Wazzup Pilipinas News and Events

Saturday, March 19, 2016

3rd Lubao International Balloon Festival: Soon to Proudly Fly High Up Into the Pampanga Sky

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"Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon

Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon

We could float among the stars together, you and I

For we can fly we can fly

Up, up and away

My beautiful, my beautiful balloon"

Yeah! It may be an old song, but still the wonders you'll experience riding "up, up and away" in a hot air balloon is definitely, and absolutely, beyond awesome. Not everyone can easily ride a hot air balloon, so it's one of the goals included in my bucket list, and hopefully, if everything goes well, it will be achieved this year.

We recently attended the press conference of the Lubao International Balloon Festival on March 17 at the Passion Restaurant of the Resorts World Manila. Now on its 3rd year , we are so very much excited to be soon witnessing another spectacular hot air balloon show on April 14 to 17, 2016 once again at Pradera Verde, Prado Siongco in Lubao, Pampanga.

The place is is also where the Pradera Verde Wakepark is located so the people would have a nice place to visit after the event. But the daily morning and late afternoon flights of the hot air balloons are not just the attractions during the 4 day event. There's also the many activities happening all throughout the day until late night as many food stall and activities and attractions,like a mini zoo and car show, awaiting on the ground. There's also the nightly concert from artists and DJs to keep you awake at night.

Fortinet Launches Cyber Threat Assessment Program to Uncover Critical Security Risks

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Fortinet,the global leader and innovator in Network Security, aims to deliver the most innovative, highest performing network security platform to secure and simplify our IT infrastructure. They provide of network security appliances and security subscription services for carriers, data centers, enterprises, distributed offices and MSSPs.

Derek Manky, Global Security Strategist - Threat Researcher and Evangelist for Fortinet, shared Fortinet's findings on identified critical security risks, at a gathering held at the Makati Shangri-La hotel on March 16, 2016.

Derek formulates security strategy with more than a decade of advanced threat research. His ultimate goal is to make a positive impact towards the global war on cyber crime. He works globally with the security industry and Computer Emergency Response (CERT) to connect the dots, streamlining mitigation advice and threat forecasts based on personal knowledge and a team of world class experts at Fortinet and FortiGuard Labs.
He shared his expertise as threat researcher and the importance of having threat intelligence that can able to detect and stop threats both inside the perimeter and outside the organization.

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Sean Gowran, President and Country Manager of Ericsson Philippines and the Pacific Islands, says that a digital disruption will soon come to every industry by 2016. This is after the recently concluded Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2016 where he spoke and identified 5G, IoT and cloud as the hottest topics in the ICT industry.

At a gathering held at the Manila Peninsula in Makati, Gowran discussed with members of the media some crucial information that would soon change the way we work and live.

Gowran shared major announcements the company has made in 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT) and cloud. With these announcements, Ericsson solidifies its position as a leading ICT transformation partner for customers across industries.

He also announced the global alliance with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to accelerate cloud transformation in the telecommunications service provider industry, and that the new IoT transformation offering is leveraging Ericsson's global services footprint, industry experience and technology leadership to help customers drive IoT business.

Ericsson also affirmed its strong focus on Cisco partnership; with the Dynamic Service Manager launched.

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As part of the approved syllabus of the BS Interior Design program of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, College of Architecture and Fine Arts for the subject Interior Design 8: Special Project, the graduating students designed and built their concepts in actual.

This culminating activity aims to give students first-hand experience of the actual design and construction processes that would be very significant in their practice of the interior design profession in the future.

This year’s Exhibit entitled: ENTANGLED: Reliving the Artistry of Philippine Textile in Interior, an Interior Design Exhibit of the PUP-CAFA BS Interior Design Graduating Class 2016 (17 students) is design projects centered on six (6) different commercial interior spaces with the vivid craftsmanship of our own Filipino textiles, ENTANGLED pose an enigmatic spin of queer commercial spaces interlacing ingenious functional concepts and rich legacy of different regional textiles.

An interior design exhibit of PUP-CAFA BS Interior Design Graduating Class 2016 Intertwined mint twists of six (6) commercial interior spaces with the vivid craftsmanship of our own Filipino textiles, ENTANGLED pose an enigmatic spin of queer commercial spaces interlacing ingenious functional concepts and the rich legacy of different regional textiles.

It is a design project centered on different cultural textiles of the Philippines embracing history, style and details enlaced with each story. This gives life to experience the six (6) distinct commercial spaces with inspiring interior designs.

Fr. Larry Faraon’s Lenten Recollection at Teatrino, March 23; Easter Egg Hunt at Promenade, March 27

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Fr. Larry Faraon O.P. will conduct another stirring Holy Wednesday Recollection at Teatrino on Holy Wednesday, March 23 to bring Christ’s Passion and Death closer to the lives of the faithful. On Easter Sunday, March 27, the Promenade hosts another fun and frolicsome Easter Egg Hunt as the Risen Christ removes the pall of gloom with the joy of His glorious Resurrection.

From 2 to 5:30 p.m. on March 23, the popular Retreat Master will take retreatants on “A Journey of Presence, Sacrfice and Communion”, focusing on the wonder of the words “..and He dwelt among us” – the special privilege we all have because God became man, lived on earth to work wonders and redeem us from sin.

“In this year of the Special Jubilee of God's Mercy and Compassion, the Eucharist comes out as the perfect example of such mercy. The abiding presence of Christ in the Eucharist is God 's expression of 'being with' his people especially in challenging times. The sacrifice on the cross of His son Jesus commemorated in the Eucharist brings forgiveness, the ultimate act of God's mercy and compassion. In holy communion, which is the result of the eucharistic activity, God's mercy and compassion is shared in fellowship and charity. We shall share with each other the richness of God's mercy and compassion in the retreat,” said Fr. Larry.

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It was an amazing afternoon as your friendly neighborhood Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas got to have the Wazzup Pilipinas tarp design printed on two different large HP printers namely the HP PageWide XL 5000 can almost print as fast as the Flash. They printed several copies of the Wazzup Pilipinas design and it took only a few seconds to print, and the HP Designjet T830 which printed a glossy version of our tarp design.

I have it on video as the printers were doing their job. It was quick and easy. They just required my file which came from my smartphone. I downloaded the trap design file from my email account, and one immediately copied it on their desktop to prepare for printing, while the other asked me to share it through bluetooth to his smartphone which connected to the printer.

We also got a special interview with the 3D Printing team which handles the MakerBot, for small 3D projects, and Stratasys, for industrial applications, 3D printing brand of machines. Since most of the printing machines were huge, the event was held at two different places: one at the lower ground floor where the 3D Design and Printing Hub was located, and another at a few floors higher where we saw other products like the CCTV, headset, storage, and other systems solutions.

These were just some of the attractions we got to see at the WSI Unboxed event, a special gathering held on March 15, 2016, at the WSI Corporate Center in Makati City for all technology journalists and bloggers to announce the new products and offerings of Wordtext Systems, Inc. (WSI), the oldest pure IT distributor in the Philippines.

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Traveling to the exquisite cities of Thailand has always been a dream for many travellers. With the country’s rich tourism, travelers can find almost anything and everything – cultural and historical sites, white sand beaches, unique festivals and delightful cuisine, among others.

As Singapore Airlines continues its year-long celebration of its 50th Anniversary in the Philippines, the Airline is offering all-in special round trip Economy Class fares to Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Phuket from just USD250 per passenger, valid for a minimum of two passengers travelling together on the same itinerary. Solo travelers also get an all-in exceptional deal from just USD280.

Special SIA A380 Flight to Bangkok

For travellers flying from 12-14 April 2016, they can experience flying on SIA A380 on flights SQ975 and SQ972 as the double-decker flies to Bangkok for the Songkran Festival to be held from 13-15 April 2016. The A380 is dubbed as the most comfortable and spacious aircraft ever to grace the skies, and Singapore Airlines is the first Airline to introduce the A380 to the market globally. Customers who will travel on the Singapore Airlines A380 will experience unsurpassed standards of luxury and sophistication in air travel.

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The Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (Palanca Awards), the country’s longest-running literary contest, is reaching out anew to all writers looking to showcase their literary genius.

Now on its 66th year, its organizer and sponsor, the Carlos Palanca Foundation, Inc. (Palanca Foundation), announced that it is now accepting entries for the Awards’ categories, which are as follows:

· English Division – Short Story, Short Story for Children, Essay, Poetry, Poetry Written for Children, One-act Play, and Full-length Play;

· Filipino Division – Maikling Kuwento, Maikling Kuwentong Pambata, Sanaysay, Tula, Tulang Para sa mga Bata, Dulang May Isang Yugto, Dulang Ganap ang Haba, and Dulang Pampelikula;

· Regional Languages Division – Short Story-Cebuano, Short Story-Hiligaynon, and Short Story-Ilokano.

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In its continuing effort to make solutions most accessible and empower every individual to achieve more, Microsoft Philippines announced that Office 365 is now available in more than 100 major appliance centers nationwide.

Productivity sits at the heart of Microsoft Office 365, whether it’s for the home or the business, with all the tools to get things done — be it on your desktop, on the web, and other devices in between.

“Making Office 365 available through other channels is a true testament on how technology and solutions should be: accessible and ready for optimum use,” said Jerry Bongco, Consumer Channels Group Director.

For every Office 365 subscription, users have the full power of familiar Office applications at their fingertips, such as Word, Excel, and Powerpoint, plus a suite of solutions that is built and maximized for teamwork. Through its cloud storage on OneDrive, one can access files on any device, anytime, anywhere. With Office 365, you can have your data anywhere and at any time. Collaboration is also punctuated with the Office 365, allowing you to do real time co-authoring, create a compelling digital story on a fun Microsoft app, reach landlines in various countries through Skype.

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This summer, sip cocktails and bask in the sunset at Bali or get away from the bustling city’s noise and relax at Aruga at The Grove. Take a break from your daily grind and treat yourself to a well-deserved vacation.

Get a chance to win an overnight stay in Aruga at The Grove or a trip for 2 in Bali! The Grove by Rockwell will be raffling off two (2) 3 days, 2 nights stays at a 2-bedroom suite at Aruga at The Grove and four (4) round trip Cathay Pacific Economy Tickets to Bali.

Dine and shop at The Grove Retail Row from March 7 to May 31, 2016. For a single receipt of P500 at any establishment at The Grove Retail Row or a minimum purchase of P1000 at Rustan’s Supermarket, shoppers can avail of a raffle stub. The promo is open to all The Grove by Rockwell retail customers of legal age with a Philippine address. The raffle contest will have two draws, which will be on April 18 and June 1. Raffle stubs can be dropped at the Redemption Booth located at The Grove Sales lounge, The Grove by Rockwell, E. Rodriguez Jr Ave, Ugong, Pasig City.

To know more about the raffle mechanics, visit The Grove by Rockwell’s Facebook page (The Grove by Rockwell) and Instagram page (@thegrovebyrockwell).

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Global streetwear brand Dickies will be launching its new underwear line called Dickies Intimates with local television’s it-girl as the brand ambassador. Catch her walk down the runway and perform with her band, a revelation you cannot miss.

Here are some clues on who Dickies Intimates brand ambassador is. She recently released a box-office hit under Star Cinema which grossed over Php 100M. Her soap opera that wrapped up less than a month ago, triumphed in the ratings game nationwide. And with her success as an actress, Dickies Intimates new brand ambassador leads a double life and is the vocalist of a famous rock band.

Can you guess who the endorser is?

But even without the brand ambassador, Dickies is a quality brand that is both durable, comfy and sensible to wear and flaunt. You would want that especially for your underwear. I would buy their products even without any endorser.

Lubao International Balloon Festival 2016: Soon to Heat Up Summer from Sunrise to Sunset on April 14 to 17

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We saw ourselves uploading photos with the hashtag #LubaoIBF2016. Of course, that would include our favorite selfies posted on instgram, Twitter, Facebook and every other social media that's connected to my app. The venue had cute and adorable hot air balloon decors per table, a lot of tarps around to indicate some of the sponsors, and the huge signage on stage indicates the event for that day.

The organizers came in carrying their official outfits for the day, and they wore them before the presscon started. But before that, everyone enjoyed having lunch at the Passion restaurant of Resort's World Manila.

Everyone is excited and eager to listen to the press conference held at Resorts World in Manila for the biggest annual hot air balloon festival in Southeast Asia is back! The hist introduced the main organizers led by Event Chairman Hilario Castro Jr, and Event Director Steve Kim. Rambo Nunez Ortega was also there as the Event Organizer.

Accoring to the organizers, there's a total of forty one (41) colorful hot air balloons from different countries that will fly to the skies of Pampanga at this year’s Lubao International Balloon Festival (LIBF) on April 14 to 17 at the Pradera Verde, Prado Siongco, Lubao, Pampanga.

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It's the Comedy Cartel and once again, they are going all out in their signature Uncensored show, Unsafe Space!

Big D's Smokehouse and Comedy Cartel presents Unsafe Space 2 at Eastwood City walk 2, March 19, Saturday 9:30PM.

Check the poster for details on reservations. See you there! (The show is not family-friendly, okay?)

Globe Media Excellence Awards Now in its 5th Year

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Globe Telecom is staging its fifth Globe Media Excellence Awards (GMEA) this year to recognize excellence in journalism exemplified by print and online media as well as bloggers, and social media influencers in Visayas and Mindanao.

Globe Telecom first launched its Media Excellence Awards in Cebu and Davao in 2012 to promote freedom of the press and media excellence by recognizing media practitioners who demonstrate excellence in their field of work.

Last year, GMEA expanded its coverage to Bacolod and Iloilo in Visayas, and General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga in Mindanao. In its fifth milestone year in 2016, GMEA is expected to become bigger, better, and grander.

This year's GMEA is anchored on Globe Telecom's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and support for the #WonderfulPH campaign.“The critical role of traditional media organizations and, of late, the social media in forming public opinion makes it imperative for an ICT enabler like Globe to encourage excellence in this field as we all aspire to effect societal change towards a more wonderful Philippines,” Globe Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto said.

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The Department of Energy (DOE) steps up initiatives towards energy efficiency and conservation through finalizing the Philippine Energy Standards and Labeling Program (PESLP), which will be a key contribution to the attainment of the country’s aspirational target to reduce energy intensity by 45% by 2035.

"We’re almost done in updating the Philippine Energy Standards and Labeling Program, which would cover a wider range of appliances and lighting systems, and to include even light duty motor vehicles,” said OIC-Assistant Secretary Patrick T. Aquino. He added that comments and suggestions raised during the public consultations held in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao last February were given substantial weight in the finalization of the PESLP to make the policy more responsive to the needs of all stakeholders.

The PESLP initially covers room air-conditioners, split-type aircons, refrigerators with 5-8 cubic feet storage capacity, and three types of fluorescent lamp (CFL, linear and circular) and electronic ballasts.

This initiative is in line with the DOE’s “energy efficiency and conservation (EE&C)” program, as a major aspect in cutting down the country’s carbon emissions.