Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Monday, November 9, 2015

ePLDT's Vitro Data Center garners PCI DSS Certification

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Vitro Data Center, the country's first commercial data center facility which is owned and operated by ePLDT, the digital enterprise enabler of PLDT, recently acquired its newest international certification -- Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard or PCI DSS. According to ControlCase, LLC, a US-based external Qualified Security Assessor (QSA) for PCI compliance, Vitro is the first and only data center facility in the Philippines that they have certified for PCI DSS version 3.1 -- the latest version of this international standard.

"This is one of Vitro's many firsts over the years", says ePLDT Group Chief Technology Officer Dwight David M. Simon. "Being the pioneer in digital infrastructure and enablement, we at ePLDT ensure that we set the pace and the bar for technological advancements, and compliance to global best practices, for the benefit of Filipino businesses."

PCI DSS is an information security standard for companies that process credit card transactions via major providers including Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB, etc. The standard is mandated by card brands and was created to increase controls around cardholder data with the intention of reducing credit card fraud.

With this certification, Vitro Data Center garners the confidence of the business sector, particularly financially-sensitive organizations such as banks, for the co-location of IT infrastructure used for storing, processing and transmitting cardholder data in a highly secure and private environment.

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In this increasingly digital era, it is now easier to get when you want, when and where you want it—a commitment foodpanda, the leading online food ordering marketplace, has made to hungry customers around the country. More and more Filipinos are placing their food delivery orders online; however, a common barrier remains for many of them: data access. Ordering food online requires users to go through several web pages before successfully checking out, and for prepaid subscribers, this means incurring data charges on top of their load balance or data package allocation.

Filipinos now need not have their mobile data consumed just to be able to enjoy ordering food online, as Voyager Innovations, Inc., the digital innovations arm of PLDT and Smart, has entered into a one-of-a-kind partnership with foodpanda, providing customers free data access when ordering food online with SafeZone. SafeZone allows users to browse partner sites and apps, such as foodpanda, completely FREE of data charges.

Now, customers can choose from foodpanda’s over 1,000 partner restaurants, such as Amici, Greenwich, IHOP, and Omakase, and conveniently have their food delivered to their homes without having to worry about expensive data charges.

Customers must simply visit https://free.foodpanda.ph/ and turn on the 'Load Protect’ feature, enter their location to see which restaurants deliver to them location, browse the available menus, and choose to pay online or via cash-on-delivery.

Benjie S. Fernandez, the Chief Operating Officer of Voyager Innovations, believes that this partnership represents a significant step forward for Filipino consumers.

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Have you ever wondered where do really broken hearts go? Well if you ask the renowned love doctor, Dr. Ino Balagtas, these broken hearts did actually find their way home -- in Panacea! For almost four decades, Panacea have been healing different disabilities caused by love problems all over the country.

This year they are celebrating their 35th anniversary and it looks like the clinic is far from slowing down. "Thank God, no deaths since our opening 35 years ago." Dr. Balagtas, resident Panacea doctor and the clinic's President, said jokingly when asked about the clinic's secret for its longevity. He also added that more than the clinic's world class facilities, he believed that Panacea is more than just a medical center, he described it as a retreat house, a solace -- a place where your heart can relax and meditate, a place where you can be whole again.

Aside from the state-of-the-art amenities, the clinic prides itself for their guaranteed 100 percent cure for every love disabilities like blindness because, well, love is blind; hearing impairment due to constant nagging and other physical deformities rooted from love disorders. According to Dr. Balagtas, the ultimate cause of these maladies is stupidity, "when your heart starts to beat for someone that is also the time your brain shuts down", he said bluntly.

Dr. Balagtas assured us a full heart recovery after your Panacea treatment. Krizzy, a self-confessed love problematic and one of their celebrity patients testified about Panacea's treatments, "Doc Ino helped me move on talaga, thanks to him! Love! Love! Love!” Krizzy is one of the hundreds of survivors from brokenheartedness. In the Philippines, 7 out of 10 people's hearts are shattered everyday and its Panacea's mission to pick these hearts to pieces.

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The De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde’s Technical Theater Program Batch 112 proudly presents “ Paglayang Minamahal ” --- a sarswela written and directed by Palanca winner George de Jesus III and music by Jeffrey Hernandez.

Paglayang Minamahal is a three-act sarswela about the love between a young barrio lass and a rich ilustrado set during the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution. Exploring the many levels and facets of love and freedom, the play inverts the traditional sarsuela by protecting the relationship of Alodia and Mauricio from any satanic inclination, promises forever to each other in the middle of endeavor of the nation for their freedom.

Paglayang Minamahal was written during the fever of the Philippine centennial celebrations in 1998 and won 2nd Prize in the sarswela category of the Centennial Literary Competition.

“It was first staged by Tanghalang Pilipino at the CCP in 2000 directed by Chris Millado with music by Jesse Lucas. The collaborative process of that production resulted in an edit of the original script creating a sung-through musicale that somehow diminished the sarswela form. This production, although edited to run for less than 2 hours, brings back a number of scenes and dialogues from the original winning draft of the play,” George de Jesus III remarks.

PAGLAYANG MINAMAHAL is set to open on NOVEMBER 12 and shall continue to run on November 13, 14 and 15 (1:00 pm and 7:00 pm) at the 5/F SDA Theater, School of Design and Arts Campus, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, 950 P. Ocampo St., Malate, Manila.

Upsilonians Living The Imperative Of Service

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After almost a century of glorious existence and a rich lineage of excellence, leadership and service, the Upsilon Sigma Phi affirms its fervent tradition and continuing commitment to serve the country and the underprivileged Filipinos with the holding of Upsilon Cares: Free medical, dental, optical and surgical mission on November 14, 2015 at Barangay Kabulusan, Pakil, Laguna. The public service activity is part of the fraternity’s 97th anniversary celebration themed “Transcendence: 97 Years of Living the Imperative of Service”

The community service initiative will be conducted in partnership with the Provincial Government of Laguna and is expected to provide free medicines, eyeglasses and extensive medical and health care services to approximately 2,000 indigent residents of 6 barangays of Pakil namely: Banilan, Dorado, Casa Real, Matikiw, Casinsin and Kabulusan.

The Upsilon Sigma Phi, based exclusively in the University of the Philippines and founded in 1918, is the oldest Greek-lettered fraternity in Asia. Its distinct status in the history of UP and the nation is manifested by a rank distinguished student and alumni leaders which include Fellows Benigno ‘Ninoy’ Aquino, Ferdinand E. Marcos, Joker Arroyo and countless esteemed stewards of Philippine industry, government and academe.

Ateneo Blue Repertory Presents Urinetown: The Musical

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Around here, there's no such thing as a free piss. In Urinetown, a musical revolving around a futuristic society, everyone must pay for the privilege to urinate in an attempt to regulate water consumption. First staged in May 2001, the production eventually went on to win three Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical, Best Direction of a Musical, and Best Original Score in 2002. In its 24th season, the Ateneo Blue Repertory (blueREP) is proud to stage this musical, which will showcase its recently accepted members in their first-ever blueREP production as part of their training following the organization’s core values: professionalism, excellence, commitment, passion, and growth.

Urinetown: The Musical puts the spotlight on a town plagued by a 20-year drought which forces the government to put a ban on private toilets. All citizens must use public, pay-per-use amenities owned and operated by Urine Good Company, a malevolent corporation run by the corrupt Caldwell B. Cladwell; heroic Bobby Strong leads the fight against this practice. Hope, Cladwell’s beautiful daughter, must choose to side either with her father or with Bobby, her newfound love interest. Urinetown ultimately is a musical satire of the legal system, capitalism, social irresponsibility, bureaucracy, corporate mismanagement, municipal politics and musical theatre itself.

Missy Maramara, who holds a Master of Fine Arts in Drama (Performance) from the University of Arkansas and is a full-time faculty member of the Fine Arts Program in the Ateneo de Manila University, serves as Urinetown’s director, with Darrell Uy as co-director and Alecx Lorica as assistant director. Marek Sison and Enzo Mendoza work together as musical directors, while Jamie Ozamiz and Evee Raypon choreograph the entire show. CJ Francisco returns to blueREP as the set designer; Miyo Sta. Maria takes charge of the production’s lighting, and finally, Mikka Espino serves as the musical’s costumes and makeup designer.

Ateneo Blue Repertory’s staging of Urinetown is scheduled to run from November 11-14 and 25-28 at the Rizal Mini Theater, Ateneo de Manila University, and may be viewed by all audiences. During weekdays, shows will be at 8 pm; on Saturdays, the production is scheduled to begin at 3 pm and 8 pm. For ticket inquiries and reservations, please contact Reine Gustilo (09369409042). You may also visit Ateneo Blue Repertory’s official website: http://www.bluerepertory.org and follow its accounts on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blueREPERTORY, Twitter: @_blueREPERTORY and Instagram: bluerepertory.

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Isko't Iska 2015, Strings of Deceit: The REBELation will be shown for free at the University of the Philippines – Los Baños D.L. Umali Auditorium from November 10-12, 7 PM.

Set in 2050, Isko enters UPLB to help Pegaraw, his stepfather and the resident psychiatrist in the university, to inform the student body about the alarming increase of mentally unstable patients in the rehabilitation center. Together with his best friend, Oble, heir of CamCam, Co., Isko experiences world-class facilities, the “plu-plu” technology, 5-star establishments in the Student Union Hub, the struggle in the university coop, and the Reserved Officers Training Course headed by Lt. Col. Mary Bollard (Mariang Banga). It is now up to Iska and Tao to reveal the injustices behind the system. (Watch the trailer here).

Isko’t Iska is an annual theater production headed by Umalohokan, Inc., a UPLB socio-cultural organization, copresented by the UPLB University Student Council and the UPLB Writers' Club. Isko’t Iska features an all-freshman student ensemble that continuously fights for the right of the masses.

By utilizing the diverse aspects of art, the play delivers a great way to increase awareness of the issues inside and outside the university. Isko’t Iska shows the condition and the issues of the University of the Philippines (UP) system as well as that of the whole nation. The play, aside from portraying social issues and educating the Filipino youth, mirrors the lives of different UP students (commonly known as Isko/Iska).

For inquiries, please contact Stephan Pablo (0917 713 3491). Important announcements and activities are also posted on Umalohokan, Inc’s official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/umal.inc

Saturday, November 7, 2015

Teatro Kolehiyo ng Miriam Presents Anatomiya Ng Korupsyon

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Teatro Kolehiyo ng Miriam, the official theater organization of Miriam College, will be staging Malou Leviste Jacob’s ANATOMIYA NG KORUPSYON on November 13 and 14, 2015 at the Little Theater, Miriam College, Quezon City.

This play, set in the 1980’s, follows the everyday life of people in a law firm office. It features various characters - a newbie hearing officer, a vain secretary, a motherly stenographer, a tomboyish ‘all-around’ worker and a series of interesting clients with different law cases. What is common to them is that they all contribute to the nation’s most popular issue of corruption.

This timely material portrays corruption in a different angle and strives to be the wake-up call that all of us contribute to what we all try to eradicate in the system. In the dire need to survive in our country and to our Filipino culture of ‘pakikisama’, we all unconsciously fall in the pit hole of what we are most disgusted at – corruption.

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Despite posting a slower growth of 5.3 percent in gross revenue in the second quarter of 2015, Philippine real estate remained the top employer among all industries, based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s sectoral Quarterly Economic Indices for Q2 2015.

This same bullish outlook is shared by the country’s largest property developers, many of whom have unveiled ambitious projects that will keep them busy over the next few years. Online property portal Lamudi Philippines takes a closer look at some of the big-ticket projects we can expect to hear more from in 2016.

1. Alviera, Ayala Land

This 1,100-hectare large-scale, mixed-use development in Porac, Pampanga, is perhaps one of Ayala Land’s most ambitious projects to date. In fact, the company has earmarked Php90 billion for the project, significantly more than the company is planning to invest in its Arca South project in Taguig. The project’s Phase 1 development—which includes industrial park, a country club, three residential communities, and two academic institutions spread over 207 hectares of land—is already well underway.

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Siblings-in-bridal-fashion Yukia and Yuneisia specialize in curvier brides. Their salon, Curvaceous Couture, stocks high-fashion designer samples in sizes that fit the bodies of real women. And business is booming! Catch them in TLC’s latest series, CURVY BRIDES, premiering on November 6 and airs every Friday at 10:30 p.m.

Follow incredibly talented culinary figures Edward Lee and Magnus Nilsson from the kitchens they call home to their travels around the world in search of ingredients, inspiration and the perfect meal. The duo combine cooking, travel, history, humor, art and science into a cinematic-style journey, each episode going deep into inspirations and the creative drive behind the culinary industry’s greatest minds. Find out what goes on in THE MIND OF A CHEF premiering on November 9 and airing every Monday at 9:30 p.m.

Everyone’s favorite TLC Asia host Janet Hsieh goes beyond Taiwan and travels the world with a close male celebrity friend in tow – her husband-to-be, George Young, in a mini-series about the exchange of cultures, traditions, personalities and vows between two of the most-loved celebrities in Asia.

In Fun Taiwan All Stars: Wedding Special, Janet’s forever with George starts off in the most adventurous way possible: with a multi-country, multi-continent trip. They kick-start the journey from the top of the Earth’s atmosphere, to the northern and southern hemisphere, from the tropics, and to the southernmost continent – Antarctica, arguably the purest land on earth. Janet and George explore the uniqueness of each destination, as seen through their interactions with both the environment and each other. FUN TAIWAN ALL STARS: WEDDING SPECIAL premieres on November 24, and airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m.

Are You a Curvy Bride-to-Be? TLC and Paris-Based Pinoy Designer Say – No Problem!

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Wedding couture is booming for all shapes and sizes. Women are embracing their natural body type, watching fashion trends and developing strong individual points-of-view so much so that the demand for a variety of dresses to suit every body type and style has gotten stronger and stronger. In fact, TLC has a new show, Curvy Brides, where curvy brides-to-be try to find the colored wedding dress that is a perfect match for their big day.

Considering body types while also referencing the latest designs to hit the fashion sphere, what are the best tips and tricks for plus-size women to look their best during their wedding? Paris-based Filipino fashion designer Marc Rancy has years of experience under his belt in making women at their most beautiful. He was cited as one of the most successful designers under 30 and has dressed the likes of beauty queen Megan Young. And here, he shares his expertise on wedding couture for curvaceous women.

For all the “curvy” brides you’ve dealt with as a client, what were the challenges or limitations in designing their dresses?

The most challenging part is trying to convince them to trust your professional opinion as to what would fit them, as they have their own ideas which may not necessarily be flattering. As a designer, dealing with these clients involves trying to fend off their insecurities. Arms are a very common insecurity. Rule of thumb I personally adhere to is the more you conceal the arms, the more it is noticeable.

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The Philippine economy grew at a slower rate of 5.2 percent in the first quarter of 2015, and 5.6 percent in the second, causing experts to lower their end-of-2015 forecast to around 6 percent. However, despite the turn to less impressive numbers, the local real estate market continues to thrive, and investing in real estate remains safe and ideal for the remainder of the year and for the foreseeable future.

Property portal Lamudi Philippines has listed some of the trends that are forecast for 2016.

1. Continued Growth of the BPO Sector

Business process outsourcing (BPO) companies continue to buoy Metro Manila’s commercial real estate. In fact, experts do not foresee the supply of office space surpassing demand soon, meaning commercial properties (and offices in particular) remain a beneficial investment for 2016.

Apart from the BPO companies’ direct need for real estate, investors can also look to benefit via renting out to traditional offices and commercial and retail establishments looking to take advantage of the opportunities provided by the market comprised of BPO employees. BPOs have also increased the demand in residential properties, especially high-end condos in the major business districts. With the BPO sector workforce also expected to double in 2016 and revenue from the industry to surpass remittances from overseas Filipino workers (OFW), now is a better time than any to invest in rental properties in the cities where these companies are based.

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Acropolis-based Estrada family is the first customer in the Philippines to subscribe and experience a home broadband plan with internet speeds of up to 1Gbps powered by Globe Telecom. As part of its efforts to uplift the state of internet services in the country by giving customers access to a faster internet experience with lower monthly service fees (MSF), Globe recently unveiled its new roster of home broadband plans powered by fiber-to-the-home (FFTH) technology, providing customers the fastest fiber connection speeds at home now available at a more affordable price.

With the new Globe Platinum Broadband Plans, home broadband customers can enjoy a broadband plan with internet speeds of up to 50Mbps at Plan 2499, 100Mbps at Plan 3499, 200Mbps at Plan 4499, 500Mbps at Plan 7499, and 1Gbps at Plan 9499.

“We are excited for the Estrada family to experience blazing-fast internet speeds at their home powered by Globe. This is a milestone not just for Globe but also for the entire country as we see more Filipinos enjoy high-speed and best-value broadband services as they build their life and work experiences around a digitally-connected lifestyle,” shares Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business Daniel Horan.

Prior to introducing a more aggressive home broadband portfolio, Globe already made strides in providing superior mobile technology services as evidenced by a recent LTE report released by OpenSignal. The report showed that Globe Telecom’s LTE download speed is at 10 Mbps, double its competition’s LTE download speed of only 5 Mbps. Globe LTE download speed is comparable to territories/countries like Hong Kong (Smart Tone), India (Airtel), Norway (Telenor, Network Norway), Portugal (NOS), Indonesia (Indosat), which all registered a 10 Mbps download speed, and even higher than the 8 Mbps download speed in Russia (MTS), Malaysia (DiGi) and even US (AT&T, US Cellular, Sprint, C Spire Wireless).

La Union: Bahay na Bato Open Art Gallery

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Our coverage of the 10th La Union Surfing Break gave us the opportunity to also tour around La Union guided by a Department of Tourism (DOT) certified tourist guide who goes by the name of Lawrence Fontanilla “Amar” Carbonell.

After a 5 hour trip from Manila via van, and a hearty lunch upon arrival at Sebay Surf Resort where we stayed for two nights, we proceeded with a tour of La Union on our first day on October 29, 2015.

With DOT personnels from the Makati office and one from the Region 1 office, we went on a tour of the nearby tourist spots and dining destinations since the actual surfing break coverage will start the next day, October 30, 2015.

Scheduled for the day were a tour of Bahay na Bato Open Art Gallery located at Luna, the Lady of Charity or Namacpacan church, the Baluarte watchtower at the shores of barangay Victoria, a vendor of native delicacies "tupig" and "bibingka", a restaurant at San Fernando where "Halo Halo de Iloko Balay" and "emparedados" are served, among many other culinary treats, and the Thunderbird Resort Casino and Beach at Poro Point. We were also supposed to visit the Macho temple and the botanical gardens but lacked the time to pursue it.

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Moving towards the promotion of consumer interest under a regime of stable regulatory policies, the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) share a common objective for the implementation of a mandatory Competitive Selection Process (CSP) in contracting power supply agreements of distribution utilities.

Under Joint Resolution No. 1, both agencies stressed that CSP fosters transparency, enhances security of supply, and ensures stability of electricity prices to captive electricity end-users in the long-term. The Joint Resolution, which will be effective upon its publication in newspapers of general circulation, further provides that the ERC shall issue the appropriate implementing regulations for the CSP.

DOE Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada emphasizes that "the DOE and ERC are working closely together to create a proactive and dynamic environment for a sustainable electric power industry which balances the interests of the consumers and the industry participants."