PiliPinas Debates 2016: Live Blogging the Last Presidential Debate at the University of Pangasinan

Wazzup Pilipinas!

We are live blogging the PiliPinas Presidential Debates happening live at the PHINMA University of Pangasinan where Binay came first, then Poe, then Duterte. Roxas and Santiago arrived next. In just a few minutes, the last presidential debate will start. Are you ready for it?

Hope this last debate will be a great help to enlighten us who to vote this coming election. With just two weeks left before election, Please do watch the final leg of #PiliPinasDebates2016 right now!

Karen Davila and Tony Velasquez moderates the presidential town hall debate format. The presidential candidates are called in one by one: Binay, Santiago, Duterte, Poe and then Roxas. That introduction felt like a UAAP intro.

I hope Presidential bets focus on platforms, not on personality attacks so voters can pick intelligently! We are expecting to see an intellectual debate and not just another comedy skit. Hopefully everyone will follow the rules and will stick on the issues...No More EPAL. We hope the candidates will debate fairly and will not throw shades to each other the whole time.

Eric Santos sings the national anthem of the Philippines.

Presidential candidates are asked this question "Kung ikaw ay mahahalal na pangulo, paano mo maisasalarawan ang Pilipinas by 2022, pagkatapos ng iyong termino" as introductory speech. Duterte follows. Binay as third. Poe as forth and then Roxas.

Studentdesk Integrated Montessori School Proudly Presents Kids Summer Festival

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Welcome to Kids Summer Festival!

Join in the fun as we open the summer season with games, prizes, food, crafts, performances and so much more. This is the best summer experience for your kids and the whole family.

Come celebrate with us in this one day extravaganza. Get ready as we bring you the greatest event of the year filled with exciting activities and beautiful memories!

What

The Kids Summer Festival is organized by Studentdesk Integrated Montessori School, a non-profit organization committed to helping each child grow toward independence by building confidence, competence, self-esteem and respect for others through the power of education.

Education. Let your kids’ imagination run wild as they witness live storytelling sessions and demonstrations of different educational materials; plus a hands-on experience with our painting and craft making workshops.

Entertainment. Be in awe as our little stars showcase their talents through sing and dance performances. There will be fashion show, magic show, face painting, games, and prizes to be given away.

Exhibit. Check out select exhibits with their awesome products and services for your kids. Meet also charities making a difference in children’s lives.

A Series of Fortunate Events: The Tale of the Lucky Butterfly

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Some could call everything that happens to our lives as our destiny but I believe we are the ones that make our future. The future could never be accurately predicted as it constantly changes every second of the current day.

However, the outcome of our future is more than just being in the right place at the right time, or knowing the right people. I believe it's being the right person all the time regardless of who's in front of you.

You can never be selective of how you deal with people because you would never know if the person you would meet next would be the one to give you another awesome opportunity. To sustain your journey towards greatness, you must continue being great from the inside.

Strange enough, a butterfly kept following us around before our hot air balloon flight at the Lubao International Balloon Festival at Lubao, Pampanga. I think it was the same butterfly that landed on Jayson R. Biadog shoulder and was not afraid of me taking a photo of it.

Then it must have followed us and eventually landed on the hot air balloon piloted by our Spanish balloonist named Jordi Diaz, and once again it let Jordi take its photo... If we could see the butterfly's face, it was probably smiling every time we shoot its photo.

Later, Jayson and I were both flying high up into the Pampanga sky. It's very rare that we see a butterfly in the city, and it is very rare that one gets an opportunity to fly a hot air balloon. Jayson would readily agree he was the luckiest person that day. The butterfly seemingly brought us luck that day.

With so many bloggers out there, we were fortunate to be among the lucky ones. But we would never call ourselves "top" bloggers, we are humble enough to acknowledge there are a lot of bloggers out there that are better than us. But just how do you define "top" and how do you base this assertion as accurate? And why do bloggers compete with each other by boasting of their rankings, hits, views or whatever man-made methods of determining our reach and audience?

We should all remember that blogs were originally a journal of our everyday adventure. The moment we try to gauge our performance, it becomes a senseless act of self-gratification. Even though we care about what stories we share to our readers, we should keep in mind that blogs were meant to be our outlet of our ideas, thoughts, dreams, aspirations, hopes, etc., and all the rest are just additional perks we receive as extra points for being an online influencers.

OPPO F1 a Big Hit with Selfie-Loving Pinoys Through Home Credit

Wazzup Pilipinas!

In 2014, Time Magazine hailed Makati City and Pasig City as the selfie capitals of the world[i]. In a study conducted by the publication, Makati and Pasig had 258 selfie-takers per 100,000 people. The two Metro Manila cities edged out Manhattan, New York (202 selfie-takers per 100,000 people), and Miami, Florida (155 selfie-takers per 100,000 people). It therefore comes as no surprise that the OPPO F1, the ultimate selfie-expert smartphone, is a big hit among Filipinos.

With an 8-megapixel front camera, the OPPO F1 is every selfie-taker’s dream come true. It also boasts of a premium metal body with velvety metallic feel; a 5-inch 2.5D arc-edge screen protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4; and a 13-megapixel camera. Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 616 octa-core processor with 3GB of RAM and 16GB of storage, you can even extend the phone’s storage capacity to 128GB.



The best deal for an OPPO F1

In partnership with Home Credit, a global consumer-finance company, customers were able to purchase an OPPO F1, which retails for P11,990, at 0-percent interest rate through an easy, simple, and fast application process.

The original promo period ran from February 19 to March 31, and the numbers from Home Credit point to a highly successful campaign — OPPO F1 accounted for 61 percent of sales in all stores that offered this promo, with more OPPO F1 units sold than all other gadgets and appliances combined.

It was a win-win situation for both OPPO Philippines and Home Credit’s businesses, with close to P50 million in loan volume generated. That’s a lot of OPPO F1 phones — and a lot of selfies!

Adam Bernasek, the Head of Sales of Home Credit Philippines, is ecstatic at the response of Filipinos to their special offer. “When we partnered with OPPO, we truly believed that we are offering our customers great value for their money with the OPPO F1. Filipinos are known to be big social-media users, and we wanted to give financing options to those who would want the chance to have a smartphone with a camera that gives them great photos every time.” 

Promo extension

And now, even more Filipinos can be selfie experts as Home Credit extends its special OPPO F1 offer until May 1, 2016. To apply for a loan, a customer needs to present at least two IDs and an initial cash payment. The loan is approved in less than 30 minutes, and the customer may leave the shop with the purchased good in less than an hour. The payment term is 6 months, with a monthly payment of as low as ₱1,299, based on 35-percent initial cash payment.

The promo is available in 245 partner stores nationwide, in all Home Credit-serviced areas, including OPPO concept stores, and Rulls Cellphones and Accessories, Silicon Valley, and Wellcom shops. The full list of the stores is available at Home Credit’s official website, www.homecredit.ph.


[i] Chris Wilson, “The selfiest cities in the world: Time’s Definitive Ranking,” Time Magazine, 10 March 2014, < http://time.com/selfies-cities-world-rankings/> (11 April 2016)

Lukas Graham: The Band behind the Global Smash Hit - 7 Years

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Lukas Graham, 2016’s breakout artist, is already topping charts worldwide with single “7 Years.” Hailing from Christiania, an autonomous, artistic community in the center of Copenhagen, Lukas Graham developed his natural talent for honest and gritty songwriting and quickly captivated the European audience, earning widespread overseas acclaim. Classically trained with the Copenhagen Boys’ Choir, with a musical scope widened by his Irish folk roots and passion for hip-hop, Lukas Graham possesses a distinct, poetic ability to capture the full range of emotions in his music.

This is showcased perfectly on lead single “7 Years,” filled with Lukas’ impeccable lyricism and infectious hooks, and already making huge global waves: it’s been streamed an incredible 200 million times worldwide since its release, is rapidly climbing – and topping – the charts globally, and is propelling this Danish artist into the spotlight as more listeners connect with his soulful vocals and raw talent.

Known for a phenomenal live show, Lukas has played countless sold out shows and festival main stage slots alongside his bandmates - Mark “Lovestick” Falgren (drums), Magnús “Magnúm” Larsson (bass), and Kasper Daugaard (keyboard) - childhood friends who play an integral role in both the songwriting process and the live performance. “7 Years” sets the stage for the release of Lukas Graham’s self-titled debut album, available now on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer and iTunes under Warner Music Philippines.

Harte Hanks Opens BPO Site in MOA

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Harte Hanks praised the dedication and service-oriented culture of Filipino workers and called them the country’s main draw for foreign investors.

In a panel discussion, following the opening Thursday of the American marketing company’s new BPO-call center in the Mall of Asia (MOA) Complex, which was moderated by ANC Anchor Ron Cruz, executives of Harte Hanks and its local business said they decided to increase investment here because of the Philippines’ “very good” labor market.

“Filipinos possess a very strong work ethic and a culture of customer service,” said Benjamin Chacko, Harte Hanks’ Head of BPO Operations. “We have been always impressed by the skill and dedication of Filipinos who work for Harte Hanks. They have been an important factor in our success, and we look forward to sustaining our growth here.”

He added: “Our Filipino employees learn quickly, are customer-service minded and culturally aware of the United States, our primary service market.”

Chacko also attributed the steady growth of the country’s BPO industry to a highly-educated, English-speaking workforce.

Butch Valenzuela, treasurer of the Contact Center Association of the Philippines, who participated in the forum along with Jopat Lelay, project director of the Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines, and Atty. Ray Glenn Agranzamendez, representing Pasay City Mayor Antonino Calixto, said the IT-BPO industry hired 1.2M workers in 2015 and would add another 100,000 this year to 1.3M.

Risa Hontiveros: “I will legislate for the environment if elected into the Senate.”

Wazzup Pilipinas!

On Earth Day 2016, senatorial aspirant Risa Hontiveros vowed to be a strong advocate for the environment if elected into the Senate.

She discussed the link between health and environment, stating that both go hand in hand and should be protected through durable policies. “Magkatuwang ang laban para sa kalikasan at ang laban para sa kalusugan. Malaking sanhi ng mga sakit ang madumi at magulong kapaligiran.”

She said that Lanao, with its rich natural resources, should be particularly protected. “We need to protect our diverse eco-system, and Lanao’s natural resources should be preserved for future generations.”

Hontiveros committed to take her fight for renewable energy and sustainable land use – two environmental advocacies close to her heart – to the Upper House. “Dagdagan pa natin ang percentage ng renewable energy sa fuel mix. Sa kabilang banda, tiyakin din natin na mabalanse natin ang pagtanim ng biofuel sa karapatang magtanim ng pagkain.”

“Super barangay health centers” for climate-vulnerable areas

She also emphasized the need for “super barangay health centers” in disaster-prone and climate-vulnerable coastal areas.

Assembly of 5th, 6th New MRT-3 LRVS Set on Sunday

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The unloading and assembly of the fifth and sixth of forty-eight (48) new light rail vehicles (LRV) for the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) will be on Sunday at the MRT-3 Taft Avenue Station.

The innermost lane along EDSA southbound near the intersection of EDSA and Taft Avenue will be closed from tomorrow, 10 P.M., to Sunday, 12 P.M., to ensure the safety of motorists near the work site.

The public and all concerned motorists are hereby advised to take alternative routes to and from their destinations.

Once the LRVs are fully assembled and the necessary checks on the electrical and other components are completed, the train coaches will be subjected to static and dynamic testing to ensure the reliability of parts.

The 48 new LRVs are part of the Department of Transportation and Communications’ (DOTC) MRT-3 capacity expansion project, which aims to decongest the metropolis’ busiest railway system by boosting its capacity to over 800,000 daily passengers.

World-Class Globe Iconic Store Soon to Open by June 2016

Wazzup Pilipinas!

The Globe Iconic superior entertainment center debuts with the Philippine premiere of hit musical Green Day’s American Idiot

True to its commitment of providing a wonderful experience for its customers, Globe Telecom is redefining the Philippine retail platform anew with the opening of its flagship ICONIC store, a world-class destination that is home to the latest in retail, entertainment, music, and everything about the Filipino digital lifestyle. The ICONIC store promises to deliver a more exceptional retail space experience that is more innovative, dynamic, and interactive from its predecessor, the highly-successful GEN3 concept store.

Designed by Tim Kobe of Eight Inc., the same designer of the Globe GEN3 stores as well as the acclaimed Apple store in New York, the ICONIC store will soon rise as one of the most renowned landmarks in the country located at the Bonifacio Global City Central Square in Taguig. One of its most ambitious elements of the ICONIC store is the glass bridge that will link two Globe stores from opposite sides of the BGC Central Square.

“The opening of our GEN3 stores in 2014 set the tone on how customer experience in telco has evolved from purely transactional to more dynamic and engaging. GEN3 has given our customers a new way of discovering their digital lifestyle with our topnotch service and innovative products and services. As we near the launch of the ICONIC store, we are thrilled to deliver a new world-class entertainment experience right at the heart of Bonifacio Global City that does not only bring up the ante in retail and entertainment, but also elevates the customer experience to a whole new level,” says Globe Retail Transformation and Stores Management Head Joe Caliro.

Environmental Sustainability Among Private Corporations Through Project 1 Phone

Wazzup Pilipinas!

Huawei Technologies Philippines shows support for environmental sustainability through participation in Globe Telecom’s Project 1 Phone. The above photo shows (L-R) Huawei Fixed Assets Manager Angel Fabelico, Huawei PR Manager Karenina Buenafe and Huawei Procurement Specialist Jocelyn Tesnado turns over a used toner cartridge to Patrick Erestain, Globe Corporate Social Responsibility Manager.

Globe Telecom is leading the way in helping businesses do their share in minimizing environmental impact of electronic waste and countering its harmful effects on health through close collaboration with private corporations on the adoption of Project 1 Phone (P1P) mobile recycling program.

At the forefront of the advocacy is Globe Business which is launching its two-month environmental sustainability campaign in support of Earth Day 2016 using P1P as a platform. This is the second time for Globe business to rally its enterprise clientele to join the program.

"Apart from adopting environmental sustainability efforts in our own organization, Globe Business is taking it a step further by making it possible for our enterprise customers to be involved in saving the environment integral to their corporate sustainability thrusts,” said Globe Senior Advisor for Enterprise and IT Enabled Services Group Mike Frausing.

Globe Business engages its corporate clients to run the P1P campaign in their organizations by encouraging donations of individual and company e-waste such as non-working or damaged phones and tablets, mobile phone batteries, and even personal computers. This early, the group has already received commitment from companies like Coca Cola (FEMSA Philippines), Nestle, Bayan Telecommunications, Pilmico, Aboitiz Equity Ventures and Huawei.