 8:50pm (same week as the US), first & Exclusive at Sony Channel.

Sony Channel is seen on SKYCable Channel 35, Cignal Digital TV Channel 60, Destiny Cable Channel 62, Cable Link Channel 39.

Wanted: Innovative, Disruptive and Sustainable Ideas in Mobility

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Do you have a smart and entrepreneurial idea or enterprise related to mobility? Get support and the chance to win more than P1 Million in start-up prizes! Applications are now open for the “Impact Hub Fellowship on Innovation in Mobility with LBC.”

Aside from the prizes, you will also earn guidance from a community of professionals and supporting corporations through Impact Hub Manila's incubation and mentoring program. 

Impact Hub Manila, a startup incubator, and coworking and events space provider for a membership community of entrepreneurs, activists, creatives, and professionals taking action to drive positive social and environmental change, is looking for potentially world-changing ideas in the field of mobility.

In partnership with LBC, the Philippines' market leader in payments, remittance, courier products, mail, parcels and, cargo logistics, Impact Hub Manila is now accepting applicants that could offer innovative, disruptive and sustainable ideas for their very first fellowship program.

At a press conference held at the Impact Hub Manila office at the 5th floor of Green Sun on October 6, 2015, the key people from both Impact Hub Manila (LizAn Kuster and Matt Jaeggi, co-founders) and LBC (Fernando Araneta, CEO and Chief Strategy & Innovation Officer), presented the details of the fellowship program, plus a special speaker, Benjamin de la Peña, Director of the Knight Foundation and former Associate director at Rockefeller Foundation, gave us a general overview of the global trends and issues regarding mobility.

Singapore Airlines and Visa Unveil Exclusive Offers for Trips to Singapore, Australia, New Zealand and Europe

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Singapore Airlines, together with Visa, invites travelers to jumpstart their adventure with its special all-inclusive Economy Class round trip fares starting from just USD190.

Singapore

Together with the Singapore Tourism Board, SIA brings an attractive all-inclusive round trip fare to Singapore from just USD190, for a minimum of two passengers travelling together. More of the Lion City is now also reachable through the Singapore Airlines Singapore Explorer Pass. With a top-up of just USD 48 per person, travelers may revel in over 20 different attractions (worth SGD 420), including Gardens by the Bay, Madame Tussauds, Singapore Cable Car, Singapore Zoo, Singapore Flyer and free rides on the SIA Hop on Bus.

Australia

From just USD630, an exciting Australian adventure awaits those who wish to visit Adelaide, Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney. The Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia alliance provides more choice for domestic and international air travel to and from Australia, with attractive and seamless travel options across Australia. Passengers can smoothly plan their trip to various attractions in The Land Down Under and avail of more travel options and convenient connections. All-inclusive one way add-on rates are also available from USD 60 to USD 80, with trips from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney to multiple destinations such as Canberra, Gold Coast, Hobart, Mackay, Port Moresby, Rockhampton, Sunshine Coast and Townsville.

Globe Disconnects From Service Close To 30,000 Numbers Identified As Source Of Spam/Scam Messages

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Globe Telecom has disconnected from service close to 30,000 prepaid numbers found to be consistent source of spam and scam text messages as the leading mobile operator continues to intensify efforts to eliminate such unsolicited and annoying messages.

The numbers blocked from the Globe network were subject of complaints reported through the http://www.globe.com.ph/stopspam where customers are simply required to provide all the details of spam and scam messages they received on their mobile devices. Numbers that are reported to be a constant source of spam messages are then disconnected from service.

The numbers were also identified via an automated filtering system implemented by Globe to keep its customers from receiving scam and spam messages. The telecommunications provider recently expanded the coverage of this functionality and the system now covers majority of the company’s 2.3 million postpaid customers.

A total of 29,347 numbers were blocked from the service since July last year, Globe Chief Information Security Officer Anton Bonifacio said. Of the number, a total of 24,787 numbers were disconnected for sending scam messages while 4,560 numbers were barred from using the Globe network for sending spam messages.

Sabrina To Represent The Philippines In 2015 Asia Song Festival

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Asia’s Acoustic Sweetheart Sabrina is going places! She will be representing the Philippines in the upcoming Asia Song Festival to be held on October 11 at Busan Asiad Main Stadium in Busan, South Korea. Sabrina will be performing alongside Asia’s top music acts like KPop artists EXO, GOT7, Red Velvet and B.T.S, NGT48 from Japan and William Chan from China. She is also scheduled to collaborate on stage with KPop group B1A4 for their song “Lonely” where Sabrina will sing in Korean. Asia Song Festival is held every year since 2004 in Korea gathering the best singers in Asia and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Previous Philippine representatives include R&B singer Kyla and MYMP.

Sabrina recently conquered Malaysia when she performed at the Kuala Lumpur Lake Garden Festival last August 23 at Padang Merbok in the capital city. She was the only Filipino to sing at the festival alongside other Malaysian, Indonesian, Singaporean and other acts from Southeast Asia. She also did photoshoots, radio guestings, retail and TV appearances during her tour in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in time for her latest album “I Love Acoustic 8”. To date, she has also traveled to Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore where she had successful concerts and promo tours

She just released her latest album “I Love Acoustic 8” which debuted at #1 on iTunes Philippines and Indonesia and also on Top 10 of iTunes Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam. The album is also released in CDs all over Asia making Sabrina one of the only few Filipinos to release a CD in the region and cementing her status as Asia’s Acoustic Sweetheart. In the Philippines, “I Love Acoustic” is now on the Top 10 of the country’s largest CD retailer Astroplus. The Malaysia version of the album includes her duet with Malaysian singer Natasha Sass with the Malay version of Freddie Aguilar’s iconic song “Anak” which is entitled “Terima Kasih”. Indonesia’s version had Sabrina record a duet with one of their top singers Chilla Kiana for the songs “Thinking Out Loud” and “Love Me Harder”.

PH Leads the East Asia and the Pacific Towards a New Era of Tourism Development

Wazzup Pilipinas!

At the 21st United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly in Medellín, Colombia on 12-18 September 2015, the six Regional Commissions elected new chairs and vice-chairs for the period 2015-2017.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is pleased to announce that the Philippines was unanimously elected as Chairperson of the Regional Commission for East Asia and the Pacific (CAP) with Cambodia and Japan as vice chairpersons. The Philippines will also sit as member of the Committee on Statistics and Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) owing to its efforts of institutionalizing the implementation of the TSA in the Philippines, the first in the ASEAN region which is in consonance with the UN system of satellite accounting.

Mr. Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General lauded the Philippines for taking the Chairmanship that will greatly contribute to the global travel and tourism agenda of increasing competitiveness and promoting sustainable development in the region. Asia and the Pacific region is now the fastest global tourism destination with 263 million international arrivals in 2014 with a growth rate of 5.3%.

The five other commissions and their respective chairs (C) and vice-chairs (VCs) are: Africa – Zimbabwe (C) and Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire (VCs); the Americas - Haiti (C) and Paraguay and Chile (VCs); Europe - Switzerland (C) and Montenegro and Lithuania; South Asia - India (C) and Bangladesh and Afghanistan (VCs); and the Middle East - Lebanon (C) and Egypt and Jemen (VCs).

Social Media: The New Frontier in the Workplace

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Social Media is turning out to be the best mode of communication in the business world today today..

However, many have also become victims of its misuse and abuse. it has been used to propagate negative campaigns, and in many occasions, defamation of character to many individuals; and/or many many more. Oftentimes, the victim asks; "Can file a libel case on the one who circulated a very damaging 'blog' or 'tweet'. In the corporate scenario, one basic question which always comes up is : Can i suspend or terminate the services of a staff for "posting", "bloging" or "Tweeting" a false and very damaging story or statement in "facebook" "wayne" "inckedin" "Whereareu" "nstagram etc.

Join the Employers' Confederation of the Philippines (ECOP) as they discuss this topic on October 08, at the Henry sy Auditorium of St. Luke's Medical Center from 1:00pm to 5:00pm.

Investment fee is Php 1200 for non-ECOP members and Php 600 for ECOP members (VAT Exclusive)

Method of Registration:
1. Download Registration Form (PDF).
2. Print the Form, Accomplish, Scan, and Send to vic.darapiza@ecop.org.ph or membership@ecop.org.ph.

Nissan Philippines Celebrates 2nd Year Anniversary and Launches the New Nissan Juke

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Nissan Philippines celebrates its 2nd year anniversary and also launches the new Nissan Juke - a beautiful vehicle bringing together the toughness of an SUV and the dynamism of a sports car that's soon to be available on January 2016.

The 2nd anniversary and launch was held on October 5, 2015 at the Whitespace events place located in Makati city, and was attended by members of the media, Nissan employees and other special guests and VIPs. Your friendly neighborhood Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas was able to capture everything on video including the speeches of the Nissan Executives plus an up-close look at the exterior and interior of the new Nissan Juke.

With a tagline of "Rediscover Excitement. Rediscover Nissan," the automobile brand is determined to bring back the excitement by delivering the brand promise of "Innovation That Excites."

In the photo above is Nissan Philippines President and Managing Director Antonio "Toti" Zara and Marketing General Manager SungJoong "SJ" Huh who both shared their Nissan stories and the superb specifications that makes the new model an impressive offering to celebrate another milestone.

Wazzup Pilipinas is proud to have witnessed the event as it is a moment that should be cherished by all with the availability of the first automobile that puts emphasis on style and durability.