Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Friday, March 18, 2016

Maine Mendoza is BDO’s Newest Endorser

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Maine Mendoza, whose overwhelming stardom not only took the entire country but also the world by storm, is now a proud endorser of BDO Unibank.

The 21-year-old phenomenal celebrity says it was a dream to partner with BDO for the reason “Abot ang pangarap pag BDO ang kausap”. Like Maine who is a self-confessed big-time dreamer, people would like to have their own house, car, and business to manage. With BDO’s right solutions, these dreams can turn into reality.

Maine’s TV commercial is officially out Wednesday on major TV channels, BDO’s official facebook page and youtube channel. She will help you find ways to reach your dream!

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

Cash Cab Philippines Set to Conclude Debut Season on High Note

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The coolest cab in town has definitely made commuting in the city a cheerier task. Since premiering last December, Cash Cab Philippines has entertained viewers with its mobile trivia game show. It immediately went into high gear, consistently enjoying good ratings.

Host Ryan Agoncillo, a matinee idol-turned-host extraordinaire and a devoted father has played “Kuya Driver” since December. He has traversed the streets of Metro Manila in an inconspicuous taxi cab for months, picking up passengers and instantly transporting them to a game show stage.

Cash Cab aired its original version first in the United Kingdom and has since invaded the streets in other countries in Europe and Asia.

This March, Cash Cab is set to wrap up its first “trip” around the bustling streets of Manila and viewers are expected to await announcements regarding a second season.

Catch the last episode of Cash Cab Philippines tomorrow, Thursday at 9:15pm on AXN.

Carmudi Ensures Car Buying Safety with Rapide Partnership

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As shopping for a vehicle can now be done in various ways—online, dealerships and pre-owned shops, among others—the risk of being victimized by fraudsters increases. Horror stories about restored flooded vehicles, or cars that figured in countless accidents being sold at attractive prices are usually the case of secondhand vehicles, so how would you know if the pre-owned car you’re eyeing is a good buy?

Based on the research made by the National Telehealth Center under the University of the Philippines, there are 44.2 million active internet users in the Philippines. With that figure alone, it is easy to say that around the same number are possible victims of online fraud.

First time buyers of pre-owned vehicles would always say that there is no foolproof solution when it comes to purchasing a secondhand vehicle, except maybe bringing a trusted mechanic to assess the overall condition of the vehicle one wants to buy.

Many sellers would brag about the capabilities of the car, the money shelled out putting aftermarket parts, but some have failed— intentionally or not—to mention even the most glaring issues, just to have the vehicles peddled or traded.

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For as low as P700 per month, Airtel customers from around the world using the airtel talk app get access to unlimited calls to Globe/TM customers in the Philippines

Globe Telecom has forged a partnership with Bharti Airtel to give Airtel customers from around the world access to an affordable calling plan to the Philippines via Airtel’s voice calling app airtel talk.

With the partnership, airtel talk users can make unlimited high-quality VoIP calls to their Globe and TM contacts in the country for as low as USD14.99 or P700 for a 30-day period, or only P23.30 per day.

Available on both iOS and Android, airtel talk offers superior call quality, exclusive call me free service, multi-party conferencing, voice message chat, multi-device access, free audio/video app-to-app calling, and instant phonebook access.

“We are very excited about this partnership with Airtel as we cement our commitment to help bridge the gap between Filipinos around the world and their loved ones back home through affordable calling services and rates. Calling remains an effective means to connect Filipino families with each other and through this collaboration, we are able to offer an affordable calling plan via airtel talk. This is indeed another milestone in the regional telco landscape as two of the biggest telcos converge to give customers another innovative service that gives customers access to unlimited calling at a price within reach,” says Nikko Acosta, Senior Vice President for International Business Group at Globe.

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Despite the challenges the Philippine economy continues to face, it still enjoys steady growth, with no less than the World Bank projecting a rate of 6.4 percent for the country in 2016. Real estate has been a beneficiary of, and contributor to, this sustained growth, with the nation’s capital of Metro Manila going as far as being included in Jones Lang LaSalle’s Commercial Attraction Index as one of the top 30 real estate investment cities in the world.

Expectedly, many predict that the continued shift of demand toward middle-income properties will be what will help sustain overall growth of the real estate market the most, as it is these properties that can be afforded by most with disposable incomes. In no way does this devalue luxury properties, however, as mentioned in Lamudi Philippine’s 2015 Real Estate Report: “There are many reasons why ultra-luxurious properties are considered a safe investment: their values rarely—if ever—stagnate.”

The report further indicated how leasing, both from local tenants and the expanding expatriate population, will be an increasing source of yield for these luxury properties, and that the most definitive of these are found in the cities of Makati and Taguig, and in a number of high-end townships in Cavite and Laguna.

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EXCLUSIVE: We have an exclusive Video Interview with a victim of contaminated softdrink. Inside the unopened 1 litter bottle of @Royal Tru Orange softdrink is an X.O. Coffee Candy wrapper.
This is alarming as this is not an isolated case. There were others who communicated with us about their own cases where they found unwanted objects in their softdrink bottles and we will also soon interview them.

Another woman called our attention via Facebook message that she also has a contaminated Coke product where similar a candy wrapper can be found. I still have to schedule an interview with her.

Reports keep coming in from other people as well. We will collect all of these interviews and give you updates soon.

These are very new cases as they reveal that the discovery only happened recently. This is not my first time to hear about dirty softdrink bottles where foreign objects where found inside, so the public should be warned about the safety and health hazard in drinking softdrinks that are obviously unsafe to consume aside from the negative effects they give to our over-all health.

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Warner Bros. Pictures presents, an Atlas Entertainment/Cruel and Unusual production, a Zack Snyder film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, starring Oscar winner Ben Affleck (“Argo”) as Batman/Bruce Wayne and Henry Cavill as Superman/Clark Kent in the characters’ first big-screen pairing.

Directed by Snyder, the film also stars Oscar nominees Amy Adams (“American Hustle”), Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network”), Diane Lane (“Unfaithful”) and Laurence Fishburne (“What’s Love Got to Do with It”); Oscar winners Jeremy Irons (“Reversal of Fortune”) and Holly Hunter (“The Piano”); and Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/Diana Prince.

Snyder directed from a screenplay written by Chris Terrio and David S. Goyer, based on characters from DC Comics, including Batman, created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger, and Superman, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

The film is produced by Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder, with Wesley Coller, Geoff Johns and David S. Goyer serving as executive producers.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice will be released in 3D, 2D, and in select IMAX 3D theaters worldwide beginning March 25, 2016, from Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. batmanvsupermandawnofjustice.net

Nashville’s Divas Returns for a Fourth Season

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Critically acclaimed country musical TV series Nashville returns for its 4th Season.

Known for naming each episode after country songs, this series follows the lives of country singers on and off the stage. Starring Connie Britton as a country music celebrity whose star has begun fading, and Hayden Panetierre, as the toast of the industry.

Season 3 ended with a cliffhanger, with viewers wondering if Deacon Claybourne (Charles Esten) died. The series is already known to be an emotional roller coaster ride.

Rayna James’ (Britton) love life will quickly unfold early into season 4. With her career seemingly back on track, will she finally have everything by finding “the One?” Meanwhile, Juliette Barnes (Panetierre), is still a huge star at the top of her game but things seem a bit different off stage.

Follow the latest season on the lives of these two country divas on Sony Channel, premiering on March 21, Monday at 8:50pm on Sony Channel.

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

The New MINI Clubman: Go With Your Gut

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MINI Asia and MINI Philippines have introduced the new MINI Clubman to conquer the premium compact segment. The new model offers the highest level of everyday practicality, long distance suitability, versatility and ride comfort ever seen in a MINI.

At a lavish launch held at Axion Green Sun located at Pasong Tamo Extension on March 10, 2016, we got to see the unveiling of the new MINI Clubman luxury vehicles namely the MINI Cooper Clubman and the MINI Cooper S Clubman.

MINI Executives Willy Tee Ten, President and Sunny Medalla, Head of Asia Pacific, were there to give their message about the new models. MINI Philippines General Manager Lito Jose was also there for the ceremonial toast welcoming the new MINI Clubman models.

The venue was themed with cool, classy and sophisticated displays showing how you would also look when driving the new MINI Clubman.

There were areas where you can have a haircut and a shoe shine, a spot where they customize you leather key holder with your initials, bars for cocktails and coffee, displays of artistic furniture form a famous designer, a spot for suits, shirts and ties from a foreign brand, a couple of food stalls where you can queue for pasta, salads, and many other choices, a dessert station for the sweet tooth, and a sala set where you can relax and unwind while sipping your cocktails.

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Last year, Energizer launched its Energizer Max batteries, which are 35 percent longer-lasting than its previous version. Now, Energizer Philippines, Inc., partners with Warners Bros. Pictures on its upcoming release, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” coming to cinemas in the Philippines on March 26, 2016.

The epic action adventure features the much-awaited battle between the world’s most iconic Super Heroes in their first-ever big screen pairing. Adding to the excitement, Energizer will launch a promotional activity featuring limited edition Superman, Batman and WonderWoman-inspired collectibles.

According to Claire Guevarra, Senior Brand Manager of Energizer Philippines, the company’s partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures made it possible for the company to share positivenergy with its Filipino customers, who are fans of the famous Super Heroes as well.

“This gives a new perspective to what Energizer can do for its customers. With the partnership, we can share positivenergy with our Filipino consumers,” Guevarra said. “Just like these legendary DC Comics characters, Energizer is also powered to bring to life the battery-operated gadgets owned by Filipinos, making lives more convenient and entertaining. For us, that’s positivenergy beyond borders.”

Classical Japanese Artists Comes to Manila for Mar. 20 One Night Concert at UP Abelardo Hall

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Independent Philippine Art Ventures, Inc., presents THREE, TWO, ONE…ARAI ! - an afternoon of contemporary and classical guitar music with three outstanding artists from Japan namely Tomonori Arai, soloist and Takashi Endo and Eisei Tanigawa of the Trussardi Duo.

THREE, TWO, ONE…ARAI ! will be held on March 20 (Sunday) - 5:30 p.m. at the UP Abelardo Hall Auditorium located at the UP College of Music, UP Diliman, QC.

The repertoire includes classical and samba music as solos, duets, and trios.

Two promising young Filipino guitarists, Sting Asistores, 15, and Marlee Pabico, 18, both from the Philippine High School for the Arts, are slated to open the concert.

The concert is supported by Japan Foundation-Manila, and is part of the 60th anniversary celebration of Philippine-Japanese Friendship.

Concertgoers are encouraged to enjoy the UP campus that bustles with activity on Sundays. People hike, bike, walk, picnic, fly kites. The family-oriented concert will be a good way to cap a Sunday.

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Tanghalang Pilipino’s “Mabining Mandirigma,” a reappraisal in musical form of the heroism and legacy of Apolinario Mabini that featured the radical casting of a female actor in the role of the revolutionary patriot, took the lead in the 2015 nominations for the Gawad Buhay!, the Philstage Awards for the Performing Arts, with 13 nods in the performance and technical categories.

Following “Mabining Mandirigma” is the Philippine Educational Theater Association’s “Arbol de Fuego,” which transposed Anton Chekhov’s “The Cherry Orchard” to the haciendas of Negros in the martial law era, with 12 nominations.

Receiving 10 nominations each are 9 Works Theatrical’s production of the Broadway musical “La Cage aux Folles,” the Philippine premiere of Larry Kramer’s AIDS drama “The Normal Heart” staged by Actor’s Actors Inc. and The Necessary Theatre, and Ballet Philippines’ Christmas presentation “Peter Pan.”

Now on its eighth year, Gawad Buhay! is the first-ever industry awards exclusively for the performing arts juried by an independent panel of critics, scholars, artists and theater enthusiasts. Outstanding individual and group achievements in various artistic and technical aspects of play, musical and dance productions and performances are honored based on quarterly citations deliberated by members of the jury who are required to watch all productions of Philstage member-companies for the entire year.

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Tourism has become one of the major economic drivers in the Philippines, marked with strong, continued, and uninterrupted growth in both visitor arrivals and receipts, making the country ripe to become the world’s next tourism destination.

According to the Department of Tourism, tourism remained profitable and accounted for an estimated US$5.0 billion or P227.62 billion worth of international visitor receipts in 2015. This is 5.92% greater than the 2014 total earnings, with the month of December 2015 yielding the peak of all tourism activities at P23.47 billion and the month of September 2015 registering the highest growth of 24.24%.

Korea continued to be the top spending market with visitor spending amounting to P66.55 billion for the year 2015. The United States ranked second with P42.31 billion, followed by Australia with P12.83 billion, overtaking Japan which provided P12.20 billion to take the fourth spot. Completing the top five spending markets is China with visitor spending of P10.19 billion.

For the year 2015, tourists spend an average of P4,888.82. They also spent heavily last year, with an average per capita expenditure of P48,350.44. Their average length of stay in the country is registered at around 10 nights.

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The Department of Energy (DOE) is reiterating its warning to the public of the dangers "bote-bote" may cause to lives and properties. This is with the observed rampant proliferation of illegal sale of liquid fuels (i.e., gasoline, diesel) in “bote-bote.”

Energy Secretary Zenaida Y. Monsada strongly emphasized that “peddling of liquid fuels in any container, such as, soda bottles, plastic bottles, jugs and other similar portable containers are strictly prohibited,” which is stipulated under the existing Department Circular No. DC2003-11-010 also known as the Retail Rules. She also stressed that improper handling of liquid fuels may lead to accidental fire, illnesses due to inhalation of hazardous fumes, and undesirable effects to the environment.

The DOE notes that liquid fuels are highly combustible and flammable products, and therefore require proper storage and handling as provided under the Fire Code of the Philippines. Thus, as the country observes the National Fire Prevention Month spearheaded by the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), "bote-bote" must not be patronized, especially following increase of cases of fire accidents during summer period.

In order to eliminate the bote-bote scheme, the DOE encourages persistent participation of the consuming public, mostly motorists, in this advocacy by buying from authorized and formal gas stations only, instead of patronizing illegal liquid fuel peddlers, as this does not assure the public of “proper fuel quality and right quantity.” The motorists should realize that they may actually be short changed, and end up spending more for repairs, or worse, accidents.

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The Mu Sigma Phi Fraternity and Sorority of the UP College of Medicine brings you its annual Scholarship Week this coming March 28 to April 4, 2016.

The lineup of events for the week include:

Alam Mu Ba? A trivia quiz night for the brods and sisses of the Mu Sigma Phi on March 28, 2016 (7pm) at Astral Tower Roofdeck

Excellence Knowledge Genius (EKG): an inter-University Pre-Medical Quiz Show on March 29, 2016 (6pm) at Buenafe Hall, Calderon, UP College of Medicine

25th Brainstorm: an inter-medical school quiz competition on March 31, 2016 (6pm) at Robinsons Place Manila Midtown Atrium

EBM and Beyond: Basic Epidemiology Workshop on April 2, 2016 (7AM-5PM) at Buenafe Hall, UP College of Medicine

and MedEx: Medical Career Expo for PGH interns on April 4, 2016 (8AM-5PM) at the PGH Science Hall.

All these and more this coming Scholarship Week 2016!