DOST – ICTO, TechTalks.ph, and 1337 Ventures to Run first Alpha Startup Bootcamp in the Philippines

Wazzup Pilipinas!

DOST – Information and Communications Technology Office, in partnership with 1337 Ventures and TechTalks.ph, is set to run a pre-accelerator program for startups in their early ideation and validation stages. The Alpha Startup Bootcamp will be on its pilot run in the Philippines this November, kicking off with a boot camp in Cebu City on November 9 – 13, 2015.

The inaugural 5-day Bootcamp will feature workshops on customer and product development, pitching, mentoring sessions, and networking sessions that will help startups advance from idea generation to developing viable products and business models. To conclude the Bootcamp, startups will get the chance to showcase their outputs in a demo day that will be attended by key investors.

“This Alpha Startup Bootcamp will help early stage startups get off the ground by teaching them the basics of building a digital business. This is a gap we currently see in the Philippine startup ecosystem that this initiative will help address,” said DOST-ICTO Deputy Executive Director Monchito Ibrahim.

In response to such gap, the DOST – ICTO has partnered with TechTalks.ph and Malaysia-based accelerator, 1337 Ventures in this Bootcamp. Champions of startups in the country’s grassroots communities and the ASEAN, respectively, TechTalks.ph and1337 Ventures see the first Alpha Startup Bootcamp as an opportunity to meet promising Philippine startups they can potentially work with to further develop the startup communities in the country and the ASEAN region.

Planning the Perfect Wedding with Bridestory

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Some like their weddings to be the grandest celebration, regal and majestic in every detail. Then there are those who like it quaint and intimate. Others, however, prefer a scenic affair, a communion with Mother Nature.

A wedding celebrates the union of two people, and setting up the perfect scene for that once-in-a-lifetime moment is important. Sometimes, it proves to be difficult to plan out the perfect wedding and find the right vendors without that much effort.

Thankfully, a company from Indonesia found a way to give couples a hand in planning their perfect wedding to every little detail.

Bridestory helps couples make their dream wedding come true by connecting them to wedding professionals across the globe. It has now become the leading wedding marketplace in Southeast Asia.

The firm targets the younger generation “who are savvy and prefer to obtain information online,” said Kevin Mintaraga, Chief Executive Officer of Bridestory.

World Safety Organization to Hold Summit

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Global safety organization, the World Safety Organization, brings together safety experts and advocates from around the world for the 28th WSO International Environmental and Occupational Safety and Health Professional Development Symposium in Manila from October 26 to 28. The event will be held at the Solaire Hotel and Casino at Paranaque. The event also marks the 40th anniversary of the organization’s founding.

With the theme, “It’s more fun with Safety!” the symposium focuses on how the organization can enjoin the public on how to further improve the safety and health of workers by ensuring a workplace that’s accident and illness free, improving workers’ quality of life and, enabling them to integrate fun with safety. The symposium is also expected to attract corporate executives, managers, safety, health and environmental professionals, safety and accident advocates, leaders of safety organizations and WSO members from around the world to share and exchange new insights and learnings and to network with colleagues in the safety industry.

“This event is momentous because we are also celebrating the organization’s 40th anniversary founding,” said Alfredo A. Dela Rosa, Jr, Director, WSO International Office for Philippines. “The organization was founded in the Philippines 4 decades ago so it is fitting that the symposium is to be held here.”

The Honorable Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz of the Department of Labor and Employment was invited to give a keynote address. The event will also be graced by the Honorable Sonny Angara of the Senate of the Republic of the Philippines who will address the delegates and guests.

Dancing, Loving And Some Good-For-You Eating: All That And More This October On EVE!

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This October, EVE gives you all the ways to become a happier person: eating your way back into proper health, learning a thing or two about some good ‘ol clog dancing and getting that one-of-a-kind relationship goal!

Watch how food can be turned into a kind of medical treatment on FOOD HOSPITAL, a place where medical issues are solved by proper dieting and nutrition. Come and see how patients are treated with the use of healthy food and how they eat their way back into shape on FOOD HOSPITAL, which airs every Friday at 8:10 PM.

Looking for a bit of dancing with a unique little twist? Add in an age-old rivalry just to spice things up a bit. Find all that and more on DOWN SOUTH DANCE as the show follows rival dance groups: Chip Harrison’s Team Sapphire and Sarah Darby’s Team Synergy. Watch as these two longtime rivals turn their dance group into the best Southern Clog dancing team before battling in the R2K. With a feud that has started as old as time, trash talking and intense clogging, DOWN SOUTH DANCE is sure to make your evenings more exciting every Monday at 8:10 PM.

Ever wondered how much a relationship can change in just 90 days? Watch as six non-Americans equipped with unique fiancé visas travel to the US to live with their partners for the first time on 90 DAY FIANCÉ. In just three months, these international couples must overcome culture shock, language barriers and the lack of support from loved ones as they journey towards the altar or be sent flying back to their home lands. Will these couples find their happily ever green card? Find out on 90 DAY FIANCÉ, premieres this 18th of October, Mondays at 9 PM exclusively on EVE.

Eveready: Giving Light Before the Storm

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Louie Domingo, director of the Emergency Research Center, Inc. for Region IV-A (far left), Sol Aragones, Congresswoman of Laguna’s 3rd District (center) and, Claire Guevarra, Eveready Senior Brand Manager (second from right) graced “DZMM’S TLC Caravan” held recently at the Victoria Elementary School, attended by an estimate of 500 residents from Victoria and nearby towns of Laguna.

As part of DZMM’s Teaching, Learning and Caring (TLC) program, during the day, Eveready educated the residents of Brgy. Nanhaya in Victoria, Laguna on the importance of disaster preparedness and to share safety tips during times of crisis.

Eveready—the country’s leader in batteries also gave away free Eveready flashlights to the event’s registered participants.

Fil Am Stunner Joins Team Pharrell, Chases Dream In The Voice Season 9

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“You can win this whole thing” expressed Adam Levine who had a full team and was unable to bid for Fil Am stunner Amy Vachal. All three other judges Pharrell, Gwen Stefani and Blake Sheldon took only seconds to turn as Amy sang the classic Dream a Little Dream of Me.

The 26-yr old from Brooklyn, New York is also into painting. Musical talent runs in the blood, as her father used to be a member of a Grateful Dead cover band. Val picked a Pharrell to be her mentor – the same judge who produced last season’s winner.

After a standing ovation from the judges; Stefani gushed that that Val was a “princess” and “angel-like.” And Sheldon stated “I’m looking at a superstar”

But it was Pharrell who will get to further refine and enhance this talent and hopefully bring her to superstardom. If their initial exchange was an indication, the viewers can expect a hybrid of soulful, classic style blended with a shot modern hipness from this pretty and talented hopeful.

Family Enterprise Excellence Conference to Tackle Challenges Facing Family Businesses

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The Premier Family Business Consulting Inc. (PFBC), the only family enterprise consulting firm in Southeast Asia, is inviting family businesses, practitioners, and stakeholders to join a conference that will tackle the challenges facing family businesses.

Now in its third year, the Family Enterprise Excellence Conference (FEEC) will be held on October 26 at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Cebu City. With the theme “United, we unite families in business,” the one-day event will not only feature talks but also serve as an occasion for sharing experiences and best practices among family businesses as well as for networking.

International expert Dr. Dennis Jaffe of the US-based Family Firm Institute will lecture on the topic “Bridging the Gap of the Senior and Younger Generation” to address the issue of nurturing effective working relations between generations of a family business.

Considered one of the architects of family enterprise consulting as a field, Jaffe has taught at Hult University in Dubai and is on the Advisory Board of the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Stetson University. He has also served on the Boards of the World Business Academy and Saybrook University.

Renowned inspirational speaker Francis Kong will meanwhile give a talk on “The Value of Family Unity and Parenting” to emphasize their role as the main drivers in family business perpetuation.

Hypertension Need Not Lead to Strokes

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More than 1.56 billion people worldwide are expected to have hypertension by 2025, making the disease more alarming to healthcare providers. However, most people diagnosed with the condition have no signs nor symptoms of the disease until they reach its life-threatening stages.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every five adults with high blood pressure—a more general term for hypertension—is unaware of his or her disease, making prevention to deadly consequences such as stroke more difficult than ever.

“Hypertensive patients may experience frequent headaches, shortness of breath or nosebleeds, but these signs won’t occur until their blood pressure rises to its peak,” said Dr. Amado Nazal, medical director of Pharex HealthCorp. “When left untreated, their high blood pressure may cause them serious health problems, including heart attack and stroke.”

About eight out of ten people who had their first stroke are diagnosed with hypertension, which is responsible for worsening the quality of lives of some 14 million Filipinos, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

“You can have high blood pressure for many years without symptoms surfacing every now and then—what people don’t know is that the disease comes like a thief in the night,” Dr. Nazal said.

He added, “This makes regular monitoring of blood pressure all the more important. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important whether you are already hypertensive or not; the challenge comes recognizing the disease and taking action before it leads to stroke.”

U-Hop to Present Mass Transport Ride-Sharing as Solution to Manila’s Traffic Problem

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The PNP Highway Patrol Group (HPG) took the helm of EDSA traffic a few weeks ago, the latest in the many attempts of the government to solve Metro Manila's traffic problems.

The HPG is meant to be the iron hand, stricter rules that would hopefully result to discipline.

But as we all know by now, no man can control an unstoppable monster. During rush hour or when rain starts to pour, EDSA turns into a parking lot.

So what's the problem? There are just too many cars on the road.

The HPG itself admits: it's a matter of volume rather than discipline.

According to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the average daily capacity of EDSA is 160,000 vehicles. But as of 2014, that number has more than doubled to 360,417 vehicles daily.

That number is poised to increase as Land Transportation Office (LTO) reported an increase in car registration.

According to a report by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in 2012, private vehicles occupied 78% of the road in 2012.

Ballet Philippines’ Sarong Banggi Celebrates Filipino Music And Dance This October 16-18

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Rediscover local musical treasures in a new ballet about the Filipino family. Ballet Philippines’ Sarong Banggi features new works by six exciting Filipino choreographers set to classic folk songs from around the country, arranged and orchestrated by Ryan Cayabyab, the country’s best-loved composer. This show is co-presented by the Province of Albay.

The show features choreography by Carissa Adea, Ronelson Yadao, Cyril Aran Fallar, Paul Alexander Morales, Nonoy Froilan, and Carlo Pacis. Each choreographer brings to the stage his/her unique impression of the Filipino family in a new contemporary ballet with the cast led by Jean Marc Cordero, Earl John Arisola, Rita Angela Winder, and Monica Amanda Gana.

“Sarong Banggi will tug at the audience’s heartstrings with its nostalgic music and earnest look at traditional Filipino values,” says Ballet Philippines Artistic Director Paul Alexander Morales”. “It will be interesting to see these choreographers’ different takes on familiar themes; love, loss and reconciliation that cements the Filipino family”

When asked by Morales to create two pieces for the show, Hong Kong-based choreographer Carlo Pacis was thrilled at the chance to come home and work with Ballet Philippines again. “As a Filipino living overseas, I felt that it was my responsibility to give back.” Pacis, former soloist of the Hong Kong Ballet is a two-time awardee for Outstanding Choreography at the Philstage Gawad Buhay Awards.